Ponce Banner
 

PHSU-MCC Partnership Directory

Program Steering Committee

Name Title Email
Carlos Casiano, PhD* Professor and Associate Director 
Center for Health Disparities Research and Molecular Medicine
Loma Linda University
ccasiano@llu.edu
Carmen Guerra, MD, MSCE Professor of Medicine 
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
carmen.guerra@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Philip Howe, PhD Professor and Chair
Department of Biochemistry
Medical University of South Carolina
howep@musc.edu
Carlos Isales, MD Associate Director
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics
Medical College of Georgia
cisales@augusta.edu
Danny R. Welch, PhD Professor and Associate Director of Education
University of Kansas Cancer Center
dwelch@kumc.edu
Elad Ziv, MD Professor
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
elad.ziv@ucsf.edu

 *Chair, Program Steering Committee

NCI Project Staff

Name Title Email
Sandra L. San Miguel, DrPH, MS

Health Scientist Administrator
Innovative Programs Branch
Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Institute of Health (NIH)

sandra.sanmiguel@nih.gov

 

Administrative Core 

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Harold Saavedra, PhD Contact Principal Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x2205 hsaavedra@psm.edu
Kenneth L. Wright, PhD Contact Principal Investigator MCC 813.745.3918 ken.wright@moffitt.org
Guillermo Armaiz-Peña, PhD Principal Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x3226 garmaiz@psm.edu
Alvaro Monteiro, PhD Principal Investigator MCC 813.745.6321 alvaro.monteiro@moffitt.org
Eida Castro, PhD Co-Investigator PHSU  787.840.2575 x2166 ecastro@psm.edu
Shannon Christy, PhD Co-Investigator PHSU 813.745.8840 shannon.christy@moffitt.org
W. Douglas Cress, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.6703 douglas.cress@moffitt.org
Hannia Delgado, BS Program Manager PHSU 787.259.7018 hdelgado@psm.edu
Sabrina M. Rodríguez, JD Program Manager MCC 813.745.6565 sabrina.rodriguez@moffitt.org

 

Planning & Evaluation Core

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Clement Gwede, PhD, MPH, RN Co-Leader MCC 813.745.3052 clement.gwede@moffitt.org
Harold Saavedra, PhD Co-Leader PHSU 787.840.2575 x2205 hsaavedra@psm.edu
Simon Carlo, PhD Member, Internal Advisory Committee PHSU N/A scarlo@psm.edu
Martin Hill, PhD Member, Internal Advisory Committee PHSU 787.840.2575 x2199 mhill@psdm.edu
Michael Jaglal, MD Member, Internal Advisory Committee MCC 813.745.4771 michael.jaglal@moffitt.org
Conor Lynch, PhD Member, Internal Advisory Committee MCC 813.745.8094 conor.lynch@moffitt.org
James Porter, PhD Chair, Internal Advisory Committee PHSU 787.840.2575 x2251 jporter@psm.edu
Vani Simmons, PhD Chair, Internal Advisory Committee MCC 813.745.4816 vani.simmons@moffitt.org
Hannia Delgado, BS Program Manager PHSU 787.259.7018 hdelgado@psm.edu
Yairí Rivera-Torgerson, BS Program Coordinator MCC 813.745.2682 yairi.rivera-torgerson@moffitt.org
Sabrina M. Rodríguez, JD Program Manager MCC 813.745.6565 sabrina.rodriguez@moffitt.org

 

Research Education Core

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Caroline Appleyard, PhD Co-Leader PHSU 787.840.2575 x2165 cappleyard@psm.edu
Kenneth L. Wright, PhD Co-Leader MCC 813.745.3918 ken.wright@moffitt.org
Guillermo Armaiz-Peña, PhD Co-Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x3226 garmaiz@psm.edu
Shannon Christy, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.8840 shannon.christy@moffitt.org
W. Douglass Cress, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.7202 douglas.cress@moffitt.org
Alvaro Monteiro, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.6321 alvaro.monteiro@moffitt.org
Gilberto Ruiz-Deya, PhD Co-Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x3226 gruizdeya@gmail.com 
Julian Sanchez, MD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.5986 julian.sanchez@moffitt.org
Pedro Santiago, PhD Co-Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x2208 psantiago@psm.edu
Maria Elena Aviles Program Coordinator PHSU 787.840.2575 x2275  maviles@psm.edu
Yairí Rivera-Torgerson, BS Program Coordinator MCC 813.745.2682 yairi.rivera-torgerson@moffitt.org

 

Outreach Core

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Shannon Christy, PhD Co-Leader MCC 813.745.8840 shannon.christy@moffitt.org
Julio Jimenez, MD Co-Leader PHSU 787.840.2575 x2291 jcjimenez@psm.edu
Eida Castro, PsyD Co-Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x2616 ecastro@psm.edu
Brian González, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.3219 brian.gonzalez@moffitt.org
Lynette Ruiz, PhD Co-Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x2236 lruiz@psm.edu
Susan Vadaparampil, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.1997 susan.vadaparampil@moffitt.org
Maria Alejandra García, MD Community Health Educator MCC N/A mariaalejandra.garciahernandez@moffitt.org
Brenda Ramos Gonzalez, MPHE Community Health Educator PHSU 787.840.2575 x5567 bramos@psm.edu
Arline Vela Vidal, AA Program Coordinator PHSU 787.840.2575 x2567 avela@psm.edu

 

Shared Resources ~ Puerto Rico BioBank

Name Role Institution Phone Email
W. Douglas Cress, PhD Co-Leader MCC 813.745.6703 douglas.cress@moffitt.org
José Oliveras, MD Co-Leader  PHSU 787.840.2575 x2275 joliveras@psm.edu
Edna Gordián, MS Data Concierge MCC N/A edna.gordian@moffitt.org
Sepideh Mehravaran, MD Pathologist MCC 813.745.0964 sepideh.mehravaran@moffitt.org
Edward Seijo, MS Consultant MCC 813.745.4264 edward.seijo@moffitt.org
Annelise Glode, BS Program Coordinator MCC 813.745.0002 annelise.glode@moffitt.org
Moraima Oquendo, BS Program Coordinator PHSU 787.840.2575 x4285 moquendo@psm.edu

 

Shared Resources ~ Quantitative Sciences Core

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Steven Eschrich, PhD Co-Leader MCC 813.745.1303 steven.eschrich@moffitt.org
Luisa Morales Torres, PhD Co-Leader PHSU 787.840.2575 x5647 lmorales@psm.edu
Dung-Tsa Chen, PhD Biostatistician MCC 813.745.1327 dung-tsa.chen@moffitt.org
Edna Gordián, MS Data Concierge MCC 813.745.6364 edna.gordian@moffitt.org
Iris Martinez, DrPH Biostatistician PHSU 787.840.2575 x5695 imartinez@psm.edu
José Oliveras, MD Clinical Data Abstractor / Data Concierge  PHSU 787.840.2575 x2275 joliveras@psm.edu
Cristina Peña, PhD Co-Investigator PHSU N/A cpena@psm.edu
Steve Sutton, PhD Biostatistician MCC 813.745.6524 steve.sutton@moffitt.org
Jamie Teer, PhD Bioinformatician MCC 813.745.2650 jamie.teer@moffitt.org
Annelise Glode, BS Program Coordinator MCC 813.745.0002 annelise.glode@moffitt.org
Moraima Oquendo, BS Program Coordinator PHSU 787.840.2575 x4224 moquendo@psm.edu

 

Pilot Research Project 2: Understanding the biology of an ADCK4-NUMBL fusion in lung adenocarcinoma aggressiveness

Name Role Institution Phone Email
W. Douglas Cress, PhD Co-Leader MCC 813.745.6703 douglas.cress@moffitt.org
Pedro Santiago, PhD Co-Leader PHSU 787.840.2575 x2208 psantiago@psm.edu
Lauren Cardosi ACS Post-Baccalaureate Scholar MCC N/A lauren.cardosi@moffitt.org
Brian E. Quiñones, MS Laboratory Technician PHSU N/A bquinones@psm.edu
Gabriela Wright, MS Laboratory Manager / Project Coordinator MCC 813.745.4673 gabriela.wright@moffitt.org

 

Full Research Project 1: Epigenetic variations associated with aggressiveness in prostate cancer among Puerto Rican men

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Carmen Ortiz, PhD  Co-Leader PHSU N/A carmenortiz@psm.edu
Jong Park, PhD  Co-Leader MCC 813.745.1703 jong.park@moffitt.org
Gilberto Ruiz-Deya, PhD  Co-Investigator PHSU 787.840.2575 x3226 gruizdeya@gmail.com 
Liang Wang, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.4955 liang.wang@moffitt.org
Kosj Yamoah, MD, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.0665 kosj.yamoah@moffitt.org
Hyun Park, MS Project Manager MCC 813.745.6427 hyun.park@moffitt.org

 

Full Research Project 2: The impact of biobehavioral factors and aspirin on ovarian cancer biology

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Guillermo Armaiz-Peña, PhD  Co-Leader PHSU 787.840.2575 x3226 garmaiz@psm.edu 
Lauren Peres, PhD Co-Leader MCC 813.745.4971 lauren.peres@moffitt.org
Jessica Petrick, PhD Site PI BU N/A jpetrick@bu.edu
Paulo Rodríguez, PhD Co-Investigator MCC 813.745.1457 paulo.rodriguez@moffitt.org
Shelley Tworoger, PhD Site PI OHSU N/A  tworoges@ohsu.edu
Jaydiel A. Casiano, BS Research Assistant PHSU N/A jcasiano@psm.edu
Luinet Melendez, BS Graduate Research Assistant PHSU N/A lmelendez22@stu.psm.edu
Brett Reid, MPH Research Data Analyst MCC 813.745.6443 brett.reid@moffitt.org
Luis M. Rivera, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow PHSU N/A luisrivera@psm.edu
Yadiel Rivera, BS Graduate Research Assistant PHSU N/A yrivera21@stu.psm.edu
Mary Townsend, ScD Senior Staff Scientist OHSU N/A townsmar@ohsu.edu

 

Early-Stage Investigators (ESI)

Name Role Institution Phone Email
Sarimar Agosto Salgado, PhD ESI MCC 813.745.0561 sarimar.agostosalgado@moffitt.org
Christopher Medina, PhD ESI MCC 813.745.4261 christopher.medina@moffitt.org
José Oliveras, MD ESI PHSU 787.840.2575 x2275 joliveras@psm.edu
Carmen Ortiz, PhD ESI PHSU N/A carmenortiz@psm.edu
Cristina Peña, PhD ESI PHSU N/A cpena@psm.edu
Tiffany Rios-Fuller, PhD ESI PHSU 787.840.2575 x5662 trios@psm.edu
Marcos Ramos Benitez, PhD ESI PHSU 787.840.2575 x5666 mjramos@psm.edu
Normarie Torres Blasco, PhD ESI PHSU 787.840.2575 x5593 normarietorres@psm.edu