Dr. Abel Baerga Ortiz is an established investigator who is the PI for Center for the Promotion of Cancer Health Equity (CePCHE) Association, BA in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico; a PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of California in San Diego (UCSD) and was a Royal Society Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cambridge. The group of Abel Baerga-Ortiz is interested in describing processes that take place at the interface between chemistry and microbiology. We use a variety of chemical methods for the characterization of natural products made by microorganisms. We also use biochemical methods (protein expression/purification and mass spectrometry) to elucidate enzyme processes in microorganisms.Many research efforts are focused on elucidating the role of the gut microbiota in the promotion of intestinal diseases such as colorectal cancer. Our group has centered in developing methods for the quick and inexpensive detection of specific bacterial genes in stool samples. As part of this effort, we have found in human stool, a number of bacterial genes that have been previously associated with inflammation in other tissues such as kidney and skin. The presence of these pro-inflammatory genes in the human gut and their increased frequency in colorectal cancer patients, suggest a possible link between harboring these genes and the risk of cancer. We are currently exploring possible mechanisms by which these genes may promote inflammation in the GI tract. The Env glycoprotein from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the template for a number of vaccine candidates currently under development. It contains 27 glycosylation sites and more than half of its molecular weight is attributable to sugars. Our laboratory is developing MALDI-ToF/ToF methods for the measurement of the glycan composition of HIV Env and its clinically relevant versions.

Visit Program: https://naipi.org/2024/03/08/center-for-the-promotion-of-cancer-health-equity-cepche/

Puerto Rico: https://naipi.org/south-eastern-region/puerto-rico/