Research Laboratories:

  • Laboratory of Fear and Pleasure
    • Christian Bravo Rivera, Ph.D.
      Assistant Professor
      Director, Laboratory of Fear and Pleasure
  • Center for the Study and Treatment of Fear and Anxiety (CETMA)
    • Karen G. Martínez-González, MD, MSc
      Associate Professor
      Chair, Psychiatry Department
      Director, Center for the Study and Treatment of Fear and Anxiety
      MPI/Director- Hispanic Clinical and Translational Research Education and Career Development (HCTRECD) program (R25MD007607)
    • Polaris González Barrios, Ph.D.
      Assistant Professor
      Clinical Director, Center for the Study and Treatment of Fear and Anxiety
      PI, Parent-child bonding and adverse exposures
    • Sandra I. Ralat Rivera, Ph.D.
      Assistant Professor
      PI, Bipolar Disorder Research Program
  • Programa de Oportunidades para Recuperación con Tratamiento Integrado (Por Ti)
    Lelis L. Nazario-Rodriguez, MD
    Maria de Lourdes Rivera, Ph.D.
    Iris A. Matos Rivera, MSW

Example of Active Research Projects:

  • Epigenetic and microbial profiles related to Hurricane Maria prenatal stressors
    Faculty: Karen G. Martinez, Evangelia Morou (School of Dental Medicine), Carmen Buxó (School of Dental Medicine)
  • Inflammatory cytokines and neurocognitive functioning in bipolar disorder across mood episodes
    Faculty: Sandra Ralat
  • The mediating role of bonding on pandemic related stress and child behavior outcomes
    Faculty: Polaris Gonzalez, Karen G. Martinez
  • Measuring outcome and fidelity in first episode psychosis
    Faculty: Lelis L. Nazario, Iris Matos, Maria de L. Rivera, Emily Justiniano
    Resident: Edwin Alvarez, Manuel de la Garza
  • Medical students’ /Resident coping strategies and burnout.
    Faculty: Camila Fernandez
    Resident: Frances Fuster
  • Latin American Transancentry Initiative for OCD genomics (LATINO-OCD)
    Faculty: Karen G. Martinez
    Resident: Stephanie Quetglas
  • Epigenetic profiling of COVID-19 related depression in a Puerto Rican population
    Faculty: Karen G. Martinez (UPR); Janitza Montalvo (Yale); Paola Giusti (UF-Gainesville)
  • Clinical practice of esketamine
    Faculty: Karen G. Martinez
    Resident: Paulina Rullan
  • Trajectory of opioid use disorder/cannabis use disorder
    Faculty: Karen G. Martinez
    Resident: Edicer Ramirez
  • Barriers to participation in clinical trials
    Faculty: Karen G. Martinez
    Resident: Marcos Roche

Active Research Laboratories [Crear sub-tab]