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Special Seminar: Flow Cytometry Applications for Studying Immune Cell Functions
On March 28, 2007, Dr Adrian J Calderón, Supervisor of Quality Control of BD Biosciences, presented the seminar: Flow Cytometry
Applications for Studying Immune Cell Functions at the Medical Sciences Campus. Dr Calderon provided an overview of the history
and general aspects of flow cytometry as well as new applications currently available for inmunophenotyping. The activity provided
students, faculty and staff the opportunity to learn about new technology and products and their potential research applications.
The lecture was followed by a session of technical questions and answers. The seminar was sponsored by the Advancement in Research
activity of the RCMI Program in collaboration with BD Bioscience.
Flow Cytometry Annual Training Workshop
The Annual Flow Cytometry Training Workshop sponsored by the RCMI Program was offered on September 6-7, 2007. The workshop was held at
the first floor amphitheater of the UPR, Medical Sciences Campus. The workshop included a series of conferences addressing the
following topics: overview of the guidelines regarding the use of the facility, the basic theory of flow cytometry, the importance of
using quality control standards and tips on the basic use of the flow cytometer. The conference session was followed by two practical
sessions in which participants had a hands-on experience with the flow cytometer and learn to calibrate the instrument. In addition,
they were able to use the program Cell Quest® to optimize the parameters for sample acquisition and conduct data analysis.
Invited speakers included: Ms. Diana Ramos, Technical Coordinator of the RCMI Flow Cytometry Facility, who welcomed faculty, graduate students, technical personnel, and visitors to the lecture session and presented the guidelines for using the facility; Ms. Nayra Rodríguez, Director of the Flow Cytometry Laboratory at Ponce School of Medicine, who explained the basic technical principles of flow cytometry and conducted the practical sessions.
Gabriella Tantillo visiting student, Hardvard University
The Quantitative CytoPharmacology Lab is working on developing transgenic fish models for studies of diabetes mellitus. The fish species being used are the pink
convict cichlid, Cryptoheros nigrofasciatus and the gold pearlscale freshwater angelfish Pterophyllum scalare. Transgenic fish offer
the advantages of a short, prolific reproductive cycle, as well as transparent eggs that allow for easy visualization of embryonic
development via standard microscopy techniques. For the whole process please go to the PDF document.
XXVI Annual Forum in Research and Education
The University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus celebrated its XXVI Annual Forum in Research and Education on April 5th-7th, 2006. This year’s forum emphasizes the importance of health
education in Puerto Rico and its impact on the community. As part of the event, faculty and students had the opportunity to attend lectures offered on new research paradigms and also exposed their research
work to the scientific community through oral and poster presentations. The Quantitative Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory was represented by Lisa Del Valle Mojica, Ph.D. Candidate, who presented a
poster focusing on the partial characterization of the insulin receptor gene from pink convict cichlids. This is part of the design of an insulin receptor-enhanced green fluorescent protein construct using a new
fish species, offering a unique model for studying fusion protein localization and in vivo gene targeting, as well as for conducting research in toxicology and genomics. This research is partially sponsored by the
RCMI Program (Grant No. G12-RR03105).
Special Lecture: Cytometric Bead Array: Detection of Cytokines and Proteins
On October 13, 2005, Mark Kukuruga, BD Technical Applications Specialist, presented the lecture: “Cytometric Bead Array (CBA): Detection of Cytokines
and Proteins.” The lecture was held at the Conference Room A-371, third floor of the UPR School of Medicine. The activity provided students, faculty and
staff the opportunity to learn about CBA technology and its application in biomedical research. This bead assay consists of discrete particles that can be used
for quantitative detection of multiple analytes in a single serum, plasma, tissue culture supernatant, or a cell lysate sample. In addition, special tools and assays
for measuring indicators of apoptosis were discussed. The lecture was followed by a session of technical questions and answers. Andrea Coxey, BD Clinical
Systems Specialist and James Cornelius, BD Instrumentation Sales Specialist, oriented and provided relevant literature to the attendees. The activity was sponsored
by the RCMI Program and BD Biosciences.
Flow Cytometry Annual Training Workshop
On August 31, 2005, the RCMI Program sponsored the “Flow Cytometry Annual Training Workshop”. The workshop was held at the sixth floor
amphitheater of the UPR, Medical Sciences Campus. The objectives of the workshop were to provide an overview of the basic theory related to flow
cytometry and to discuss the research and clinical applications of this technology.
Lorean Serra, Technical Coordinator, Nayra Rodríguez, Director Flow Cytometry Lab Ponce School of Medicine, Abe Schwartz, Consultant, and Andrea Coxey, Clinical Specialist BD Biosciences Invited speakers included: Ms. Lorean Serra, Technical Coordinator of the RCMI Flow Cytometry Facility, who welcomed faculty, graduate students, technical personnel, and visitors to the lecture session and presented the guidelines for using the facility; Ms. Nayra Rodríguez, Director of the Flow Cytometry Laboratory at Ponce School of Medicine, who explained the basic technical principles of flow cytometry and conducted the practical sessions; and Dr. Abe Schwartz, who discussed important developments and novel research applications of flow cytometry. Ms. Andrea Coxey, Clinical Systems Specialist from BD Biosciences, co-sponsored the activity and provided relevant literature to the attendees. 
Nayra Rodríguez during the practice session The workshop was followed by morning and afternoon practical experiences using the FACSort located at the Flow Cytometer Laboratory Facility. Over thirty faculty members, students, and technicians participated in the training sessions where they had the opportunity to learn how to calibrate the instrument, optimized parameters for a sample, performed compensation, save and acquired data, and performed statistical analysis using the program Cell Quest®. The workshop was evaluated as outstanding activity by the attendees.
Isamar Burgos, Lisa Del Valle, Agnes Arenas, Lorean Serra, and Omar Pérez MBRS-RISE Poster Presentation Summer 2005
Twenty-five undergraduate students who participated in the RISE Summer Program, presented their research studies at a special activity held at the UPR School of Medicine on August 5, 2005.
Isamar Burgos, Agnes Arenas, Lisa Del Valle, and Yamil Gerena The research was performed under the direct supervision of Yamil Gerena López, Ph.D., and Lisa Del Valle Mojica, Ph.D. Candidate. The activity was attended by faculty members, research staff and students. Yamil Gerena López awarded Doctorate in Philosophy at the XXXIXth Commencement Ceremony of the Medical Sciences Campus The University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC) celebrated its XXXIXth Commencement Ceremony on Friday, June 3, 2005 at the Rubén Rodr&iacxute;guez Coliseum in Bayamón, PR. The Ceremony was officiated by President Antonio García Padilla and Chancellor José R. Carlo. The graduating class included five Doctorates in Philosophy who were individually hooded. Vice President for Research and Technology Emma Fernández Repollet escorted doctoral graduate Yamil Gerena López who completed his degree under her mentorship.
Dr. Yamil Gerena López accompanied by mentor Vice President for Resaerch and Technology Dr. Emma Fernández 
Dr. Emma Fernández Repollet escorted doctoral graduate Yamil Gerena López 
Luis E. Vázquez Quiñónez, Yamil Gerena López, Emma Fernández Repollet, and Ada C. Szeto Kneeble Dr. Yamil Gerena López also received a special recognition for Outstanding Academic Performance. The plaque was presented by President Antonio García Padilla and Chancellor José R. Carlo.  The Quantitative Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory congratulates Dr. Yamil Gerena López and wishes him success in his new career!
Student Day 2005
The University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, honored several students at the 2005 Students Day Activity celebrated on May 4, 2005. The activity was held at Amphitheater II, School of Medicine. The event was organized by the Associate Deanship of Biomedical Sciences and Graduate Program. This year's award winners included Yamil Gerena and Lisa Del Valle from the Pharmacology and Toxicology Department. Both students conduct their research activities at the Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory. Yamil's award recognized his first prize poster presentation at the XXV UPR Annual Forum in Research and Education, while Lisa Del Valle received an award as “Outstanding Student for her Academic Performance in Pharmacology and Toxicology”. Congratulations to both on these special recognitions!
Thesis Dissertation
On Friday, April 29, 2005, Yamil Gerena López, successfully defended his doctoral thesis entitled “T Cell Expression of Insulin Receptor and Its Role in Diabetes at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus. Over 60 persons attended to the activity, including faculty, students, technical staff, relatives, and friends. His thesis committee included: Emma Fernández-Repollet, Ph.D.; Thesis Mentor, Abe Schwartz, Ph.D., Walmor C. De Mello, Ph.D., Carmen Cadilla, Ph.D., Maria J. Crespo., Ph.D and John Nolan, Ph.D., from La Jolla Bioengineered Institute. Dr. Nolan joined the group by videoconference. Dr. Fernández introduced Yamil and welcomed the attendees. During the thesis presentation, Yamil reference his publication in the Cytometry journal and his application for a provisional patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office related to his work and invention of a new model of human T cell line for studies in diabetes. After a closed session of the thesis committee, Yamil was notified of the approval of his doctoral dissertation. The staff of the Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory is proud of his accomplishments and congratulates him on this special achievement!
XXV Annual Forum in Research and Education
During March 16-18, 2005, the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus celebrated the XXV Annual Forum in Research and Education. The objective of this year’s forum was to emphasize the diversity that exists in science, health research, and education in Puerto Rico. As part of the activity, students and professors participated in lectures and also had the opportunity to share their research with the scientific community through oral and poster presentations. Yamil Gerena López, Ph.D. Candidate, participated in the poster presentation and was awarded the “First Prize in the Philosophy Degree Category in the basic sciences area" for his poster presentation entitled "T Cell Expression of Insulin Receptor and Its Role in Diabetes’’. Special congratulations to Yamil on another outstanding achievement.
2005 Open House
On January 28, 2005, the Associate Dean for Biomedical Sciences and Graduate Program sponsored an Open House for prospective students interested in graduate education at the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus. The students had the opportunity to meet faculty, admissions staff, and learn more about the academic programs. As part of the event, they visited laboratory facilities within each department. At the Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory the students had the opportunity to learn about our research interests including the use of Green Fluorescent Protein as a marker for gene expression in human T cells and the development of a new transgenic animal model in diabetes mellitus. We hope that this activity will encourage them in pursuing their career objectives.
Rafael Tirado, Agnes Arenas and Omar Pérez MBRS-RISE Poster Presentation Summer 2004
Students from the Quantitative Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory participated in the MBRS-RISE Summer Program. Forty-two
undergraduate and graduate students conducted research activities in different laboratories of the UPR Medical Sciences Campus
during the summer. After concluding their research experiences, students were invited to present their results at a Special Poster
Presentation, which was held on August 6, 2004, at the Student Center.
Assistant to seminar MACS® Technology: Cytokine Secretion Assay for Detection and Enrichment Training Workshop
On September 22, 2004, the RCMI Program sponsored the “Cytokine Secretion Assay for Detection and Enrichment
Training Workshop”. The workshop was offered by Miltenyi Biotec, Corp. Invited presenters included Adeeb Al-Zoubi,
Ph.D., Technical Product Specialist; Ms. Eleanor Brown, Technical Sales Consultant; and Mr. Dan Disher, Technical
Sales Manager. The objective of the workshop was to provide an overview of the MACS® Technology and give the
opportunity to the participants of a hands-on experience with the Cytokine Secretion Assay - Cell Enrichment and
Detection Kits. The participants learned how to detect and magnetically enrich viable antigen-specific T cells according
to the secreted cytokines following antigen stimulation. The isolated cytokine-secreting cells were analyzed by flow
cytometry in the RCMI Flow Cytometry Facility. Sample preparation and hands-on demonstrations were performed at
Dr. Lavergne’s Immunology Research Laboratory on the third floor of the UPR, Medical Sciences Campus.
Ms. Lorean Serra, Dr. Abe Schwartz, and Mrs. Nayra Rodríguez Flow Cytometry Annual Workshop As in previous years, the RCMI Program sponsored the Annual Flow Cytometry Workshop. The workshop was held at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus on August 25-26, 2004. The objectives of the workshop were to provide an overview of the basic theory related to flow cytometry, to discuss the importance of using quality controls and to learn the basic use of the flow Cytometry instrumentation. 
Speakers Presenattions Invited presenters include: Ms. Lorean Serra, Technical Coordinator of the RCMI Flow Cytometry Facility, who welcomed the faculty, students, and visitors, as well as presented the guidelines for using the facility; Ms. Nayra Rodríguez, who explained the basic theory of flow cytometry and conducted the practical sessions; and Dr. Abe Schwartz, who explained the importance of using quality control and reference standards. On the practical sessions, participants had a hands-on experience, which allow them to learn how to calibrate the instrument, optimized parameters for a sample, save and acquired data, and performed statistical analysis.
Over twenty five persons attended the lecture and practical sessions. The activity was evaluated as outstanding by the participants.
Yamil Gerena, PhD Candidate Recent Publication in Cytometry Journal
Special congratulations to Yamil Gerena-López, Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Pharmacology for his recent published article in Cytometry
(July, Vol.60A: 21-28, 2004). The title of the article is “Quantification of EGFP Expression on Molt-4 T Cells Using Calibration Standards”. Yamil plans to
complete his thesis work during this semester. His work is being conducted at the Quantitative Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory studying the role of the insulin
receptor in diabetes mellitus.
Participation in thr BREP’s Summer Internship Program
The Quantitative Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory participated in the Summer Internship Program offered by the BREP Program to middle school students.
Twenty students from the school participated in a presentation held by our laboratory. The presentation focused on the basic theory and applications of the Flow
Cytometry technique. During the presentation students had the opportunity to interact and understand the basics concepts of Flow Cytometry. After the
presentation, they participated from a hands-on research experience in which they stained blood cells with specific antibodies, and analized the samples by Flow
Cytometry. We hope this experience will stimulate their interest in biomedical research.
Mrs. Elaine Rodríguez, Dr. Abe Schwartz, and Mrs. Nayra Rodríguez Annual Flow Cytometry Workshop The was held on September 3-4, 2003 at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus. The objectives of the seminar is to give an overview in the use of the facility, the basic theory on flow cytometry, the importance of using quality controls and to learn the basic use of the flow cytometer for new users. Participating on this seminar were: Ms. Elaine Rodríguez, Technical Specialist of the RCMI Flow Cytometry Facility, who welcomed the faculty, students and visitors and presented the guidelines for using the facility; Ms. Nayra Rodríguez, who explained the basic theory of flow cytometry and conducted the practical session; and Dr. Abe Schwartz, who explained the importance of using quality control and reference standards. 
Practical Session On the practical sessions, participants had a hands-on experience with the instrument and learn to calibrate the instrument, optimized parameters for a sample, save and acquired data, and performed statistical analysis.
Over thirty persons attended the lecture and practical sessions, and it was evaluated as outstanding. The activity was sponsored by the RCMI Program at the
University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus.
Lisa del Valle, PhD Candidate Pfizer’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Fellowship Awarded to Lisa del Valle
Special congratulations to Lisa del Valle, PhD Candidate in the Department of Pharmacology, for been awarded a Pharmaceutical Sciences Fellowship by Pfizer Global Research and Development. Lisa was selected through a very competitive process in which her credentials and enthusiasm for science were highlighted. The award will provide support for conducting preliminary studies related to the role of T cells and cytokines in diabetes mellitus. Lisa plans to conduct her thesis work in the Quantitative CytoPharmacology Laboratory under the direction of Dr. Emma Fernández Repollet.
From left: Physics Teacher Carmen Fernández, Dr. Abe Schwartz and Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet Outreach Activity: The Protein Crystals in Space Program
The Quantitative CytoPharmacology Laboratory is participating in activities to stimulate the interest of high school students to seek careers in biomedical research. As part of this initiative, Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Principal Investigator and Dr. Abe Schwartz, Scientific Advisor of the Quantitative CytoPharmacology Laboratory met with senior students of the Petra Corretjer de O'Neill High School in Manatí. The students were accompanied by their Physics Teacher, Ms. Carmen Fernández. The meeting was held on September 14th in the Conference Room of the Manatí Public Library.
Students listening to the lectures and discussing issues related to the project with the speakers.
The group is participating in The Protein Crystals in Space Program, which exposes high school students to the emerging integrating science fields of structural biology and rational drug design through participation in the Protein Crystals in Space Experiment developed at the University of California Irvine. By participating in this program, these students will learn the importance of growing high quality protein crystals in the microgravity environment of space. This national program is managed in Puerto Rico from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus.
Students who participated in this special activity: Enrique Candelaria, Zailyn Cotto, Eileen Cardona, Elsie Martínez, Edda Flores, Kaylaá, Ivonne Figueroa, Crystal Díaz, Cristel Chapel, Yaritza Correa, Leslie Colón, Jayra Cotto, Daniel Galí, Yaritza Hernández, Jonathan Arce, Jean Meléndez, David García, Nadya Massari, Joel Barreto, Orlando Pinto, Wilfredo Rivera and Yorlenis Hevia. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an overview on the fundamental concepts and principle of matter, as they relate to protein crystallization. In addition, the students were given guidelines in the preparation of how to maintain a clear and well documented laboratory notebook. The presentations by Dr. Schwartz and Dr. Fernandez-Repollet were followed by a question and answer session in which students were able to discuss issues related to their project. Future lectures will focus on protein crystallography, crystallography in microgravity, importance of protein structure, the role of proteins in rational drug design, as well as how to conduct a research experiment and prepare an effective scientific presentation.
We wish the students and their teacher a successful participation in The Protein Crystals in Space Program!
The annual training for the users of RCMI Flow Cytometry Facility at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus was held on September 11th-12th, 2002. The objectives of the training are to provide an overview of the basic theory related to flow cytometry, to discuss the importance of quality control standards when using this technology and to learn the basic use of the flow cytometer. Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, RCMI Program Director at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus; Ms. Nayra Rodríguez, Director of the Flow Cytometry Laboratory at Ponce School of Medicine, and Dr. Abe Schwartz, President of the Quantitative Cytometry Center participated in the training. The activity was coordinated by Ms. Elaine Rodríguez, Technical Specialist of the RCMI Flow Cytometry Facility at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, RCMI Program Director, welcomed faculty, graduate students, technical personnel, and other participants to the lecture session and presented the guidelines for using the facility. Ms. Nayra Rodríguez, explained in detail the basic theory of flow cytometry and conducted the practical session. In this session, participants had hands-on experience with the flow cytometer and learned to calibrate the instrument, optimize parameters for sample analysis, save and acquire data, and perform statistical analysis. Dr. Abe Schwartz discussed the importance of using quality control and reference standards when performing flow cytometric analysis. Over twenty-five students, technicians and faculty members attended the lecture and training sessions, which were evaluated as outstanding. The RCMI Program at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus sponsored the activity.
The Quantitative Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory participated in the MBRS-RISE Summer Program. Thirty-eight undergraduate and graduate students conducted research activities in different laboratories of the UPR Medical Sciences Campus. After concluding their research experiences, students were invited to present their results at a Special Poster Presentation, which was held on August 2, 2002 at the Student Center. Thirty posters were presented at the activity, which was attended by faculty members and research staff.
Camille Casasnovas, Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, and Karen Morales The Quantitative Flow Cytometry Laboratory was represented in the Poster Presentation by summer students Camille Casasnovas and Karen Morales, who presented their research work on the quantification of EGFP expression on Molt-4 T cells. The work was performed under the direct supervision of Yamil Gerena, Ph.D. Candidate.
We appreciate the support of the MBRS-RISE Program to our research efforts.
Workshop Facilitators: Dr. Emma Fernandez-Repollet, Dr. Abe Schwartz, Dr. Frank Mandy and Dr. Tobias Rinke de Wit. AIDS International Symposium 2002 Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Director of the RCMI Program and Professor in the Department of Pharmacology attended the XIV AIDS International Symposium held in Barcelona, Spain, July 7-12, 2002. She participated as a facilitator of the Workshop: How to select, evaluate and maintain the correct CD4 T-cell counting method for HIV/AIDS treatment. The workshop was organized by Francis Mandy and Michele Bergeron from Health Canada. Other facilitators included Dr. Tobias Rinke de Wit, Manager Research & Development, PharmAccess International, Amsterdam,The Netherlands and Dr. Abe Schwartz, President, Center for Quantitative Cytometry , San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Symposium was attended by more than 10,000 scientists, activists, policymakers, media and people living with HIV. Special speakers included Antonia Coello Novello, M.D., M.P.H. former Surgeon General of the United States and current New York State Health Commissioner, Honorable William Clinton, ex-President of the United States and Honorable Nelson Mandela, ex-President South Africa.
Yamil Gerena, Ph.D.
The Laboratory of Quantitative Cyto-Pharmacology is extremely proud of the special distinction achieved by Ph.D. Candidate, Yamil Gerena, at the XXI Congress International Society Analytical Cytology. The Congress was held in San Diego, CA in May 2002. Yamil was a f
inalist for the Exceptional Student Award with his presentation entitled “Quantification of EGFP Expression in Molt-4 T Cells Using Calibration Standards”. Yamil finished second in the competition.
Yamil Gerena, Ph.D. Yamil Gerena, Ph.D. Candidate Department of Pharmacology, presents at the Biomedical Research Forum of the UPR Medical Sciences Campus Yamil Gerena, Ph.D. Candidate Department of Pharmacology, presented the initial results of his thesis work during the Biomedical Research Forum held at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus on April 18-19, 2002. His oral presentation focused on the “Quantification of EGPF Expression in Molt-4 T-cells using Calibration Standards”. The work was done in collaboration with Dr. John Nolan from Los Alamos National Laboratories and Dr. Abe Schwartz from the Center for Quantitative Cytometry.
Yamil Gerena, Ph.D. The studies were conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Emma Fernandez Repollet, Professor of Pharmacology, who serves as Gerena’s mentor. The work will also be presented at the next meeting of the International Society of Analytical Cytology in San Diego, CA. We thank the Deanship of Biomedical Sciences of the School of Medicine for giving Mr. Yamil Gerena the opportunity of sharing his results with the scientific community of the UPR Medical Sciences Campus.
María Meléndez and Jesús García Undergraduate Students from the Quantitative CytoPharmacology Laboratory Participate in Science Fair at the University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon Campus On March 19, 2002, María Meléndez and Jesús García, undergraduate students in the Quantitative CytoPharmacology Laboratory, participated in a poster session at the Sciences Fair that took place in the University of Puerto Rico Bayamon Campus.
Poster Presentation Group
The students presented a sumary of their research experiences in the Quantitative CytoPharmacology Laboratory, focusing on flow cytometry techniques. The activity was supervised by Prof. Nitza Blanco, Director of the Department of Natural Sciences and Dr. Miriam Quiñones, Academic Counselor of the Department. The activity was attended by faculty, students and visitors from the community.
Dr. John Nolan and Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet Visit to the National Flow Cytometry Resource at Los Alamos National Laboratories Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus visited the Los Alamos National Laboratories, on March 8, 2002. Dr. Fernández-Repollet met with Dr. John Nolan, recently named Director of the National Flow Cytometry Resource, Bioscience Division. Dr. Nolan is an expert on novel research applications of flow cytometry such as kinetic and genomic analysis. He is a member of the Thesis Committee of PhD candidate Yamil Gerena.
Francis F. Mandy, Director of the National Laboratory, and Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Director of the RCMI Program, visits the flow cytometry facilities of the National Laboratory for HIV Immunology in Ottawa, Canada On February 14, 2002 Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Director of the RCMI Program, visited the flow cytometry facilities of
the National Laboratory for HIV Immunology in Ottawa, Canada. Francis F. Mandy, Director of the National Laboratory,
acompanied Fernández-Repollet during the tour of the facilities. Mandy and Fernández-Repollet discussed
possible research collaborations between the National Laboratory for HIV Immunology and the Laboratory of Flow Cytometry
and Cell Sorting at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. During the visit Mandy also provided valuable
advice on the analysis and interpretation of quantitative measurements as well as intracellular cytokine analysis and
suspension array technology using flow cytometry.
Yamil Gerena, PhD Candidate ISAC Student Travel Award Winner Congratulations to Yamil Gerena, Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Pharmacology, for receiving a Student Travel Award from the International Society of Analytical Cytology to attend its XXI Congress in San Diego, California. The congress is scheduled for May 4-9, 2002. Yamil is currently conducting his thesis work "T Cell Expression of Insulin Receptor and its Role in
Diabetes" in the Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory, under the mentorship of Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet.
Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, UPR Medical Sciences Campus, Dr. Rodica Lenkei, Calab Laboratories, Sweden and Ms. Michelle Bergeron, Health Canada 16th Annual Meeting of the Clinical Cytometry Society Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus attended the annual meeting of the Clinical Cytometry Association held in Orlando, Florida, on November 8-13, 2001.
The meeting focused on clinical applications of cytometry. Dr. Fernández-Repollet's presented two posters at the meeting: "Quantification of CD95 expression on lymphocytes from non-diabetic and type 1 diabetic Puerto Rican children", and "Determination of insulin binding and insulin receptor expression on Molt 4 and transfected CHO cells by flow cytometry". The later is part of the on-going thesis work of PhD candidate Yamil Gerena.
Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, RCMI Program Director Caribbean Conference on Clinical Genetics Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus was a guest speaker at the Caribbean Conference on Clinical Genetics held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on September 21-22, 2001. This year the conference focused on the genetics of diabetes. The conference was a joint effort between the Department of Health of the State of New York, Ponce School of Medicine, and the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico. Dr. Fernández-Repollet's presentation entitled "Population-Based Evaluation of Genetic Risk for Type 1
Diabetes" was prepared by Dr. Robert F. Vogt, Jr., Ph.D. from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, who was unable to attend the conference due to the events of September 11, 2001.
Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, RCMI Program Director; Johana Meléndez, Technical Coordinator, and Dr. Abe Schwartz, Quantitative Cytometry Center Flow Cytometry Annual Workshop The Annual Flow Cytometry Workshop was held at the Faculty Club of the University of
Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, on September 25th-28th, 2001. The objectives of the workshop
were to provide an overview of the basic theory related to flow cytometry and to discuss the importance of
quality control standards when using this technology. The workshop also included a practical session on the
use of the flow cytometer and the analysis program Cell Quest®.
Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, RCMI Program Director, welcomed faculty, graduate students, technical
personnel, and other participants in the workshop. Ms. Johana Meléndez, Technical Coordinator of the Flow
Cytometry Facility, explained in detail the basic theory of flow cytometry, and Dr. Abe Schwartz, from the
Center for Quantitative Cytometry, discussed the importance of using quality control and reference
standards when performing flow cytometric analysis. During the practical session, participants had
hands-on experience with the flow cytometer and learned to calibrate the instrument, optimize parameters
for sample analysis, save and acquire data, and perform statistical analysis.
A survey conducted among the attendees revealed complete satisfaction with the workshop. The workshop
provided excellent training for those participants who are interested in using flow cytometry in their
research. This activity was sponsored by the RCMI Program, Medical Sciences Campus.
Ph.D. Candidate Yamil Gerena,
received the 2000-2001 Outstanding Graduate Student Award in Pharmacology given by the Associate
Deanship of Biomedical Sciences and Graduate Studies of the School of Medicine
The Department of Pharmacology selected Yamil Gerena as its Outstanding Graduate Student for current academic year 2000-2001. Yamil joined the Department of Pharmacology in 1998, after finishing his Bachelor Degree in Chemistry, Magna Cum Laude, at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus.
Yamil has completed all the
required courses for the doctoral degree in Pharmacology with an average of 3.57.
He is currently conducting his thesis work in the Cyto-Pharmacology Laboratory under the
direction of Dr. Emma Fernandez-Repollet. In April 2001, Yamil was awarded a pre-doctoral
fellowship by the National Institutes of Health to conduct studies related to the expression of
the insulin receptor in T-cells and its possible role in diabetes mellitus. We feel very
proud of his accomplishments and his dedication to biomedical research. Congratulations!
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