Professional Development Core Leader Joined: August 2025 About: Dr. Cynthia Pérez is a Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Puerto Rico and a leader in research focused on heart health, diabetes, and related cardiometabolic conditions affecting our communities. She serves as one of the Principal Investigators of the Puerto Rico Young Adults’ Stress, Contextual, Behavioral…
Joined: November 2025 About her: Ms. Miredys Sánchez is a registered dietitian nutritionist and epidemiologist from the town of Hatillo, Puerto Rico. She earned her master’s degree in public health with a specialty in Epidemiology at the UPR- Medical Sciences Campus. After graduating,she worked as PR-OUTLOOK’s research coordinator and currently works at the Alliance as a…
Dr. Valerie Wojna began her career as a clinician caring for patients with neurological conditions and as an educator coordinating a problem-based learning course and teaching in the Neurology Residency Program. As a Professor, she transitioned into clinical translational research, focusing on HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) with a strong commitment to addressing health gaps. She led…
I obtained a bachelor’s Degree in biology and a Ph.D. in Developmental Neurobiology, both from the University of Puerto Rico. After completing my Ph.D., I pursued postdoctoral training in molecular cancer biology, first at the Pathology Department at Harvard Medical School, and then at the Molecular Oncology Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center. My postdoctoral…
Dr. Fernandez-Santos has formal education in epidemiology and education and curriculum development. Her master and doctoral level dissertations were directly related to HIV/AIDS research. Over the last 25 years, Dr. Fernandez-Santos has been a contributor as an HIV and Cancer researcher and as data manager in statistical methods and research support cores from a multidisciplinary…
Dr. Morou is a dentist, with a two-year specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry, and one-year training in Advanced Education General Dentistry, and a Doctoral training (PhD) in Microbiology/Immunology. She acquired formal training in Patient-Oriented research (through a K23 career development award from NIH/NIDCR), including epidemiology, statistics, and responsible conduct of research. Dr. Morou also has…
Profile Katiushka P. Berrocales is a dedicated and skilled Biology graduate with a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. With a robust background in research and teaching, she brings valuable expertise to scientific and clinical research projects. Her experience spans molecular biology, microbiology, and laboratory operations, showcasing her…
