Allergy and Immunology Section

Welcome to the Allergy & Immunology Section of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) School of Medicine. Enclosed is a brief overview of our ACGME Allergy & Immunology Training Program which supports the education of internists and pediatricians in the Allergy & Immunology subspecialty. We offer evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of…

Research

The Allergy & Immunology Section is active in clinical research. The spectrum of these projects is wide, ranging from epidemiological, translational and outcome studies of allergic diseases. Major areas of investigative interest focus on asthma, anaphylaxis, urticaria, rhinitis and food allergy.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

2023 Nazario S, González-Sepúlveda L, Telón-Sosa B, Rivas-Tumanyan S. Place of death from asthma differs by age, race, and ethnicity. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2023 Aug;131(2):268-269.  Ishmael L, Apter A, Busse PJ, Calderon-Candelario R, Carroll JK, Casale T, Celedón JC, Cohen R, Coyne-Beasley T, Cui J, Ericson B, Hernandez P, Kaelber DC, Maher N, Merriman…

Vylma Velázquez, MD

Adjunct Professor of Medicine Medical School •Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña, Dominican Republic, 1988 Residency •Pediatrics, University District Hospital, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 1991 Fellowship •Allergy & Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1998 Board Certifications •Pediatrics •Allergy & Immunology

Sylvette Nazario, MD

Allergy & Immunology Program Director Medical School •University of Puerto Rico, 1987 Residency •Internal Medicine, San Juan VA Hospital, 1990 Fellowship Allergy & Immunology Fellowship, Yale University, 1993 Board Certification •Internal Medicine •Allergy & Immunology  

Rita Díaz, MD

Adjunct Professor of Medicine Medical School •University of Salamanca, Spain, 1969 Residency •Pediatrics, San Juan City Hospital, Puerto Rico, 1972 Fellowship •Allergy & Immunology, Thomas Jefferson University, Pennsylvania, 1975 Board Certifications •Pediatrics •Allergy & Immunology

Luis M Vilá, MD

Division Chief, Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology Professor of Medicine Medical School•University of Puerto Rico, 1985 Residency•Internal Medicine, VA Hospital, Puerto Rico, 1988•Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, VA Hospital, Puerto Rico, 1988-1989 Fellowship•Rheumatology Fellowship, University of Michigan, 1992 Board Certifications•Internal Medicine•Rheumatology Research Interests• Systemic lupus erythematosus • Rheumatoid arthritis

Iona Malinow, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine Medical School •Rochester University, 1992 Residency •Pediatrics, Rochester University, 1995 Fellowship Allergy & Immunology, University of Puerto Rico, 2011 Board Certifications •Pediatrics •Allergy & Immunology

Fernando López, MD

Professor of Medicine Medical School •University of Puerto Rico, 1974 Residency •Internal Medicine, San Juan City Hospital, Puerto Rico, 1977 Fellowship •Allergy & Immunology, University of Michigan, 1980 Board Certifications •Internal Medicine •Allergy & Immunology

Cristina Ramos, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine Medical School •University of Puerto Rico, 2003 Residency •Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, 2007 Fellowships •Geriatrics, University of Puerto Rico, 2008 •Allergy & Immunology, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, 2010 Board Certifications •Internal Medicine •Geriatrics •Allergy & Immunology