The Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) presents ArsMedicina, a scientific journal that offers a new publication space for scientists and students with the purpose of disseminating knowledge to the entire community.
Our mission
To offer an innovative space for exchanging new knowledge in basic, clinical, and behavioral sciences in an open-access format.
Our vision
To publish scientific papers and disseminate health information with the highest standards of quality, excellence and methodological rigor.
The journal values are:
For UCC, its faculty, students, and alumni, ArsMedicina represents another step forward in fulfilling our mission as an institution of higher education dedicated to training high-quality health professionals dedicated to meeting the needs of the community with a humanistic focus and a high sense of moral obligation. ArsMedicina is the new UCC scientific outreach tool.
We thank Dr. Jorge Lastra, founder of ArsMedicina, for his interest in UCC continuing his innovative project dedicated to science and education. His legacy will continue with us.
Celebrating 31 Years of Neuroscience Excellence: Highlights from the Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference 2023
The hosting institution of the 31st Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference was the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC), School of Medicine, chaired by Dr. David Rivera-Aponte. The organizing committee included esteemed members from various institutions, such as Dr. Mark Miller, Dr. Carmen Maldonado, Dr. Emmanuel Cruz, and Dr. Zaira Mateo.
The event took place at the University of Puerto Rico, Bayamón Campus (UPRB), marking another successful opportunity for fostering communication and collaboration among students and faculty dedicated to neuroscience research. With approximately 300 participants, various plenary sessions, and a showcase of 75 posters, the event was a hub for intellectual exchange.
Plenary sessions featured distinguished speakers: Dr. Daniel Colón from Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Bianca Jones from Columbia University, Dr. Mark Harnett, and Dr. Pedro Feliciano from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Their contributions added depth and insight to the conference discussions.
An exciting addition to this year’s event was the inaugural neuro art section, allowing participants to showcase paintings, designs, and unique fluorescent microscopy images in an art exhibition. This creative initiative expanded the conference’s scope, emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience.
Furthermore, the conference organizers acknowledged the valuable partnership with the UPRB, which enabled the event to be hosted for the first time in that institution, highlighting the collaborative spirit within the scientific community.
The Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference would not have been possible without Dr. Vesna Eterovic, Professor of Biochemistry and Director of the RCMI Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience at the UCC, and Dr. Richard Orkand, from the UPR Puerto Rico Neuroscience Institute.
In 1992, following a research seminar Dr. Eterovic, Dr. Orkand, Dr. Pedro Ferchmin, and Dr. Richard Hann from the UCC Department of Biochemistry discussed the idea of organized an annual Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference. Roughly six months later, on November 13, 1992, the First Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference was held at the UCC in Bayamón.
As the conference continues to evolve, the Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference remains a vital platform for advancing neuroscience research, fostering collaboration, and inspiring the next generation of scientists. The continued success year after year symbolizes the enduring commitment of the scientific community to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and fostering a legacy that transcends time.
Submitted Abstracts
Discovery and Development of Anxiolytic Agents from Tropical Marine Macroalgae
David A. Gragirenes Delgado1, María F. Acevedo Kury1, Gabriela M. Ramírez Renta1, Geraldine M. Ortiz Sosa2, Aniel J. Rivera Arzola3, Janiennid Alicea Tirado3, Ricardo M. Cruz Sánchez1, Lymelsie Aponte Ramos4, Adrián [...]
Potential brain-specific activation of the transcription factor Nrf2/CncC by the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in Drosophila larvae
Luna Segarra Alonzo1, Cecilia Fadhel1, Angelie Nuñez Colón1, Imilce A. Rodríguez-Fernandez1 1College of Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Introduction: The gut microbiota is composed of [...]
The impact of fear conditioning prior to cocaine self-administration on cocaine seeking in adult rats
Yobet A. Perez-Perez; Roberto J. Morales-Silva; John K. Alvarado-Torres; Genesis N. Rodriguez-Torres; Lenin J. Godoy-Muñoz; Serena Fazal; Nilenid Rivera Aviles; Marian T. Sepulveda-Orengo, PhD Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences [...]
The Influence of Gut Microbes on the Onset of Circadian Rhythms in Honey Bees
Y.B. KORU, K.BEER, J.A.RODRIGUEZ-CORDERO, M.A. GIANNONI-GUZMAN., Y. ORTIZ-ALVARADO, M.A. DOKE, M. ANDERSON, C.L. ANDUJAR-SIERRA, E.C. COURTNEY, A. STRUBBE-NIEVES, E. AVILES-RIOS,, E. A. CITRON-RODRIGUEZ, A. MONTES-MERCADO, A.A. RUGGIERI, N. RODRIGUEZ, R. GIORDANO, [...]
The effect of closed-head injury on anxiety-like behaviors in female rats
Yadiel Alicea-Torres1,2, Eduardo Rosario-Díaz1,2, Paulette Vázquez-Martínez1,2, Gabriela Serrano-Rivera1,2, Diego Nazario-Martínez1,2, Joseph Torres-Cruz1,2, Isabel Rivera-Correa1,2, Jahaziel Díaz-Rodríguez1,2, Génesis Rivas-Soto, Laura Vicente-Rodríguez, PhD1,2, Demetrio Sierra-Mercado, PhD2 1University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Department [...]
Increased BDNF expression in the hippocampus of male and female rats in the extinction of morphine place preference
Authors: Richiez-Mateo Wilma V. 1, Torres-Rodríguez Cristal M.3, Lloret-Torres Mario2, Bonilla-Rullan Pedro3, Pagán-Ayala Roxsana2, Hernández-Román Leslievette3, Barreto-Estrada Jennifer2. Affiliations: 1Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Bayamón Campus 00959-1919; 2Department of Anatomy [...]
Glymphatic pathway in Xenopus tropicalis
Authors/Affiliations: Valeria Sofia Rivera Alvarado, Stephen Viviano, Engin Deniz (Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT) Introduction: Understanding cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation in the brain, especially during embryonic [...]
An Increased Physical Morbidity is Related to Worse Mental Health Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Valeria S. Claudio-Rivera, BS, Priscila M. Pérez-Mercado, BA, & Eduardo Cumba-Avilés, PhD Institute for Psychological Research, College of Social Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico [...]