Sobre Mi:
I've been a faculty at the UPR-Mayaguez campus since 1996.
Post doctorate: Mayo Clinic & Foundation
advisors: Drs. Franklin Prendergast and Jeffrey Salisbury
Doctorate: Rutgers University
Advisors: Dr. Richard Mendelsohn and Alan Mautone
Bachelors: University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Advisor: Dr. Ileana Nieves
Advisor Dr. Roberto Marrero
I decided to return to Puerto Rico for several reasons:
The first and for most, there was a lot that Puerto Rico gave to me as a student and in return, I was committed to give back and contribute to the research and academic resources of Puerto Rico.
Secondly, the University of Puerto Rico is overflowing with young, highly intellegent and motivated students. Therefore, I had to contribute to there development as future professionals.
Información de proyecto:
Research Interest:
Protein Structure, function, stability and dynamics are key elements in understanding protein/protein and protein/lipid interactions. There are two currently funded projects by NIH with direct clinical relevance:
(1) Centrin, an essential calcium binding protein, with upto 4 human isoforms. One isoform human centrin 2 is located in the nucleous and centrosomes. We are currently studying the interaction between centrin and a target protein, known as Sfi1, comprised of 23 binding domains for centrin. This complex is essential in centriole duplication during cell division. Centrin undergoes structural changes that occur upon binding to sfi1. We are currently using FT-IR spectroscopy two-dimensional correlation analysis, DSC and X-ray crystallography to understand the dynamics and factors that affect this interaction.
(2) Lung Surfactant, native, recombinant and synthetic surfactant for replacement therapy of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). To understand the protein/lipid interactions that govern normal lung function we have applied infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), FT-IR and DSC techniques.
A multidisciplinary approach involving molecular cloning, expression, site-directed mutagenesis, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular modeling has been applied towards the understanding of protein biological function.
