Board of Directors
Alejandro Arbona-Lampaya
Chairman of the Board, Editor-In-Chief
Alejandro received a BS in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez in 2022. He worked a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health in the Human Genetics Branch researching bipolar disorder genetics, which he completed in 2023. In the summer of 2024, Alejandro was a research intern at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the Acute Cerebrovascular Diagnostics Unit. During that summer Alejandro was also selected to be an American College of Radiology PIER Scholar, where he worked on case presentations. He is currently a third-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico – School of Medicine and plans to pursue a career in Radiology.
Avery Arsenault
Vice-Chair
Avery received her BS in Public Health from the University of Texas – Austin in 2022. She is a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellow at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, researching the comorbidity of alcohol use disorder and smoking. She is currently a first-year medical student at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Héctor Cancel Asencio
Board Treasurer
Héctor received a BS in Human Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Bayamón in 2022. He is currently a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellow at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the Neuroimmunology Clinic researching Multiple Sclerosis and more. He aspires to build a career in the field of medicine.
Sofía I. Malavé Ortiz
Board Secretary
Sofia received a BS in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez in 2023. She is currently a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the Clinical Research Unit Branch as part of the Pediatric Neuroendocrinology Group. After her time at the NIEHS, she aspires to go to medical school.
Marcel De Jesús Vega
Peer Review Coordinator
Marcel received his BS in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras in 2022. He is a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellow at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. He has plans to pursue a career in medicine and he is interested in research related to neuroscience, aging, metabolic disorders and substance use. He is currently a first-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine.
Christian G. Correa García
Board Member
Christian is currently a fourth-year medical student at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine. He participated in University of Buffalo Orthopedic Summer Medical Student Research Program in 2023, where he performed a literature review on the evaluation of lower extremity injuries in golfers. He received a BS in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Central Florida in 2022. He aspires to pursue Interventional Radiology.
Writers
Russel S. Steans
Writer
Russel received a BA in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 2022. He is a Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellow at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute focusing on focus on investigating the interaction of the immune system and metabolism in determining disease progression, and uncovering novel regulation mechanisms directing mitochondrial function in disease states. He is pursing an MD/PhD at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Ricardo André Pérez Ojeda
Writer
Ricardo received a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras in 2023. He is currently a second-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico – School of Medicine and plans to pursue a career in Cardiology. He will be researching hepatocelullar carcinoma at the Mayo Clinic Rochester in the summer of 2024.
Adriel Guevárez Galán
Writer
Adriel received a BS in Human Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Bayamón in 2023. He is currently a second-year MD/PhD student at the University of Puerto Rico – School of Medicine. His research efforts will aim to elucidate transcriptional and proteomic adaptations in response to chronic alcohol exposure.
Gustavo A. Garriga García, MS
Writer
Gustavo earned a BS in Biology and Chemistry with minors in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2018 and an MS in Biology at Fisk University in 2020 as a Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge Fellow. His master’s research used C. elegans to study dopaminergic phenotypes via video analysis. He later worked at Vanderbilt University on projects related to rotator cuff tears, diabetic retinopathy, and preeclampsia, followed by an ORISE Fellowship at the CDC Dengue Branch, focusing on Health Informatics and Ecology. Now a second-year medical student at UPR, he aspires to a career in Neurology or Neurosurgery, combining Medicine and Research.
Sahudi Nicole Soto Rodriguez, MHS
Writer
Sahudi received a BS in Human Biology, Health and Society from Cornell University in 2022 and an MHS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2023. She is currently a second-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico – School of Medicine.
Javier A. Velázquez González
Writer
Javier received a B.S in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus- in 2023. He is currently a second-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico – School of Medicine. After medical school. He aspires to enter the field of neuro-oncology.
Adrián Almodóvar Díaz
Writer
Adrián A. Almodóvar Díaz obtained his B.S. in Biology with emphasis in Molecular Cell Biology from the University of Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras campus (2023). He engaged as a research assistant at the University of Puerto Rico- Medical Science Campus, exploring the implementation of multimodal analgesia for managing surgical pain in cancer patients. In the summer of 2024, he was part of the Mayo Clinic Summer Research Experience Program in Rochester, Minnesota, where he conducted research on Multiple Myeloma and Primary Plasma Cell Leukemia. He is currently pursuing a medical degree at the University of Puerto Rico- Medical Science Campus.
Jan P. Villanueva Medina, MPH
Writer
As a second-year medical student with a background in Industrial Microbiology (B.S., University of Puerto Rico) and a Master’s in General Public Health with a focus on Health Services Administration, Jan is dedicated to advancing the health of Puerto Rico. He is passionate about using medicine to drive positive change and am particularly interested in specializing in dermatology or otolaryngology. His commitment to public health and patient care fuels his ambition to contribute to the well-being of the community in Puerto Rico.
Ángel R. Ocasio-Gracia
Writer
Ángel received his B. S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce (2022). He has worked as Study Coordinator for two clinical studies in HIV between the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico and Yale University. He is currently an MD-JD dual degree student at the University of Puerto Rico and seeks to pursue a career in Forensic Psychiatry and Criminal Law. Most recently, he completed a Research Fellowship in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Roberto Oliveras
Writer
Roberto received a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras in 2023. He is currently a second-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico – School of Medicine and plans to pursue a career in Dermatology.
Ashley Cianchini de la Sota
Writer
Ashley Cianchini is a medical school student at University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine who has dedicated her medical school years to mentor pre-medical students in Puerto Rico. Through her mentorship platform of CianchiniMed, her goal is to increase the amount of Puerto Rican physicians and increase accessibility of the medical profession to students around the island. She thrives for a career in surgery to use her knowledge and hands on skills to help patients from all sorts of backgrounds. Her diverse background and knowledge has aided in her research experience with pediatric sarcomas, pain management, and health disparities in Hispanic populations.
Sophia I. Lopez
Writer
Sophia I. López received a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus in 2023. She is currently a second-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. She plans to pursue a career in Internal Medicine further specializing in Cardiology or Gastroenterology.
Victoria Blaiotta-Vazquez, MPH
Writer
Victoria is medical student at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, expected to graduate in 2027. She holds a Master’s in Public Health and a Bachelor’s in Biology, both from the University of Puerto Rico. Her academic interests include Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics. Passionate about addressing health disparities, she is particularly interested in the study of the social determinants of health and their impact on vulnerable populations.
Adriana Díaz Ramírez
Writer
Adriana is a 24-year-old nursing student at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Caguas. Passionate about healthcare and community service, she aspires to become a medical student and pursue a career as a doctor. Her goal is to contribute to patient care and make a meaningful impact in the medical field.
Nicole Jensen Velez
Writer
Nicole received a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico – Arecibo in 2024. Currently, she is conducting research on oral cancer at the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine. Nicole plans to pursue a career in dentistry, with a passion for improving access to oral healthcare.
Stephanie Cameron-Maldonado, BS, BA
Writer
Stephanie Cameron-Maldonado received her BS and BA in Biology and Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico- Cayey Campus in 2022. She has over six years of experience in basic sciences and public health research. Stephanie is pursuing her Masters in Science with Specialty in Epidemiology from the Graduate School of Public Health, UPR-MSC. Currently, she works as a project coordinator and data analyst at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Puerto Rico, examining how social determinants of health impact participation in cancer clinical trials among cancer survivors in Puerto Rico and Virginia. She is passionate about understanding how stressors impact mental health outcomes in Hispanic/Latino groups. During her free time, Stephanie enjoys mentoring students in STEM and guiding them through the graduate school application process. She wants to pursue a PhD in Social Epidemiology and expand her work as a public health professional.
Iranis N. Hernández González, BSc
Writer
Iranis received a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras in 2021. She is currently a third-year medical student at Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine and plans to pursue a career in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics or Ob/Gyn.
Deyaneira M. Gonzalez Rodriguez
Writer
Deyaneira earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus, in 2019. After serving in the military for five years, she began medical school at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in 2023. She aspires to continue her medical training in the field of Interventional Neuroradiology after graduation
Jossette M. Medina German
Writer
Jossette is an undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Integrative Biology with a minor concentration in Medical and Health Humanities. She is currently in her fifth year and is set to graduate in May 2025. Jossette has conducted research at the Gastroenterology Research Unit at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. She aspires to pursue a career in medicine.
Janlouis Rodríguez Figueroa, MPH
Writer
Janlouis Rodríguez Figueroa, MPH is a public health researcher focused on social determinants of health and their impact on vulnerable populations. He earned his Master of Public Health from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus and a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo. His research experience includes studies on cigarette smoking among people living with HIV in Puerto Rico and the impact of reintegration programs for individuals with opioid use disorders after incarceration. Additionally, he has worked on developing community health profiles to identify unmet health needs in underserved populations. As an active member of “Somos Más”, he contributes to communication strategies and citizen engagement in public policy. Passionate about research and science communication, he strives to raise awareness of the importance of public health in collective well-being. He aspires to build a career in medicine and public health, focusing on substance use, social determinants, and HIV to drive meaningful change in healthcare systems and community health interventions.
Sebastian Torres
Writer
Sebastian received a BS in Biology from Loyola University New Orleans in 2023. He is currently a first-year medical student at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, aspiring to a career in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with further specialization in Sports Medicine.
Graciela M. Colón Camuñas
Writer
Graciela received her BS in Pre-Medicine from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez in 2022. She is currently a second-year dental student at the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine. She plans to continue exploring different areas of dentistry as she advances in her training.
Arelys A. Angueira Laureano
Writer
Arelys A. Angueira Laureano earned a bachelor’s degree in Human Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Bayamón Campus, graduating in May 2023. During her gap year, she worked as a Laboratory Technician I on an NIH-funded project examining the effects of neuronal hyperexcitability on hippocampal astrocytic Kir4.1 channel function in Type 2 diabetic mice. She began medical school in August 2024 at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus and plans to pursue a career in OB/GYN or pediatrics. In the summer of 2025, she will conduct research on endometriosis at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Jan P. Gómez-Acevedo, MS
Writer
Jan P. Gómez-Acevedo earned his Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico and later completed a Master of Science in Medical Sciences at Ponce Health Sciences University. His academic and professional trajectory has been deeply rooted in public health equity, translational research, and surgical education. In the summer of 2025, Jan was selected to participate in the Summer Research Program at St. Luke’s Memorial Medical Center, where he co-led a study titled “Breast Reconstruction Hurdles in Puerto Rico.” The project focused on identifying systemic and socioeconomic barriers that limit access to post-mastectomy reconstructive surgery among Puerto Rican women. The research was awarded 1st Place in the program’s poster competition and sparked meaningful discussion on surgical equity, access to microsurgical expertise, and insurance coverage in underserved populations. Jan is currently a second-year medical student at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG) – School of Medicine International Program. He serves as the President of the Surgery Interest Group, where he has organized multiple hands-on surgical skills workshops, coordinated lecture series, and established a student-led shadowing program in collaboration with Island Surgical Associates at Mayagüez Medical Center. His interests lie at the intersection of general surgery, health disparities, and community-based trauma care.
Tiffany Fuentes-González
Tiffany received her BS in Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh in 2024. She is currently a second-year medical student at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and plans to pursue a career in Ophthalmology.
MiaSara Pérez Salvá
MiaSara Pérez is entering her fourth year as a Cellular and Molecular Biology major at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She conducts translational research at the UPR Comprehensive Cancer Center, with a focus on pediatric osteosarcoma in the Puerto Rican population.Her long term goals include contributing to research that improves our understanding of the pediatric population in Puerto Rico and to promote access to innovative and locally available treatments. She is passionate about reducing the need for patients to seek care outside the island by strengthening access to resources and therapies in Puerto Rico. MiaSara aspires to pursue a career in medicine and clinical research.
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