Nivia L. Pérez-Acevedo, PhD
EDUCATION
University of Puerto Rico PhD 1997-2001 Biology; Neuroscience tract
University of Puerto Rico MS 1994-1996 Biology; Neuroscience tract
University of Puerto Rico BS 1986-1992 Biology
WORK EXPERIENCE
Interim Associate Dean of Biomedical Sciences 07/2021-present
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus -University of Puerto Rico, (SoM-MSC-UPR)
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Coordinator 09/2010-06/2021
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus -University of Puerto Rico, (SoM-MSC-UPR)
Professor 07/2018 – present
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, UPR-MSC, San Juan, PR
Associate Professor 10/2013-09/2018
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, UPR-MSC, San Juan, PR
Member, Admission Committee, (SoM-MSC-UPR) 08/2015-06/2021
Member, Curriculum Committee, (SoM-MSC-UPR) 08/2015-06/2018
President, Faculty Affairs Committee (CAFAC), (SoM-MSC-UPR) 08/2015-07/2017
Personal Committee for Academic Deanship Affairs RCM, Ad-Hoc Member
(SoM-MSC-UPR) 08/2015-2020
Secretary, Faculty Affair Committee, (SoM-MSC-UPR) 08/2014-07/2015
Scientist Member, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) 02/2005-09/2013
Assistant Professor
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, (SoM-MSC-UPR) 09/2003-06/2013
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, (SoM-MSC-UPR) 01/2002-09/2003
- Developed scientific research methods to understand the effects of the neurosteroid 5α -androstane-3α, 17β-diol (3αDIOL) in affective components of behavior according to sex
- Supervised and coached undergraduate scientists conducting research protocols, data analysis, literature research, and oral presentations
- Presented result findings in local and international conferences and published findings
Research Assistant (Dr Allen Selverston)
Institute of Neurobiology, San Juan, PR 08/1997-12/2001
- Developed innovative research protocols using basic electrophysiology, as well as molecular techniques (Western Blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and pharmacology) and data analysis to investigate the role of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the lobster nervous system
- Presented result findings in local and international conferences and published findings
Laboratory Technician (Dr José del Castillo, rip)
Institute of Neurobiology, UPR, San Juan, PR 08/1996-07/1997
- Responsible for maintaining and operating standard laboratory equipment
- Supervised productivity, health and welfare, and all administrative matters including general laboratory maintenance
Research Assistant ((Dr José del Castillo, rip)
Institute of Neurobiology, UPR, San Juan, PR 08/1994-05/1996
- Developed and conducted scientific research using basic electrophysiology techniques to elucidate the catch mechanism in the sea urchin
Laboratory Technician (Dr Damian Kuffler)
Institute of Neurobiology, UPR, San Juan, PR 08/1992-07/1994
- Responsible for maintaining and operating standard laboratory equipment
- Conducted searches relevant to laboratory research planning and execution of the experimental design
- Supervised productivity and all administrative matters related to the laboratory
HONORS AND AWARDS
Professions Capacity Building Program sponsored by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and
Universities (HACU) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 2005
RCMI Faculty Development in Research Program 2006
Selected to participate in the Early Career Women Faculty Seminar, Association of American
Medical Colleges (AAMC) 2007
UK/NIGMS Internet Grant Writing Workshop at the University of Kentucky 2008
RCMI Faculty Development in Research Program 2009
Gordon Research Conference: Amygdala in Health & Disease 2009
Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority Fellowship 2009
Certificate of Excellence given by the medical class of MED 2011. UPR-MSC 2009
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Grant Writing Workshop 2010
NINDS Grant Writing Workshop for Diversity Investigators 2010
Minority Fellowship Program (MFP’s) 40th Anniversary Celebration Committee 2013
Post-Doctoral Master in Science Mentor Recognition 2014
Board Member of Junta de Donaciones Anatómicas de Puerto Rico 2017 – present
Comité de Medicina I 2018 – present
Comité de Monitoreo I 2018 – present
National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) Facilitator 2018 – present
Member of Departmental Personal Committee 2019 – 2021
ARTICLES
Pérez, N, Sosa, MA, and Kuffler, DP. 1997. Growth cones turn up concentration gradients of diffusible peripheral target-derived factors. Exp. Neurol. 145: 196-202. PMID: 9184121.
del Castillo, J, Hime, J, and Pérez-Acevedo, N. 1998. A short history of electrophysiology and its techniques. Section III. Electrophysiological instruments and techniques. PRHSJ. 17 (1): 81-88.
Pérez-Acevedo, NL, Marrero, H, del Castillo, J, and Smith, DS. 1998. Transient wrinkles in a variable length tendon. In: R. Mooi and M. Telford, Echinoderms: San Francisco. A.A. Balkema, Rotherdan, Netherlands, pp. 783-790. PMID: 9642725
Krenz, WD, Nguyen, D, Pérez-Acevedo, NL, and Selverston, AI. 2000. Group I, II, and III mGluR compounds affect rhythm generation in the gastric circuit of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion. J Neurophysiol. Mar;83(3):1188-201. PMID: 10712449
Pérez Acevedo, NL, and Krenz, WD. 2005. Metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists modify the pyloric output of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion, Brain Res. 1662(1-2): 1-8. PMID: 16256086
Pérez-Acevedo, NL, Lathroum, LP, and Jorge JC. 2006. Sex-specific modulation of affect after infusion of the neurosteroid 3αDIOL in the basolateral amygdala; Behav Neurosci. Jun;120(3):632-640. PMID: 16768615
De Jesús Burgos MI, Torres-Llenza V and Pérez-Acevedo NL. 2012. Activation of amygdalar metabotropic glutamate receptors modulates anxiety, and risk assessment behaviors in ovariectomized estradiol-treated female rats. Pharmacol Biochem and Behavior.101:369-378. PMID: 22326382
Ramos-Pratts K, Rosa-González D, Pérez-Acevedo NL, Cintrón-López D, Barreto-Estrada JL. 2013. Sex-specific effect of the anabolic steroid, 17α-methyltestosterone, on inhibitory avoidance learning in periadolescent rats. Behav Processes. Oct;99:73-80. PMID: 22326382
De Jesús-Burgos MI, González-García S, Cruz-Santa Y and Pérez-Acevedo NL. 2015. Amygdalar activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors produces anti- and pro- conflict effects depending upon animal sex in a sexually dimorphic conditioned conflict-based anxiety model. Behavioral Brain Research Apr1:303:200-12. PMID:26777900.
EDITORIAL BOARDS
Austin Journal of Anatomy 2013 – present
Buhiti Magazine 2014 – present
AD HOC REVIEWER
Abstract reviewer for the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students
and for the Foro Annual de Investigación en Recinto de Ciencias Médicas 2005 – present
Clinical Anatomy 2009
Physiology and Behavior 2011
African Journal of Agricultural Research (AJAR) 2012
Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal (PRHSJ) 2014 & 2019
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNUMED) 2016
Journal of Pain Research 2019
Journal of Neurophysiology 2019
Behavioral Brain Research 2020
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Research support and/or scholastic performance
Active
- NIH/NIMH- MBRS/RISE (R25 GM061838) Cadilla (PI) 09/17–08/22 Pérez-Acevedo, Nivia L. Role and Subproject: Coordinator for the Mentor Capacity Building Workshop Series of the MBRS/RISE.
- Develop, implement, and promote mentoring training for mentors (>60). Co-Investigator – Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement. NIGMS-RISE R25 GM061838)
Completed
- NIH/NIMH- MBRS/RISE (R25 GM061838) Cadilla (PI) 09/12–08/17 Pérez-Acevedo, Nivia L. Role and Subproject: Coordinator for the Advance Course and Specialized Seminar (Activity #2b). Developed and coordinated an advanced course for the graduate program at the UPR-MSC.
- Nivia L. Pérez-Acevedo, PI. The role of sex steroids and amygdala metabotropic glutamate receptors in anxiety. EARDA 01/01/09-12/31/09. Designed a pilot project to determine the role of mGluRs in the amygdala nuclei in anxiety-related behaviors and to investigate whether estradiol modulate their effect.
COMPUTER SKILLS
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Power Point, Intranet and Internet, R Statistics and Sigma Sat