PhD Candidate – Started Fall 2015
Hometown: Luquillo, PR
Advisor/Lab: Nihal Ahmad
Research Interests:Study the molecular mechanisms/signal transduction pathways involved in the development and progression of cancer. Role and functional significance of mitotic regulators in cancer development and progression.
Post-Baccalaureate
The University of Chicago, Biological Sciences, Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program. 2015
Undergraduate
Universidad Del Este (UNE) School of Science and Technology, Bachelor in Science, major in Biology. 2013
Interests/Hobbies
Outside of the scientific environment I like to go out dancing, participating in outdoor physical activities. I enjoy spending time with friends, reading a good book and when I have the opportunity I like to travel back to Puerto Rico and experience the warm weather, swim in our beautiful beaches and of course spend time with my family back home.
Why I Joined METC
The Molecular and Environmental Toxicology program, along with the opportunity to be part of the DELTA program, were very appealing. I was part of the BOPS program in 2013, which provided me the opportunity to visit the University of Madison Wisconsin and also talk to the students in the METC program confirming my interest in cell communication and survival. All the opportunities provided in the program made UW-Madison the ideal place for me to become a scientist. Becoming part of the METC program will greatly enhance my ability to achieve my goal. I am very confident that I will develop all the skills I need to make significant contributions as a teacher and researcher, and to inspire other underrepresented minorities to become part of the scientific community.
Research
Rotating labs during Fall 2015 semester
Grants/Awards
- SciMed Graduate Research Scholar (GRS) Fellowship “Advance Opportunity Fellowship” at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Aug 2015- Present
- Minority Biomedical Research Support-Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS-RISE), Universidad Del Este. Undergraduate research training program funded by NIH 2R5GM066250-05A. Jun 2009- 2013
- Ana G. Mendez Medal for Civic and Academic Excellence, Universidad Del Este. June 2013
- Honor Student, Universidad Del Este, 2008- 2013.
Poster/Oral Presentation
- Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Localization of Tyrosine Hydroxylase immunoreactive Neurons in the Snail Nervous System, authors:Liz M.Garcia Peterson, Mark Miller, North Carolina, Charlotte Nov 2010. (Poster Presentation)
- Arizona State University Meeting. Molecular Evolutionary analysis of Genetic Variation in Skeletal Muscle Sodium-Channel Gene (SCN4A), authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Alan Filipski and Sudir Kumar, Phoenix, Arizona Jul 2011. (Oral Presentation)
- SACNAS National Conference. Molecular Evolutionary analysis of Genetic Variation in Skeletal Muscle Sodium-Channel Gene (SCN4A), authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Alan Filipski and Sudir Kumar, San Jose, California Oct 2011. (Poster Presentation)
- Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Molecular Evolutionary analysis of Genetic Variation in Skeletal Muscle Sodium-Channel Gene (SCN4A), authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Alan Filipski and Sudir Kumar, Missouri Nov 2011. (Poster Presentation)
- Junior Technical Meeting Puerto Rico Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting. Study of the Antibiotic Resistance among Fecal Coliforms Isolated from Freshwaters near Human Health Facilities in the Northeast Area of Puerto Rico. authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Juliana Falero and Mariel Perez Carolina, Puerto Rico March 2012.(Oral Presentation)
- University of Rochester Medical Center Summer Scholar Poster Session. Response of BV-2 Microglial cells to Purinergic Find-Me Signals from Apoptotic Cells. authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Patrick Murphy and Michael Elliott, Rochester, NY Aug 2012. (Poster Presentation)
- American Society for Microbiology. Study of the Antibiotic Resistance among Fecal Coliforms Isolated from Freshwaters near Human Health Facilities in the Northeast Area of Puerto Rico. authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Juliana Falero and Mariel Perez, San Francisco, California Jun 2012. (Co-author) (Poster Presentation)
- Universidad Del Este Symposium. Response of BV-2 Microglial cells to Purinergic Find-Me Signals from Apoptotic Cells. authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Patrick Murphy and Michael Elliott, Carolina, Puerto Rico Sept 2012. (Oral Presentation)
- Junior Technical Meeting Puerto Rico Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting. Study of the Antibiotic Resistance among Fecal Coliforms Isolated from Freshwaters of Puerto Rico. authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Diorella Lopez, Emely Viera and Mariel Perez, Carolina, Puerto Rico March 2013.(Oral Presentation)
- American Society for Microbiology. Study of the Antibiotic Resistance among Fecal Coliforms Isolated from Freshwaters of Puerto Rico. authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Diorella Lopez, Emely Viera and Mariel Perez, Denver Colorado May 2013. (Poster Presentation)
- 10th Annual PREP Symposium. Assessing Gliogenesis in a Multifactorial Murine Injury Model System, authors: Liz M. Garcia Peterson, Natasha Wallington, Judy Henry, Miriam Domowicz, Nancy Schwatz June 2015.(Oral Presentation)