Graduate Students
Josué A. Benjamín Rivera obtained a BS in Industrial Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico- Humacao. He began doing research at undergraduate level under the supervision of Dra. Lilliam Casillas in her microbiology laboratory. In 2004, he moved into a organic laboratory with the advisor Dra. Margarita Ortiz-Marciales to synthesis chiral animes. After his graduation, he worked in the pharmacological industry in the quality control area for few years. After he got his chemistry license he moved to work at the Institute of Forensic Science in Puerto Rico (ICF). Now he is attending his first year of graduate school at the University of Puerto Rico. He expects to work in synthesis of a probe that could be used to identify Ti (IV) in the cell . He likes to spend time with his friends and family, he plays tennis and swims.
Carmen Acosta Fernández has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Industrial Chemistry obtained in the University of Puerto Rico, Humacao campus. Her undergraduate research experience is in organic chemistry, where she worked with the synthesis and characterization of chalcones for potential antimicrobial/ anticancer properties with Dr. Mirna Rivera-Claudio. Currently she is a PhD candidate in the chemistry graduate program at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus (UPR-RP) pursuing a doctoral degree in medicinal inorganic chemistry under the mentorship of Dr. Tinoco. Carmen is a graduate fellow of the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (NIH-RISE) Program at the UPR-RP. Her work is focused on the synthesis, characterization of dual chelators (DC) conjugates to create bimetallic compounds that synergize cytotoxic metals with different intracellular metal chelator targets. She worked with Dr. Tinoco as a Program Evaluator for the NSF-REU: PR-CLIMB program. Her hobbies involve playing simulation games, photography, going on road trips and discovering new places.
José Alberto Santiago Espinoza is from Utuado. He completed a bachelor's degree in Philosophy in 2003, and a second concentration in Hispanic Studies, at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (RUM), in 2006. At this academic institution, he also obtained the certification of Spanish teacher at the secondary level. Then, he finished a master's degree in Linguistics in 2013, specializing in phonology, at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). During that period, he worked as a proofreader and translator in the newspaper Primera Hora. Later, he worked as a proofreader and editor in the Spanish Department of Ediciones Santillana. Currently, he is a doctoral student of the Graduate Program in Hispanic Studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. His research work focuses on phonological acquisition in bilingual children of Spanish and English. He is currently working as an administrative assistant for the summer research internship NSF REU: PR-CLIMB, a program directed by Dr. Tinoco.
Aixa M. Orta Rivera graduated from her bachelor's degree at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus in 2018, and started working as a graduate student for Tinoco Lab in January 2022. Her work focuses on elucidating the coordination chemistry between a ferroptosis inducer drug and biomedically relevant metal ions. Ferroptosis is a recently discovered cell death pathway and Tinoco lab is currently trying to use this newly found knowledge against cancer cells in order to find potential new drugs. Aixa got awarded the NIH-RISE fellowship and she will continue to work towards her thesis. In her free time, she loves to draw and experiment in the kitchen, her specialty is Caribbean cuisine fused with international cooking techniques and ingredients.
Oscar Claudio Ares obtained his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Chemistry from Ana G. Méndez University—Gurabo Campus. He conducted research at the undergraduate level under the supervision of Dr. Francisco Márquez-Linares in his nanomaterial’s laboratory. When he graduated from his undergraduate studies, he was accepted into the CIESESE summer program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Where he worked with Dr. Yirong Lin in the development of piezoelectric acoustic materials used in sounding systems for submarines, designing and creating structures with different geometries with PZT type I and type II by 3D printing with paste extrusion technique. He is also working on developing a piezoelectric structure that can function as a temperature sensor by decoupling temperature responses and induced strain. His current efforts are focused on the development of a multi-strategic mechanism to inhibit the reproduction of cancer cells using titanium (IV) chelating complexes. The word that best defines it is perseverance, never giving up is the key to success. Something important that the world should know is that Goku is defeated by Superman and other heroes.
Undergraduate Students
Adriana I. Vargas Figueroa is an undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras. She is an active member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) student chapter as well as other student associations. Additionally, she is an undergraduate fellow of the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) Program at the UPR-RP. As part of the Tinoco Lab, she is working on the synthesis, purification, and spectroscopic/structural characterization of the mix metal Ti(IV) and Pt(II) compound of DefNetTriapine. Also, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
Cristina I. Marrero Robles is a chemistry undergraduate at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras campus. Her appreciation for chemistry deepened during her time as a general chemistry tutor. In the Tinoco Lab, Cristina works in Carmen Acosta’s research team, which has exposed her to various laboratory concepts and techniques, further solidifying her desire to pursue long-term research. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys engaging in sewing and art projects.
Yolmarie L. Del Valle González is an undergraduate chemistry major who aspires to develop a strong research background. She founded and presides over a chapter of the American Chemical Society at her local university. She is also part of the Honors program and the recipient of the Dean's list award. One of her favorite things to do is to perform hands-on science demonstrations at outreach tables and seeing the reactions of the public. She also likes to read rom-coms and values quality time with family and friends. During her time being part of the REU: PR-CLIMB program, she worked at the Tinoco Laboratory on a research project titled: "Exploring transmetalation as an anticancer therapeutic strategy via localization and mechanistic studies for drug optimization" Currently, she is an LSAMP fellow working on various Chemical Education projects with Dr. Tinoco. Fun fact, pyridine is her frenemy, and she likes colorful solutions.
Uzziel Robles began working in the Tinoco laboratory as part of the NIH STEP UP during the summer of 2023, in which he worked under the mentorship of Selene Schiavone. His research project focused on investigating the role of serum transferrin in the antidiabetic properties of Ti(IV) compounds . After dedicating 8 weeks to research at the Dr. Tinoco Laboratory and Molecular Sciences Research Center, Uzziel successfully presented his findings at the National Institutes of Health’s headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. Apart from his academic pursuits, he served as the captain of his soccer team in CROEM and actively participates in boxing. Uzziel has a strong passion for biomedic engineering and aims to continue conducting long-term research , further advancing his knowledge in the field.
Tinoco Lab Alumni
Yahaira M. Cruz (Former Tinoco Lab Administrative Assistant) is at Education major at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus. She is specializing in secondary education with emphasis in science (Chemistry). The main goals in her professional life include finishing her degree and to be accepted in the master program of Education School with an emphasis of Chemistry Research. In 2011, she participated of the Institute for Nanofunctional Materials as part of the Education and Outreach Program and in 2012 she was a Biochemistry tutor under the supervision of Dr. Arthur D. Tinoco. She presented her research from the Tinoco Lab at the 33rd ACS Junior Technical Meeting. She works as a link between Casa Pueblo and Karso Coalition to protecting this environment and their component. She worked with Dr. Tinoco as an Administrative Assistant, where she helped in the development of the NSF REU: PR-CLIMB program. She loves taking salsa classes, drawing, acting, and watch movies.
Timothy B. Parks (Former Tinoco Lab Technician) obtained a BSN from Universidad Metropalitana and is a registered nurse at the Veterans hospital in San Juan, PR. He joined the Tinoco lab in order to do chemistry research as a precursor to applying to a nurse anesthesiology program at UPR. He likes to go to the beach, watch movies, hiking and kayaking.
Steven E. Conklin (Former Tinoco Lab Technician) obtained a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus and worked as the Tinoco Lab technician. He plans to pursue a career as a Research Professor, and he is currently in the process of applying to graduate schools. He is a very active and outdoorsy kind of guy. He likes running, volleyball, tennis, and going out with friends…and he loves Chemistry.
Michael J. Rivera (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is currently a first year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. His major goal is to attain a residency position in Orthopedic Surgery with a fellowship in Pediatrics. Michael has been actively involved with the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), serving as Webmaster during the 2012-2013 academic year, and leader of the Medical Education Committe in the AMSA UPRRP chapter. He has a passion for education and wants to apply this, as well as his biochemistry interest, to his medical practice. For fun, he likes to run, read fiction and watch youtube videos.
Talia Planas (Former Undergraduate Researcher) received her B.S. in chemistry from University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras in May 2015. During the last two years of her undergraduate, she was a MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers) research fellow at her home institution. She presented her research in conferences as ACS National Meeting and ABRCMS. Currently, she is a first year graduate student at Rutgers University, student of the Joint Graduate Program in Toxicology. Her research interests include immune responses and toxicological effects on neural activity and comparative toxicology. In her free time, she enjoyed running, reading, traveling and discovering new and delicious dishes.
Lenny Negrón-Piñeiro (Former Undergraduate Researcher) obtained his Bachelor of Science from the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus (UPR-RP) majoring in Chemistry. As an undergraduate he was a valued member of UPR-RP men's volleyball team, obtaining in 2013 the 2nd place in the Interuniversity Athletic League. Currently, he is a PREP/NEAGEP intern at University of Massachusetts - Amherst working in Dr. Peyton lab, designing biomaterial platforms that imitates breast cancer cell's microenvironment and studying their responses to chemotherapeutics. After this 1-year program, he intends to expand his research interest in Molecular and Translational Medicine by obtaining a graduate degree. In his spare time, he enjoys to read, watch series, and hanging out with friends.
Charlene Munet-Colón (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a third year undergraduate in Cellular Molecular Biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. She started working in Tinoco’s lab in August 2015; she was specifically interested in the lab for its determination on the development of a titanium-based anticancer drug. This would give Munet-Colón an insight in the background work necessary to develop a drug. Her short term goal is to study pharmacy in the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico. Once she obtains a doctorate in pharmacy, she plans on continuing her studies in a specialized field of pharmacy.
Natanael Corsino (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is attaining his Bachelor's degree in chemistry, though he still belongs to the math department. His interest in chemistry began when he was chosen by his high school to attend a biochemistry internship in the University of Illinois, but it wasn't until 3rd year in the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus that Corsino decided to go full on chemistry. Natanael's interest in chemistry lies in the pharmaceutical industry as a potential to help people by reducing as much as possible the non-beneficial secondary effects in drugs. Another field he feels attraction towards to is forensic chemistry since Puerto Rico is seriously lacking in the ability to resolve cases even with physical evidence. His hobbies are playing/watching soccer, reading and watching series.
Louis Parham Cruzado (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is majoring in cellular-molecular biology. He was born in New York, yet he has lived most of his life in Puerto Rico. He always had a keen interest for science however it became most prominent as an undergraduate where his curiosity for all of the mysteries of the world grew exponentially. Louis is currently working on a project which consists of utilizing Human Serum Albumin to facilitate that transport and precipitation of titanocene dichloride in human cancer cells in order to promote cell death. Being a member of Tinoco’s lab has helped him in ascertain that his future career lies in the research domain. He wishes to continue his research work in a cancer related field in order to encourage and facilitate the development of anticancer drugs. The greatest goal he wishes to achieve in life is to join an MD/PHD program in a prestigious university.
Mallesh Pandrala (Former Postdoctoral Researcher) completed his masters (M.Sc. Organic Chemistry) at Kakatiya University in India in May 2003. After obtained his MSc, he worked with several leading drug discovery companies in India, for example, Dr. Reddys laboratories and Jubilant Biosys. While working at these companies, he obtained wide-ranging skills and experience in the synthesis of organic compounds, and experience in the analytical techniques used to characterize the compounds. With the vast experience of organic synthesis, in 2011, he moved to Australia to do PhD in the field of inorganic medicinal chemistry in order to gain experience in another area of chemistry. He obtained his PhD in 2014 from University of New South wales, Australia. He has conducted research in the field of inorganic medicinal chemistry under the guidance of Prof. Grant Collins and Dr. Lynne Wallace. Mallesh has investigated several iridium(III) complexes therapeutic properties. From his PhD studies, he has gained considerable experience in the synthesis of inorganic transition metal complexes and characterization using a range of analytical techniques, such as, NMR, IR, UV-Vis. Now he has expertised in both organic and inorganic synthesis.
Yamixa Delgado (Former Postdoctoral Researcher) was admitted in 2002 to the University of Puerto Rico- Humacao to continue studies in science. From 2004 to 2007, she began doing research under the supervision of Dr. Gabriel Barletta in his bioorganic laboratory. In 2007, she received her bachelor degree in science with major in industrial chemistry. After her graduation, she continued working with Dr. Barletta for eight months as an assistant researcher until she entered to the intercampus biology graduate program with a major in biochemistry at University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus. She has worked on her doctoral research project within the applied biochemistry and biotechnology laboratory under the guidance of Dr. Kai Griebenow. As a graduate student, Yamixa has been investigating the modification of proteins by glycans and fatty acids to develop potential drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. She completed the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biology with concentration in biochemistry and biotechnology in June 2015. Currently Yamixa is working as a postdoctoral researcher on the Development of targeted glycosylated Ti(IV)-based bioconjugate agents for possible cancer therapies. She loves the beach and to sing, also she plays piano and enjoy watching movies.
Michelanthony Lee Rosado Velázquez (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a senior undergraduate student at the UPR-Rio Piedras majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology. His research project in Dr. Tinoco’s lab focused on the synthesis of zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoparticles and their intercalation with Fe(citrate)(deferasirox). The goal was to evaluate the potential of ZrP nanoparticles to enhance drug delivery and increase cytotoxicity effects when intercalated with our Ti(IV) complexes. Previosly he did research in the Institute of Neurobiology in Dr. Miller’s lab. During his time in Dr Miller’s lab, he learned various techniques such as, micro-surgery on the snail to remove the brain, immunohistochemistry to determine if there was co-localization of a classical neurotransmitter in well characterized neural circuits, electrophysiology to detect any motor or feeding activity of the target neuron, and using the confocal microscope to obtain clean three-dimensional images from all the samples. Currently he is applying to medical school and loves to draw, play soccer, and watch movies and series.
Manoj Saxena (Former Postdoctoral Researcher) has earned a masters degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Penn State University, USA in 2012 and Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, July, 2017. During his P.hD., he worked on developing a nontoxic, bio-compatible protein based drug delivery system for inducing cell death in cancer using structural and functional knowledge of transferrin and cytochrome c proteins. He is passionated about science and protein's structure function relationship. He loves running, drawing and nature. When he is not running, writing poems or enjoying nature, you can find him in lab working on protein's structure function relations.
Xaymara Camila Rodríguez Acevedo (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is currently in her third year of BS in Chemistry in the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She participated on the Biochemistry Research Group under the guidance of professor Arthur Tinoco carrying a research project titled Inducing cancer cell death by a Titanium Transferrin Cytochrome C conjugate studying the possibilities of changing the off-targeted mechanisms of cancer treatments. She loves movies and sweets, but above all she adores science.
Shweta Sharma (Former Doctoral Researcher) obtained her M.S. in biotechnology from HNB Garhwal University (India). She carried out a short-term dissertation during her master’s titled “ Use of SSR markers in genetic diversity analysis of maize”. She is working on transferrin and trying to understand it’s metal transport characteristic inside the cell. She likes listening to music and drawing.
Frances Nicole Serrano Martínez (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is an undergraduate student of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Since early age, she has demonstrated a fascination and interest for pharmacology and the design of new drugs. In the Tinoco Lab she researched the preparation of peptide-conjugated Ti(IV) complexes, using deferasirox ligands, for trials in specific cancer and normal cells. After obtaining her degree on Chemistry, her goal is to continue to Pharmacy School and achieve her Ph.D. In her spare time, she loves reading young adult books and watching movies.
Alexandra Vázquez Salgado (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a senior undergraduate student at the UPR-Rio Piedras majoring in Cell and Mol. Biology. She is a member of MARC (Maximizing Access to Research Careers), which is a program for students interested in pursuing a PhD in the Biomedical Sciences. As part of this program, she has participated several times at ABRCMS Conference, where she has presented her summer research projects. In addition, she has presented oral presentations on her previous work in the laboratory at the JTM/PRISM. In Dr. Tinoco's lab, she has focused on the synthesis, structural characterization, and mechanistic studies of Ti(IV) complexes as potential anti-cancer agents. Currently, she studies how bio relevant molecules could impact the cytotoxicity of Ti(IV) complex, such as Fe(III), the effects on stability and transportation of a Ti(IV) complex caused by albumin, and understanding the effects of Ti(IV) complexes on the cell cycle using flow cytometry.
Sergio Armando Loza Rosas (Former Doctoral Researcher) obtained a BS in Chemistry from the University of Atlantic (Barranquilla, Colombia) in which he participated in the Natural Products and Macromolecular biochemistry research group under the guidance of professor Dary Luz Mendoza Meza. He carried out a short-term research project titled Chemical characterization and evaluation of in vitro antihyperglycemic activity of the ethanolic extract and the essential oil of leaves of Smallanthus Sonchifolius as a contribution to the treatment of Diabetes type II. In Tinoco lab, he worked on design, synthesis, structural characterization and cytotoxicity evaluation of Ti(IV)-based complexes as possible anticancer agents. He loves salsa and vallenato, watch movies and play soccer.
Sofía Carolina Pérez Otero (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is an undergraduate student majoring of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She worked in Tinoco lab researching the mechanism of action of various titanium(IV) complexes, formed with a family of iron chelators called chemical transferrin mimetic ligands, that exhibit highly potent anticancer properties. Her research is mainly focused on the effect these complexes have on the enzyme Ribonucleotide Reductase I, which is essential for DNA replication. During her free time, she is constantly participating in activities of community service and after graduating, her goal is to continue to Medicine School and use her acquired knowledge to help others. In the meantime she is very interested in developing her research abilities to the maximum of her potential and continue to gain new experiences that will help her grow as a student, person and future professional.
Loreal Marie Del Valle Santiago (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a undergraduate student from the Chemistry Department in the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. She worked in the elucidation of the interaction of vanadium species with serum proteins and biorelevant small molecules. The main results of her project will give important insight on how the metal is transported and delivered into cells. This information will be valuable to establish future strategies for designing insulin enhancing agents for treatment of diabetes type 2. She likes playing volleyball, watching series and going to the beach.
Nicole Zambrana García (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a third year undergraduate in general sciences funded by the PR-LSAMP. She was part of the Tinoco lab during her two summers on the Project SEED of the ACS , where she worked with titanium-citrate-protein complexes and cell uptake. As undergrad student in Tinoco's lab she worked on the synthesis of Titanium-Iron-protein complexes for better uptake of Ti(IV) in cells
Kavita Gaur (Former Doctoral Researcher) obtained a degree of Bachelors of Science (B.S.) in Chemistry, Botany and Zoology and Master of Science (M.S.) in Inorganic Chemistry from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra (India) in 2005 and 2008, respectively. She performed her master’s dissertation on stepwise understanding of Diels-Alder reaction. She worked as a chemistry teacher in several prestigious schools of India for six years. She entered in graduate program in fall 2014.
Jose F Catala Torres (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is an undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. In the Tinoco Lab, he conducted research involving the determination of the affinity of citrate to titanium bound human serum transferrin(sTf). He enjoys playing football, arts and crafts, as well as hiking.
Angel Luis Vázquez Maldonado (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is an undergraduate student at the University Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. He is majoring in Chemistry and is a member of RISE (Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement), a program for students that are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. As part of the laboratory, he worked with the aqueous speciation of the Ti(IV)-based anticancer compound Ti(Deferasirox)2. Currently, his project is developing the spectra deconvolution of several metal complexes with the ligand Deferasirox. In his spare time, he enjoys reading fiction novels, listening to music, doing makeup and spending quality time with friends. As part of his long-term goals after college graduation, he desires to obtain a Chemical Biology Ph.D. in a prestigious university.
Patricia González Pagán (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She joined Dr. Tinoco's bioinorganic laboratory early 2018, during her sophomore year, and is currently working on synthesizing and characterizing a titanium (IV) salicylate complex. Previous work has shown that salicylic acid can trigger cell apoptosis under specific conditions which is why a titanium (IV) salicylate complex shows promise as an anti-cancer agent. She is a member of the UPR-MARC (Maximizing Access to Research Careers) program, which provides mentorship to undergraduate students who wish to pursue graduate studies on the biomedical field of study. She also takes part in various student organizations including AMSA and ACS, which have provided her with volunteering opportunities and interactive learning workshops. She hopes to continue participating in volunteer work as part of other organizations. During her free time, you can find her watching movies and TV series, attempting to cook, and reading about mythology. In the future, she hopes to become a biomedical professional and to positively impact the field.
Alondra M. Vélez Cabrera (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a third-year undergraduate student majoring Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras. She's currently an active member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) student chapter. As part of the laboratory, she worked on Fluorescent studies to evaluate serum transferim transport of metals. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and her dog, going to the beach and watching series.
Andrea Maser (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is a fourth-year Chemistry major at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus. She is an active participant in the American Chemical Society (ACS) student chapter, where she worked as the Green Chemistry chair whose intention was to teach young students about the importance of chemical waste prevention during the year 2019. She is currently working with the synthesis and characterization of titanium (IV) salicylate complex as well as conducting studies to evaluate titanium complexes as potential antimicrobials. Her career goals consist of attaining a Ph.D. to research the areas of drug-delivery and drug-development.
Christopher S. Nieves Escobar (Former Undergraduate Researcher) is an undergraduate student majoring industrial chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico-Humacao. During his academic career, Christopher has been exposed to different research environments including organic chemistry, structural biology, and microbiology. Currently, his research interests are in the field of organic chemistry with pharmaceutical applications. He is interested in the synthesis of new bioactive small molecules with the potential to be developed into drugs for the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer. In the Tinoco laboratory, Christopher developed novel organic ligands with iron scavenging properties in order to synthesize Ti (IV) complexes and studied their bioactivity as anticancer agents.
Mariela V. Pérez Otero is an undergraduate student majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a minor in Medical Humanities. As a part of Dr. Tinoco’s laboratory she studied the chelating properties of Deferasirox and its Titanium complex Ti(IV)Deferasirox towards Cu(II). As a continuation of the experiment she will be determining the affinity constant of Cu(II) to Deferasirox. Her future aspiration consist on completing a Medical Degree. Additionally, she is part of the board of Salut Vito, an student organization, and is an active member of many other associations. During her free time, she enjoys painting, writing poems, and cooking.
Jennifer Torres Reyes is an undergraduate student majoring in the concentration of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. She is currently working in the Tinoco Lab in the project “’Understanding metal binding to RNR-β Subunit expressed in E. coli “ by synthesizing and purifying metal compounds for cell tyrosyl radical monitoring EPR analysis. She's a member of the Puerto Rico Rowing Team and has represented Puerto Rico in national competitions. She’s also part of the Future Pharmacist Association Chapter with future goals in pursuing a PharmD doctorate.
Alexandra M. Soto Millán is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Medical and Health Humanities at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She is an active participant and is part of the board of the American Women’s Medical Association, Río Piedras Chapter. As part of Dr. Tinoco’s lab, she is currently working with the synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity studies of an iron-chelating conjugate, Deferasirox-NEtTriapine, as a potential anticancer agent. Her main career goal is attaining a Medical degree with a pediatric specialty. During her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, dancing, playing the piano and spending time with her family and dog.
Luis F. Díaz Pagán is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus. As part of the Tinoco laboratory, he is working on the expression and purification of the beta subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR-β) in E.coli, and isolating the enzyme from mammalian cells to evaluate its activity with titanium and copper based compounds. He enjoys music, playing volleyball, watching TV series, and helping the community. He is currently an active member of Rotaract, PR- Student Society of Oncology (ONCOSS), Future Pharmacist Association (FPA), and a volunteer for the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Emily J. Almánzar Rodríguez is an undergraduate student majoring of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. As part of Tinoco Lab, she is currently working in the synthesis and characterization and biological studies of platinum (IV) and gold (III) complexes as potential anticancer agents. Also, she is an active member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) student chapter and during her free time she enjoys playing soccer, reading books and watching movies and series.
Omar Orlando De León Vélez was an undergraduate Chemistry major at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. He is currently performing postbac research in the lab focusing on the non-iron metal binding properties of ribonucleotide reductase type 1. In his free time he plays musical instruments such as the guitar, bass and accordion on college groups like the Tuna Bardos UPR and the workshop of jazz and popular music.
Lauren V. Fernández Vega was born in Ciénaga-Magdalena, Colombia. She obtained her BSc in chemistry on 2014 at Universidad del Atlántico in Barranquilla. During her studies as an undergrad, she carried out organic synthesis of aminocarbonitriles-type compounds and computational studies using DFT methods. In 2015, she started her Ph D in University of Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras campus in Bioinorganic working in new bioconjugated titanium complexes to improve the delivery of the Ti-based complexes. She has been awarded with the Chateaubriand fellowship from the embassy of France in the Unites States to move at Chimie ParisTech to continue her thesis project in the Gasser group for four months.She likes traveling, cooking, watching TV series and movies and listening to music.
Israel Rodriguez obtained his degree of Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Chemistry at the University of Turabo, part of the Ana G. Méndez University System. He is a PhD candidate student in the Chemistry Graduate Program at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras (UPR-RP) and is pursuing a doctoral degree in inorganic chemistry. He has been a member of the Tinoco lab since 2019 and is a current graduate fellow of the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) Program at the UPR-RP. His research interests include the synthesis, characterization and anticancer activities of transition metal complexes. His current efforts are focused on developing a strategy to target cancer cell iron metabolism, using titanium (IV) chelating complexes. He has also volunteered at local science outreach events to help spread awareness about chemistry and the importance of scientific research.
Former REU: PR-CLIMB Student
Martin Kowalffe an undergraduate student at CUNY Lehman College, worked under the guidance of Prof. Arthur D. Tinoco and Dr. Yamixa Delgado and showed since the beginning, his passion for science and research. The results of his enthusiasm was demonstrated when he won the first place poster presentation of the REU-PR CLIMB Closing Ceremony.
Mara Julin hopes to pursue a Ph.D. program in Chemistry. She is most interested in research concerning drug delivery. She participates in chemical research in Dr. Doyle's group at Syracuse University, and last summer she traveled to Graz, Austria, for another NSF-REU at the Technical University of Graz. She is originally from Northern California, but currently resides with her family in Savannah, Georgia. On campus she loves to stay involved in many organizations and enjoys her job as manager of a local cafe! Her hobbies include consistently drinking coffee, running and doing yoga, traveling, and journaling. She is so grateful that doing research in the Tinoco group this summer has allowed her to combine both her career and personal interests of research and experiencing other cultures! She participated in the REU: PR-CLIMB program.
Joshua DaCunha is currently a second half senior enrolled in the BS undergraduate applied chemistry program at the New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn Heights. He is a two-time recipient of the National Science Foundation S-Stem Scholarship and has received dean’s list honor six times at his home university. Joshua’s research experience consists of inkjet printing graphene nanoparticles for current collectors in lithium ion batteries and studying the bioactivity of titanium(IV). He is a member of the 9 week summer 2018 PR-CLIMB research for undergraduate (REU) program performing graduate level research with professor Arthur D. Tinoco working on designing Ti(IV) anti-cancer drugs. Joshua has a wide range of interests within chemistry, such as textile chemistry, pharmaceuticals, exploring alternative energy sources, and even has hopes of manufacturing his own fitness supplementation in the future.
Anamaris Torres-Sánchez completed a bachelors degree in General Natural Sciences from University of Puerto Rico in Cayey. Currently she is on her senior year in the Nursing Program at the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She has research experience in the area of drug development for cancer therapy. For her professional development, she was part of the SMDP MedTech Scholar cohort. Torres-Sánchez’s long-term academic interests lie in pursuing graduate studies in Clinical and Translational Sciences to improve the health of underserved communities.
Corey A. Huebner worked under the mentorship of Dr. Tinoco during the summer of 2021 as a rising high school senior. His project involved synthesizing and characterizing titanium compounds for the purpose of developing an antidiabetic agent. He is now a first-year undergraduate student at Dartmouth College studying Environmental Studies with a minor in public policy. He hopes to continue his undergraduate research focusing on the environmental impacts in our polar regions.
Cordelia Isbell is a fourth-year undergraduate at Pomona College in Claremont, California, USA, studying molecular biology. During her time in the Tinoco lab through the NSF REU: PR-CLIMB program, she investigated the serum transferrin coordination of titanium(IV) as a pathway for insulin sensitivity enhancement for type II diabetes under the mentorship of Dr. Arthur Tinoco and graduate student, Josué A. Benjamín Rivera. Other research she has done during her undergraduate career pertains to studying the repair pathways for double-stranded breaks with Professor Cristina M. Negritto (Pomona College) and investigating the cellular compartments and signaling pathways of Codariocalyx motorius, "the telegraph or dancing plant with Professor Fabien Jammes (Pomona College). Aside from research, she is very passionate about teaching and taking classes outside of the realm of science such as cultural, anthropological, and Spanish classes. Some hobbies she enjoys are soccer, working out, rock climbing, hiking, and cooking.
Valerie Ebenki (Val) aspires to be a physician-scientist and is on the track of pursuing an M.D/ Ph.D program. She received her B.S as an ACS-certificatied Biochemistry major and Spanish minor at the University of Mary Washington in May 2022. During her undergraduate studies, Val completed several semesters of research working on potentially the spiciest beer for entry in the Guinness World Records. As part of the NSF REU: PR-CLIMB program, she investigated the Cu(II) inhibitory mechanism of [Ti(Deferasirox)2]2- as a promising therapeutic anti-cancer drug under the mentorship of Dr. Tinoco. Val has presented her undergraduate and REU research at ABRCMS and ACS national and local meetings. Currently, she is participating in the ESI PREP post-baccalaureate program at Yale University, studying the role of metal ions in microprotein structure and function under Dr. Sarah Slavoff. In her free time, Val enjoys learning how to play new instruments, taking Tango classes, and trying different cultural food!!
Justin Huebner is a senior at Vistamar High School in El Segundo, California. He worked under the guidance of Dr. Raúl R. Rodríguez-Berríos and Dr. Arthur Tinoco during the summer of 2023 where he synthesized and characterized two organic compounds, ferrocene and triapine, exploring their potential as an anti-cancer therapy. Justin plans to continue conducting research and exploring anti-cancer therapies at the collegiate level, where he intends to major in biochemistry. In his free time, Justin enjoys playing with his kittens, traveling, working out, and watching sports.
Anna Moravec is currently an undergraduate at Bryn Mawr College pursuing a ACS Chemistry Degree along with a minor in German. For undergraduate research, she does computational research with the transmembrane protein, YebS (E. Coli) within Dr. Plummer’s lab at Bryn Mawr. When not busy with classes or research, she spend most of her time working as a mentor to undergraduate students interested in studying chemistry. She participated in PR-CLIMB, where she developed research skills by observing the therapeutic effects of Ti(IV). Within cellular environments. After graduating from Bryn Mawr, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in physical chemistry and create a more nurturing community for under-represented groups in chemistry.
Former ACS Project Seed Students
Siul J. Muñoz Serrano a future Chemical Engineer of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez campus (RUM), is part of the SEED program from the American Chemical Society (ACS). Muñoz is one of the four student accepted each year in the island for the SEED summer research program. He’s at the second phase of the program, SEED-II, and this is his second summer in the lab. During SEED-I, He titled his investigation, “Conjugating Albumin to a New Family of Ti(IV) Cytotoxic Compounds for Passive Cancer Cell Targeting”. Muñoz graduated with high honours from the “Escuela Secundaria Especializada en Ciencias, Matemáticas y Tecnología (CIMATEC)” located in Caguas. He has a lot of hobbies and dream with becoming an astronaut. Plays the trombone, loves chemistry, play all the sports such as chess, volleyball, basketball, handball, ping-pong, soccer, and do practice rappelling.
Mary E Martinez Nuñez was focusing on Ti(IV) uptake experiment performed on A549 cells known to overexpress TfR1. She was trying to determine if Ti2-sTf could deliver the metal into cells. She works under the guidance Shweta Sharma and Dr Tinoco and found by ICP-OES method that statistically significant amount of Ti can be delivered inside the cell in comparison to control Apo-Tf and media only. It demonstrate that TfR is able to recognize an open conformation of metal bound sTf.
Adriana Paola Méndez Fernández she declares that, as an optimist person, she has always enjoyed the experiences she has had, since this has allowed her to be able to learn and identify the blessings that they involve. Since she was a high school sophomore, in 2015, she has been volunteering in “El Hospital del Niño”. There she has had the privilege of spending time with the children and of learning how to adapt herself to be able to satisfy their needs. When she was a high school junior, in 2016, she participated of Project SEED; along Sergio Loza, she researched if Titanium(IV)-based anticancer agents interfered in Cu(II) and Zn(II) pathways. This opportunity allowed her to perceive her interest in research. She firmly considers that the previously mentioned experiences were a blessing, because they allowed her to identify her career interests. She is currently doing a bachelor’s degree in “Special Education” with emphasis in “Emotional and Behavioural Disorders”, she is interested in doing a PhD in “Educational Psychology”, since she is looking forward to keep researching about physical and psychological disabilities and their relation to human development.
Alanis D. Zayas Ortiz is a first year undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey majoring in Chemistry. She worked during the past summer in the lab in a project called “Deferasirox interaction with Cu(II) enhances the cytotoxicity of anticancer Ti(deferasirox)2 complex.” She likes to read and exercise.
Nahiara Alicea worked on a project focusing on the target specification of Ti(Def)2, titled “Conjugation of Bioactive peptides for target selectivity of Ti(Def)2”. She hopes to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. She aspires to continue her studies to reach a Ph.D , and hopes to focus on biomedical research. Her hobbies are reading, doing yoga and traveling.
Ivanelis Marie Rodriguez Vega Born in July 25th, 2001 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and currently resides in Vega Baja. Her parents are Iván Rodríguez and Luz Eneida Vega and has two older siblings Ivan Rodríguez and Edda liz Rodríguez. She studied in elementary school at Agapito Rosario Rosario and then her middle school and high school at the Brígida Álvarez Rodríguez school specialized in Science and Math, both schools in Vega Baja,actually in the twelfth grade. From age 4 to 12 played basketball, at 9 years old until she was 11 played volleyball. At age 12 she entered a salsa academy in Vega Baja which she stayed for one year. In her school she forms part of different clubs such as: Club 4H, SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), Football, Sports, Dance, theater and is part of the student council as the president and school board as student delegate. Participate in club conferences in different towns of Puerto Rico.Her plans for the university is to study pediatric neurology in Rio Piedras Campus.Paragraph.
Juan Diego Rodriguez Rivera is a rising freshmen at Stanford University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. In 2018, he participated in Project SEED I and returned as a Project SEED II student to work under the mentorship of Dr. Tinoco. He is currently working alongside Josué Benjamín studying the “Metal Uptake of Titanium IV in the Body through Serum Transferrin”. He just graduated from the “Escuela Especializada en Ciencias, Matemáticas y Tecnología (CIMATEC)” and enjoys playing snare drum, volleyball and watching movies.
Natanael Rodríguez Rodríguez was born on March 25, 2002 in Chicago Illinois and is currently living in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. He’s a fourth year student at a specialized science and math school called centro residencial de oportunidades educativas en ceiba (CROEC). He’s a very curious and confident scientist who’s always wanting to learn more about chemistry. I started my investigation under the mentorship of Dr.Tinoco investigating the combined effects of cisplatin and the iron chelator triapine with Titanium(IV) deferasirox on A549, lung cancer cells, and MRC-5, healthy lung cells. In my free time, I love rapping and listening to music.
Jean Galliano Vega Díaz (he/him) was a student researcher that worked under Dr. Arthur D. Tinoco and Aixa Orta Rivera's mentorship throughout Summer 2022. While at the Tinoco Lab and the Project SEED internship program, he focused his research on the potential development of multimodal ferroptosis-inducing compounds for hard-to-treat lung cancer. As an upcoming college freshman, he plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez. Seeking to become a well-rounded person, Jean continually strives to integrate his interest in graphic design, science, engineering, robotics, and creative writing into anything he sets his mind on. After graduating from the Escuela Secundaria de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, he will continue to expand his understanding of the world to help further scientific literacy.
Brittany M. Rosario Cañuelas is a rising Senior from San Juan, Puerto Rico. She attends the San Juan Math, Science & Technology Center. Brittany is a student-athlete with great passion for both her sport, which is volleyball, and her academics. She is a two-time participant of the Project SEED Program sponsored by the American Chemical Society (ACS). In her first year she worked in the JARM Lab in a research titled “Disease associated non-coding mutations alter NKX2-5 DNA binding affinity”, where she got the opportunity to appear for the first time as a co-author in a research publication. In her second year she worked in the Tinoco Lab in a research titled “Examining the cancer selectivity of the dual iron chelator DefNEtTrp”. She enjoys traveling, helping those in need and learning new things.
Former NIH STEP UP Program
Amanda Feliciano Hernández is an undergraduate student studying Chemistry in the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) located in San Juan, PR. She studied investigation in the specialized school called University Gardens High School, where she learned the basics of the research process, and has participated in the research “STEP-UP” program which allowed her to work on an investigation with her mentors at the UPR and then presented it at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. She plans to continue her research experience during her studies and hopes to strive as a future biomedical researcher.
Harold Ignacio Peón Castro worked under the mentorship of Dr. Tinoco during the summer of 2019, as a rising high school senior at Academia del Perpetuo Socorro. His project was focused on recombinant human cytochrome c’s potential anticancer treatment applications. After working at the Molecular Sciences Research Center for 10 weeks, he got to present his findings at the National Institutes of Health’s headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. Outside of the lab, he’s president of his school’s Student Council and actively participates in community service clubs, Model United Nations, and student publications. He looks forward to further studying the natural sciences in college, and hopes to continue doing research as an undergraduate.
Keylianise Espinosa Sotomayor studied scientific research at University Gardens High School, a school specializing in science and mathematics (Class of 2024). Thanks to her professor, Xavier Pagán, her interest in research began. She participated in the STEP UP program during the summer of 2023, mentored by Aixa Orta, and later presented at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. She started this new adventure with her interest in chemistry to fulfill her dream of studying medicine. Keeping God in her heart and giving Him all glory, doors open to achieve this step by step. She is grateful to her spiritual parents, Bishops José and Yolanda Padua, and her Pastor, Karolin Vélez, for leading her in the right direction, inspiring her to follow God, and advising her to make the right decisions. Her ultimate inspiration to keep going comes from her best friend, the woman from whom she received her life's blood, her number 1 cheerleader in the world, her mother, Keysa Sotomayor. She is also thankful for all the love and support from her grandmother, uncles, aunt, and friends. Keylianise plans to continue her research experience during her studies and she hopes to strive as a future pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon.