Institute for Functional Nanomaterials

Nanoscientist

University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus

Biography

Torres-Lugo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and obtained a doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University in 2001. Currently, she is a faculty member and a researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. Her research focuses on the medical application of nanostructures. These projects are sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health and include local and external collaborators as well as the participation of graduate and undergraduate students. Such applications include cancer treatment and drug delivery devices. Torres-Lugo's research laboratory examines the biomedical applications of magnetic nanostructures, such as ferrite nanoparticles, as a potential cancer treatment. These nanoparticles, under the influence of a magnetic field, generate heat, which can be locally employed to kill cancerous cells. They also possess the advantage of being an MRI contrast agent allowing their localization. On the other hand, the same magnetic field could be potentially employed to promote drug release.

Teams

Cluster I: Functional Dispersed Nanostructures

Phone

787-832-4040 ext. 2585

E-mail

madeline ece uprm edu

Education

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (2001)

Appointments

2004–present

Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

Publications

1. J. Mendez-Vega, N. Santos-Roman, and M. Torres, "Transport Enhancement of Rhodamine 123 with Possible Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) Protein Inhibition Effects", Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers, (2009)

Grants

1. G. Lopez, J. Lopez-Garriga, and M. Torres. Structural and Computational Characterization of Tau and b-Amyloid Filament Formation, National Institutes of Health, R15, 2 years, March 2009, Multiple PIs, Pending, $225,000.
2. C. Rinaldi and M. Torres. Effect of nanoparticle surface charge on cellular uptake kinetics, National Institutes of Health, R15, 2 years, March 2009, Multiple PIs, Pending, $225,000.
3. G. Lopez, J. Lopez Garriga, and M. Torres. Center for Crystallization and Chemical Structure , National Science Foundation, PIRE, 2 years, March 2009, Multiple PIs, Pending, $2,000,000.
4. N. Cardona, A. J. Hernández, P. Kohl, A. M. Padovani, O. J. Perales, R. G. Raptis, C. Rinaldi, J. Santos, N. Sepúlveda, G. Serrano, D. Suleiman, O. M. Suárez, and M. Torres. Nanotechnology Center for Biomedical and Energy Driven Systems and Applications (NCBEDSA), National Science Foundation, CREST, 5 years, September 2008, Multiple PIs, Approved, $5,000,000.
5. G. Gutierrez, J. Hilt, A. M. Padovani, C. Rinaldi, M. Tomassone, and M. Torres. NIRT: Magnetically and Thermally Active Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment, National Science Foundation, NIRT, 4 years, September 2006, Single PI, Approved, $1,150,000.
6. A. Acevedo, N. Cardona, C. Rinaldi, M. Torres, and C. Velázquez. ERC: Center on Structured Organic Particulate Systems, National Science Foundation, ERC, 5 years, July 2006, Multiple PIs, Approved, $1,665,000.