Dr. Osmarie Martinez

Assistant Professor
Dr. Osmarie Martinez

Contact Info

  • Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology,
    University of Puerto-Rico-School of Medicine
    Medical Sciences Campus
    P.O. Box 365067,
    San Juan, P.R. 00936-5067
  • Telephone: (787) 758-2525 ext. 1354

Education

  • B.S. General Biology, June 2009
    University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, Humacao, PR
  • Ph.D. in Microbiology and Medical Zoology June 2017
    University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
  • Post-doc February 2019-February 2024
    University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
    Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology

ACADEMIC PROFILES

LINKEDINhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/osmarie-mart%C3%ADnez-a3a429137/
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Osmarie-Martinez-2

RESEARCH INTEREST

Antibiotics are indispensable in treating infectious diseases, often administered orally. However, their use can disrupt the delicate balance of gut microbes, affecting the Gut-Brain axis, a bidirectional communication system between the gut microbiota and the nervous system. Such disruptions may lead to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. While studies have explored the effects of antibiotics on fear-related behaviors in rodents, the impact on avoidance behaviors, ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) and specific brain regions remains largely unexplored. Our research aims to fill this gap by investigating how oral antibiotic exposure affects avoidance behaviors, USV and brain activity in rodents. By standardizing the acquisition and analysis of USVs and evaluating the effects of antibiotics on avoidance behaviors, we hope to uncover insights into the role of antibiotics in communication and emotional processing. This understanding will help in the targeted interventions addressing anxiety disorders through modulation of the gut-brain axis.

PUBLICATIONS

  • O. Martínez, A. Bravo, N.J. Pinto. (2009). Electospun Nanofibers of Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)-Poly(4,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)Poly(styrene sulfonate) Composite, Macromolecules.
  • Martínez O, Miranda E, Ramírez M, Santos S, Rivera C, Vázquez L, et al. (2015) Immunomodulator-Based Enhancement of Anti Smallpox Immune Responses. PLoS ONE.
  • Osmarie Martínez, Ariana Bravo, Saritza Santos, Maite Ramírez, Eric Miranda, Joanna Shisler, and Miguel Otero. (2017) Vaccination with a codon-optimized A27L-containing plasmid decreases virus replication and dissemination after vaccinia virus challenge. Vaccine.
  • Ramírez M, Santos S, Martínez O, Rodríguez R, Miranda E, Ramos-Perez WD, Otero M. (2018) Characterization of the immune response elicited by the vaccinia virus L3 protein delivered as naked DNA. Vaccine.
  • Santos S, Ramírez M, Miranda E, Reyes N, Martínez O, Acosta-Santiago M, Rivera JM, Otero M (2019). Enhancement of Immune Responses by Guanosine-Based Particles in DNA Plasmid Formulations against Infectious Diseases. J Immunol Res.

Book Chapters

  • Anti-protozoan drugs. A. Muro, A.E. Serrano,and J.L. Pérez de Arellano. Chapter 22, pp. 331-343.
  • Anti-helminthic drugs. A. Muro, A.E. Serrano,and J.L. Pérez de Arellano. Chapter 23, pp. 345-353.