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
Sex-dependent effects of anxiolytics on approach/avoidance conflict behaviors
Zarcaly Quintero Martinez1, Amanda Lopez Ramirez1, Xaymarie Serrano Velazquez1, Christian Bravo Rivera1, Orlando Torres Rodriguez1 1Depts. of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, [...]
Multiple sequence alignment of Sod1 Cu/Zn Superoxide dismutase family and mutant Sod1-G93A protein associated to Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Neishaliz Cotto-Heredia, BS Introduction: Over 100 missense mutations in SOD1 gene have been identified in a subset of familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS). This gene encodes for an antioxidant enzyme, superoxide [...]
The effects of herbicide consumption on avoidance and pain-related behaviors in rats
AUTHOR BLOCK: *N. JIMENEZ-RIVERA1, L. MÉNDEZ-SANTACRUZ1,2, T. JIMÉNEZ-RIVERA1, L. VICENTE-RODRÍGUEZ3, P. VÁZQUEZ-MARTÍNEZ3, D. NAZARIO-MARTÍNEZ3, M. CÁCERES-CHACÓN1, O. MARTÍNEZ-GUZMÁN1, D. SIERRA-MERCADO1; 1Anat. & Neurobio., Univ. Puerto Rico Sch. of Med., San Juan, [...]
Localization of Neuropeptide Y Expression in the Nervous System of Biomphalaria glabrata, an Intermediate Host for Schistosomiasis
Natalia N. Morales-Pagán, Solymar Rolón-Martínez, Lee O. Vaasjo, Alana Rivera-Dominguez, Dina P. Bracho-Rincón, and Mark W. Miller 1 Institute of Neurobiology and 2 Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto [...]
Examining Glial Cell Mitochondrial Morphology and Drosophila Viability: Manipulating MARF to Explore Neuronal Function
Natalia M. Jiménez Vizcarrondo1*, Demi Geneva Fortson2, Erin L. Barnhart2 1Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, San Juan, PR 2Department of Biological Science, Columbia University, New York, U.S. [...]
Investigating Protein Candidates Associated with Susceptibility to Stress-Induced Extinction Impairment in Female Rodents: A Proteomic Analysis
Nashaly Irizarry-Méndez B.S, Yesenia Rivera-Escobales M.Sc, Yelitza Acosta-Pierantoni B.S, Anixa Hernandez, Maria Colon and James Porter Ph.D Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce Research Insititute, Ponce, Puerto Rico INTRODUCTION: Exposure to stress [...]
Hispanic Caregivers’ Challenges and Barriers When Facing Type 1 Diabetes in their Adolescent Offspring
Mónica C. Nieves-Molina, HSDG, Amanda S. Varona-Negrón, HSDG, Carlos, J. Ríos-Miranda, HSDG, Sebastián A. Quintana-Rodriguez, HSDG, Alejandra S. Cuff-Morales, HSDG, Paola M. Rivera-Arroyo, HSDG, Laura La Luz-Barrios, HSDG, Marleana M. Rolón-Sanfeliz, [...]
The role of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in the gut microbiota-brain axis – implications for aging
Introduction: The gut microbiota-brain axis is a bidirectional communication between the resident microbes, the gut, and the brain; it plays a pivotal role in aging and age-related diseases, particularly neurodegenerative conditions. [...]