Valeria Jurado Baez

Puerto Rico IDeA Network Biomedical Research Excellence 05/2022-08/2022

"Quantify Coral Reef Rehabilitation Progress in Culebra, Puerto Rico" 

Advisor: Dr. Alex Mercado                            Funded by: PRINBRE

Key Roles:

· Monitoring, measuring and quantifying seagrass structure and restoration.

·Coral and reef metrics.

· Snorkeling and Scuba Diving to collect data samples. 

· Measuring Data using Coral Point Count Program. 

Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Recinto de Gurabo Spring Internship 

Puerto Rico Institute for Microbial Ecology Research Inc

Project focus: Bioplastic formation due to lack of nutrients in bacteria.

Advisor: Dr. Jose Perez Jimenez                    Funded by: PRIMER

Key roles:

· Bacteria Culture

· Designing experience to identify the doses of Niel red and Niel Blue to incorporate into the Bacteria. 

· Train undergraduate student to Bacteria Culture

· Prepare Medium and solution to make plates for the experiments.

Michigan State University Summer Internship  07/2021 - 08/2021

Bridge to the PhD Neuroscience Program/BRUSH Program

“Effects of Chlorinated Benzene Congeners on Intercellular Communication Through Gap Junctions in a F344 Rat Liver Epithelial Cell Line.”

Advisor: Brad Upham, PhD.                         Funded by: NIH

Key roles: 

· Managed to do cell culture from a Fischer 344 rat livers.

· Created solutions from different chlorinated benzene such as hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenze, 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenze, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene.

· Managed the Scalpel load-dye transfer technique where gap junction was measure using an epifluorescence microscope and Image J(NIH).

Universidad Ana G. Mendez- Gurabo Campus   11/2020 - 11/2021

TuERES Research Internship   

"Evaluation of Services Ecosystems of The Lapa River in The Reserve Natural Cerro Las Planadas”. 

Advisors: Maria Ocasio, PhD. & Christopher Orozco, MPH.

Key roles: 

· Go finish at the Lapa River to get multiple macroinvertebrates samples.

· Went to laboratory to identify and quantify macroinvertebrates to calculate water quality, oxygenation, and water contamination.

 Veterans Hospital San Juan, P.R.   07/2016 - 09/2018 

• Prepared instruments that would be use in the surgery room.
• Assist nurse anesthetist during the surgery.
• Organized and prepared surgical cars

• Won 3rd place in Science Olympics 2022 at Universidad Ana G. Mendez- Gurabo.
• Invited to participate in the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders 2021.
• Honor Student Scholarship Recipient.
• Scholarship for student with academic talent Recipient.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Recipient.

Valeria Jurado Baez, Brad Upham and Elizabeth Lockwood. “Effects of Chlorinated Benzene Congeners on Intercellular Communication Through Gap Junctions in a F344 Rat Liver Epithelial Cell Line.”. Michigan State University, Department of Pediatrics & Human Development, and the Center for Integrative Toxicology, MI, USA Ana G. Mendez University, Gurabo, PR. August 2021. 

Michigan State University, 2024

• Biological Safety and Security-Animal and Invertebrate
• Bloodborne Pathogen Refresher
• Tuberculosis Awareness
• Clinical X-Ray Radiation Safety
• Hazardous Waste

CITI Program, 2020-2024

• ACUC Training for researchers/ faculty/ students in Research
• Biosafety Training for Faculty and other Researchers
• HIPS Training for Students, Faculty and Researchers
• IRB Training for Educational Purposes
• RCR FOR FACULTY/ STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS IN SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH
• Working With Fish in Research Settings
• COVID-19 Back to School and Public Training Series
• Aseptic Surgery
• Participating in Vaccine Research

Michigan State University, 2021

• Laboratory Security Awareness
• COVID-19 Safe Return to Laboratory Work
• Medical Waste Management
• Autoclave Safety
• Hazardous Waste Refresher
• Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety
• Chemical Hygiene, Laboratory Safety , and Hazardous Waste Initial
• Biosafety Principals

 08/2020

• Workshop: time management by Medlife
• Workshop: anxiety management by Medlife

09/2020

• Virtual open house by Nova Southeastern University
• Workshop: Sustainability How-to live-in harmony with the planet and improve our health by ABAT.
• Workshop: Plastic: evolution and destruction.

10/2020

• Webinar: 30 years learning about the life of the Caribbean concha on Isla de mona and elsewhere in Puerto Rico by Carlos Diaz.
• Webinar: veterinary medicine by Ross University School.
• Careers in biomedicine: admission requirements by UAGM.
• Webinar series on tropical biology and conservation by Association for tropical biology and conservation.
• Webinar: coral reefs by C3tec.
• Webinar: ResOcasiointernship and graduate school by María E. Ocasio Torres,PhD.
• Webinar: sharks are not what we think they are by ABAT (Asociación De Biología Ambiental Taina).

• Medlife Student association- Member 2019-2023
• Association of ambiental biology(ABAT)- Member 2019-2021
• ABAT secretary 2021-2022

• Lifespan Human Development in the Family (HDFS-225)
• Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 (Biol 313 and Biol 313 Lab)
• Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 ( Biol 314 and Biol 314 Lab)
• Microbiology (Biol 320 and Biol 320 Lab)
• Biostatistics (Biol 315)
• General Chemistry 1 ( Chem 203 and Chem 203 Lab)
• Biochemistry ( Biol 350)
• Research Reading and Writing (ENGL 231)

Brad Upham, PhD

Associate Professor at Michigan State University

upham@msu.edu

(517)884-2051

Gina M. Leinninger, PhD

Professor at Michigan State University 

leinning@msu.edu

(517)884-5123

A.J Robison, PhD

Associate Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Program At Michigan State University 

robiso45@msu.edu

(517)884-5003

Juan C. Falcon Gonzalez, BSN,RN

Resident Care Director at Villa Serena Living Center

jfalcon@insigniaseniorliving.com

(787)533-5881

Jose Perez Jimenez, PhD

Director of Puerto Rico Institute for Microbiology Ecology Research Inc.

(787)219-4092

jrpj51@me.com

Francisco J. Rivera, MS

Laboratory Technician at Universidad Ana G. Mendez

frivera49@uagm.edu

frivera49@uagm.edu