Through excellence in cancer research, education, and community engagement, the Partnership between the University of Puerto Rico and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center aims to reduce health disparities derived from infection-driven malignancies in Texas and Puerto Rico, and increase the number of Hispanics pursuing careers in cancer research.

Contacts

PMB 371 PO Box 70344 San Juan, PR 00936-8344

uprmdacc@upr.edu

(787) 758-2525 Ext. (2244)

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Our Team

Principal Investigators

Brad R. Weiner, PhD
Contact PI

Professor
Department of Chemistry
University of Puerto Rico
Río Piedras Campus

Reynold Lopez-Enriquez, MD

Professor
Department Surgery
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Ana Patricia Ortiz, MPH, PhD

Professor of Epidemiology
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Elizabeth L. Travis, PhD
Contact PI

Professor
Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Sharon H. Giordano, MD MPH

Department Chair
Department of Health Sciences
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Administrative Core

Evelyn Rivera
Administrative Director

University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Sherri De Jesus, MHA, MA
Associate Director

University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Maria Gonzalez-Pons, PhD
SciCom Coordinator

Assistant Professor
University of Puerto Rico
Comprehensive Cancer Center

DataOmics Core

Luis R. Pericchi, PhD
Co-Leader

Professor
Department of Mathematics
University of Puerto Rico
Rio Piedras Campus

Xueling Huang, PhD
Co-Leader

Deputy Chair
Department of Biostatistics
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Humberto Ortiz, PhD

Professor
Department of Computer Science
University of Puerto Rico
Rio Piedras Campus

Maria E. Perez, PhD

Professor
Department of Mathematics
University of Puerto Rico
Rio Piedras Campus

Josue Perez-Santiago, PhD

Assistant Professor
Cancer Biology Division
University of Puerto Rico
Comprehensive Cancer Center

Fernando Betancourt

DataOmics Coordinator
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

SciCom Core

Maria del Mar Gonzalez-Pons, PhD
SciCom Coordinator

Assistant Professor
University of Puerto Rico
Comprehensive Cancer Center

Research Education Core (REC)

Ilka C. Rios, DMD, MS
Co-Leader

Chancellor and Professor
School of Dental Medicine
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Elizabeth L. Travis, PhD
Co-Leader

Professor
Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Reynold Lopez-Enriquez, MD

Professor
Department Surgery
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Yomarie Santiago

REC Coordinator
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Planning and Evaluation Core

Brad R. Weiner, PhD
Co-Leader

Professor
Department of Chemistry
University of Puerto Rico
Rio Piedras Campus

Mirza Rivera, MS, MT

Research Evaluator & Adjunct Professor 
Graduate School of Public Health
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus 

Lizbeth Medina, MS

Senior Evaluator & Adjunct Professor
Graduate School of Public Health
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus 

Sherri De Jesus, MHA, MA
Associate Director


The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Outreach Core

Vivian Colon, PhD, MPH
Co-Leader

Associate Professor
Cancer Control and Population Sciences Division
University of Puerto Rico
Comprehensive Cancer Center

Yara M. Sanchez

Outreach Coordinator
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Maria E Fernandez, PhD

Professor and Director
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research
The University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health

Ileska Valencia Torres

Program Coordinator
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research
The University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health

Research Full project 1: Penile cancer/HPV

Magaly Martinez, PhD
Co-Leader

Associate Professor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Curtis A. Pettaway, MD

Professor
Department of Urology 
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Niki Marie Zacharias Millward, PhD

Assistant Professor 
Department of Urology 
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Research Full project 2: Anal cancer/ HIV

Ana P. Ortiz, PhD
Co-Leader

Associate Professor
Cancer Control and Population Sciences Division
University of Puerto Rico
Comprehensive Cancer Center

Ashish Deshmukh, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor and Director
Center for Health Services Research
The University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health

Research Pilot Project: Gastric cancer/Virotherapy

Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, PhD
Co-Leader

Chair and Associate Professor
Department Microbiology and Medical Zoology
University of Puerto Rico
Medical Sciences Campus

Candelaria Gomez-Manzano, MD

Professor
Department of Neuro-Oncology Research
The University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health