The Alliance at the 9th National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE)
The Alliance was present at the 9th National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE), held from June 16-19, 2024, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC. Throughout this event, our Principal Investigators, Dr. Carlos Luciano and Dr. Evangelia Morou, along with Program Director Dr. Diana Fernández from UCC, were among the attendees.
Dr. Edna Acosta Pérez, leading the Community Engagement Core of the Hispanic Alliance, presented a poster titled “Advancing Health Equity: Building Strong Community-Academic Partnerships in Hispanic and Latino Communities of Puerto Rico.“ This presentation highlighted the significance of community collaborations in enhancing health outcomes and research participation. Key points included the creation of a Community Health Research Council (CHRC) and a Practice-Based Research Network (GROW).
Additionally, Dr. Vanessa Sepúlveda-Rivera and their team from the University of Puerto Rico-School of Medicine also attended the NISBRE Meeting. They showcased their work on the Alliance supplement and pilot program project through two poster presentations:
- Clostridium innocuum associates with cognitive impairment in the gut microbiota of Hispanics living in Puerto Rico
- Characterization of the gut microbiome of Puerto Ricans with Alzheimer’s disease based on their Apolipoprotein E genotype
These presentations are part of the ongoing project at the Alliance titled “Association of Gut and Oral Microbiome with Alzheimer Disease in Puerto Ricans,” supported by the U54 and HiREC endowment program. The work on the characterization of the gut microbiome based on the Apo E genotype was presented by our undergraduate student, Gerianne Olivieri-Henry, mentored by Dr. Vanessa Sepúlveda and Dr. Filipa Godoy. This poster was awarded Second Place for Best Overall Scientific Poster.
Dr. Sepúlveda expressed gratitude to the Alliance and HiREC for their support and sponsorship, which made this significant contribution to the field of Alzheimer’s and microbiome research possible.
Moreover, Dr. Angel Mayor from UCC presented his poster titled “Cancer incidence trends among people with HIV in Bayamón, Puerto Rico: 2005-2019.” This work provided valuable insights into the cancer trends within this specific population, highlighting the importance of continuous monitoring and research in public health.
Dr. Caleb Esteban, Ph.D., from Ponce Health Sciences University, also contributed significantly with his poster presentation on “Metabolic Syndrome Risk among Hispanic Sexual Minorities in Puerto Rico.” His research shed light on the health disparities faced by this community and underscored the necessity for targeted health interventions.
Dr. Stephanie Dorta, another of our Pilot Program Awardees, made an oral presentation titled “Modulating the Oral Microbiota to Enhance Anti-Tumor Immune Responses in Oropharyngeal Cancer,” further showcasing the diverse and impactful research being conducted within the Alliance.
Other Alliance leaders present at this event included Dr. Valerie Wojna and Dr. Jose Rodriguez-Medina, whose presence and support underscore the collaborative spirit and commitment to advancing health equity within our community.
The Alliance is proud of the contributions and achievements of all its members and remains committed to advancing health equity and fostering strong community-academic partnerships.
