Dra. Luz A. Silva Torres

Assistant Professor
Dra. Luz A. Silva Torres

Contact Info

  • luz.silva@upr.edu
  • University of Puerto Rico
    Medical Sciences Campus
    P.O. Box 365067
    San Juan, PR 00936-5067
  • 787-758-2525 Ext. 1365

Education

  • B.S. en Ciencias Generales
  • B.S. in Chemistry, Universidad Interamericana
  • M.A. Public Affairs, Universidad del Turabo, Gurabo
  • PhD en Toxicología, UPR-Ciencias Médicas
  • Post Doctorado en Desarrollo de Drogas Anti-Cancer, Universidad Metropolitana, PR

RESEARCH AREAS

  • Drug use and Addiction
  • Cytotoxicity Mechanism of Action determination
  • DNA damage associated to polydrug use disorder
    Novel Psychoactive Drugs (NPD) identification
  • Toxicogenomic

RESEARCH INTEREST

The attention of my current work has focused on drug abuse, the endothelial cytotoxicity mechanisms involved polydrug users. This job is sustained with a wide experience in Forensic Toxicology as well as other areas in Forensic Science, with more than 27 years of work experience in the Institute of Forensic Sciences of Puerto Rico. In addition, I have a broad background in chemical analysis using GC/MS, HS/GC/FID/MS, NucleoCounter System, UPLC/MS/MS and fluorometric techniques, with specific training and expertise in molecular DNA damage and Apoptosis mechanism identification. In addition, we have work with the postmortem identification of myocardial tissue damage in addicts.

Our thesis studies were focused on provide understandings of Xylazine use (XYL) and its speedball combination in humans, which include seized drug characterization by GC/MS, postmortem samples analysis of xylazine’s intoxication cases by UPLC/MS/MS and toxic effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). XYL was detected in seized drug alone and in combination with Heroin (HER).  Syringe’s content analysis, using GC/MS, reveals users mix XYL, HER and Cocaine (COC) before administration. In addition, postmortem samples analysis showed that; XYL (as a parent drug) is widely distributed as long as HER and COC, in vitreous humor, and blood. These drug users mainly use intravenous administration, therefore endothelial cells are one of the first tissues impact upon administration. Our last study determined: the cytotoxicity effects involved in xylazine use and its speedball combination, in human endothelial cells.  In addition, we determined cytotoxic mechanism of xylazine and its speedball combination, in human endothelial cells. These findings were achieved using the following activities: caspases 8 and 9 activation, reactive species generation (ROS and RNS), cell cycle and DNA damage. Generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), cell cycle effect, caspases 8/9 activation and DNA fragmentation were analyzed using fluorometric assays.

Publications

  1. Vélez C, Soto J, Ríos K, Silva L, Hernandez W, Rivera LA, Ortiz-Colón AI, Cox O, Zayas B. Toxicity and Apoptosis Related Effects of Benzimidazo [3,2-α] Quinolinium Salts Upon Human Lymphoma Cells. Open Med Chem J. 2017 Jun 30 ;11 :54-65. Doi : 10.2174/1874104501711010054. PMID : 28761559 ; PMCID : PMC5510565.
  2. Silva-Torres LA, Vélez C, Zayas B (2015) Xylazine and Its Speedball Combination: Induction of Apoptosis by Intrinsic and Extrinsic Pathway in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells. J Subst Abuse Alcohol 3(1): 1024.
  3. Silva-Torres L, Veléz C, Alvarez L, Zayas B. Xylazine as a drug of abuse and its effects on the generation of reactive species and DNA damage on human umbilical vein endothelial cells. J Toxicol. 2014;2014:492609. Doi: 10.1155/2014/492609. Epub 2014 Nov 11. PMID: 25435874; PMCID: PMC4243599.
  4. Silva-Torres LA, Vélez C, Lyvia Alvarez, Ortiz JG, Zayas B. Toxic effects of xylazine on endothelial cells in combination with cocaine and 6-monoacetylmorphine. Toxicol In Vitro. 2014 Oct; 28(7):1312-9. Doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2014.06.013. Epub 2014 Jul 8. PMID: 25017475; PMCID: PMC4181877.
  5. Ruiz-Colón K, Martínez MA, Silva-Torres LA, Chavez-Arias C, Meléndez-Negrón M, Conte-Miller MS, Bloom-Oquendo J. Simultaneous determination of xylazine, free morphine, codeine, 6-acetylmorphine, cocaine and benzoylecgonine in postmortem blood by UPLC-MS-MS. J Anal Toxicol. 2012 Jun; 36(5):319-26. Doi: 10.1093/jat/bks024. PMID: 22582266.

Other Not Scientific Publications :

  1. Silva-Torres LA, et al. A Comparison of the most Common Drugs Detected in Urine Drug Testing Samples in Different Populations in Puerto Rico. El Crisol, June 2008, Colegio de Químicos de Puerto Rico.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

  1.  2014: Digital Newspaper Article, Aumentan las muertes por la “anestesia de caballo”, Dialogo, august 18, 2014. http://www.dialogodigital.com/index.php/ Aumentan-las-muertes-por-la-anestesia-de-caballo.html#.U_JsSSgkOa
  2.  2014: Digital News Paper Article, Drogas cortadas con xilazina siguen causando muertes, El Nuevo Periódico Directo de Caguas, august 20, 2014.
  3. 2014: Newspaper article, Adulterante Fatal, El Nuevo Día, Sept. 5, 2014, Science section, pag. 59. http://www.elperiodicopr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4408:drogas-cortadas-con-xilazina-siguen-causando muertes&catid=69:noticias&Itemid=124