RCMI WebNews MAY 2013

Information
Technology Solutions
W
EBNEWS
MAY 2013
SPECIAL MINI-SYMPOSIUM
NEUROSCIENCE SEMINAR
RCMI PROGRAM
PO Box 365067
San Juan , PR 00936-5067
Tel: (787) 763-9401
Fax: (787) 758-5206
E-mail: rcmi.rcm@upr.edu
URL: http://rcmi.rcm.upr.edu
A D M I N I S TR A TI O N
Emma Fernández, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
KEY ACTIVITY
DIR ECTOR S
Carmen Cadilla, Ph.D.
Gregory Quirk, Ph.D.
Loyda Meléndez, Ph.D.
Mark Miller, Ph.D.
José Rodriguez-Medina, Ph.D.
Adelfa Serrano, Ph.D.
José G. Conde, M.D., M.P.H.
KEY ACTIVITY
LEAD ER S
Marcia Carlyn, Ph.D.
Idalí Martínez, Ph.D.
Luis J. Montaner, D.V.M.
61
Number of training sessions
offered by RCMI technical
personnel as of March 31,
2013.
Dr. Patrick Emery-Le, RCMI External
Evaluator, presented the seminar
"Post-transcriptional
regulatory
mechanisms controlling Drosophila
circadian behavior" on Wednesday,
May 1, 2013 at the Institute of Neurobiology in Old San Juan. Dr. Emery-Le is an Associate Professor in
the Department of Neurobiology at
the University of Massachusetts
Medical School. During his visit to the Institute, Dr.
Emery met with investigators, graduate students and
technical personnel working in the field of neuroscience. The seminar was sponsored by the RCMI Translational Neuroscience Program.
RETIREMENT OF DR. PHILIP SPECHT
After 39 years of dedicated
service to the UPR School of
Medicine, Dr. Philip Specht,
Professor of Pharmacology, has
retired. Dr. Specht research
areas focused on computer
simulation of pharmacokinetic
mechanisms of drug interactions and of infectious disease
propagation, including dengue in Puerto Rico. He directed the RCMI Biostatistical Unit from 1986-1991.
The Department of Pharmacology honored Dr. Specht
in a farewell reception held on Thursday, May 23rd. At
the reception, RCMI Principal Investigator, Dr. Emma
Fernández-Repollet, presented a plaque to Dr. Specht
in recognition of his academic career, dedicated service, and significant contributions to medical and biomedical education in Puerto Rico. The RCMI Program
extends their good wishes to Dr. Specht in his new
endeavors.
VISIT TO HUNTER COLLEGE
Dr. Emma FernandezRepollet visited Hunter
College to participate
in the Annual RCMI
External Advisory Committee (EAC) Meeting. During the visit, EAC members
met with Hunter’s President, Jennifer Raab, and Provost, Vita Rabinowitz; RCMI Principal Investigator, Dr.
Jesús Angulo; researchers, staff and key activity directors, who demonstrated their commitment to their
research and program responsibilities. The Committee
commended Dr. Angulo and his research team for his
outstanding leadership of the RCMI Program at Hunter
College.
A Mini-Symposium entitled "Schistosomiasis: Toward
Global Strategies and Solutions” was held on May 7, 2013
at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus. The MiniSymposium was dedicated to Dr. George V. Hillyer, Professor of Pathology and Biochemistry, a well-recognized
investigator in the area of parasitic infections with emphasis on fascioliasis and schistosomiasis. Invited speakers included Dr. Daniel G. Colley, Professor of Microbiology and Cellular Biology at the University of Georgia, and
Dr. Tim Yoshino, Professor of Pathobiological Sciences at
the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Hillyer received an Achievement Award in recognition of his
distinguished career and dedicated service to the UPR Medical
Sciences Campus, his significant
contributions to biomedical
science and education, and his
profound commitment to the welfare and public health
of the Island. The Mini-Symposium was organized by Dr.
Mark Miller, Key Activity Director, RCMI Translational
Neurosciences Program, and Dr. Adelfa Serrano, Key
Activity Director, RCMI Infectious and Global diseases
Research program. The RCMI Program co-sponsored this
special event.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Dr. José F. Rodriguez-Orengo, appointed
Interim Chancellor of the UPR Medical Sciences Campus.
Dr. Margarita Irizarry, RCMI– Puerto Rico
Clinical and Translational Research Consortium (PRCTRC), designated Executive Assistant
to the Chancellor, UPR Medical Sciences
Campus.
Dr. Carmen Cadilla, Key Activity Director,
RCMI Center for Genomics in Health Disparities and Rare Diseases, named Special Assistant to the Chancellor, UPR Medical Sciences
Campus.
Dr. José Rodriguez-Medina, Key Activity
Director, RCMI Center for Genomics in
Health Disparities and Rare Diseases, selected as Interim Principal Investigator for the
Puerto Rico IDeA Networks of Biomedical
Research Excellence (INBRE) Program.