RCMI

PHSU Specialized Center in Health Disparities

For 40 years, the RCMI Program at Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) has been a driving force behind transformation, innovation, and impact. What began as support for a primarily graduate education institution has evolved into a powerful engine for scientific discovery—helping position PHSU as a dynamic and competitive research center on the local, national, and global stage.

Through sustained RCMI funding, PHSU has built and strengthened cutting-edge research infrastructure, empowering faculty to expand both the quantity and quality of their scholarly work. Today, PHSU researchers are contributing to high-impact, peer-reviewed scientific journals and presenting in prestigious forums worldwide. This momentum has not only elevated the institution’s visibility, but also enhanced its ability to secure competitive funding and train the next generation of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical scientists.

As we celebrate four decades of progress, we are equally excited about the future.

The recent renewal of the RCMI Program reflects the dedication, excellence, and resilience of our research community. In an increasingly competitive funding landscape, this achievement underscores the strength of our faculty and the significance of their work. This next phase will support the continued growth of a Specialized Center on Health Disparities in southern Puerto Rico—an initiative designed to advance translational research that bridges scientific discovery with real-world patient care.

Our mission is clear: to better understand and address health challenges affecting susceptible populations. By focusing on critical areas such as cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders, we aim to uncover the underlying causes, risk factors, and gaps that shape health outcomes—both in Puerto Rico and beyond.

At 40 years strong, RCMI at PHSU is not just reflecting on its legacy—it’s building the future of health balance.

About Us

The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program at Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) is a catalyst for discovery, innovation, and balance in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research. For 40 years, we have been committed to building an comprehensive research environment that empowers scientists, strengthens institutional capacity, and advances solutions to the differences in health outcomes impacting our populations.

At the core of RCMI is a mission to elevate research excellence. Through state-of-the-art facilities, expert faculty, and comprehensive research support services, we provide investigators with the tools they need to succeed. From funding opportunities and

technical expertise to interdisciplinary collaboration, we foster a dynamic ecosystem where ideas grow into impactful discoveries.

Our work extends beyond the laboratory. By prioritizing mentorship, collaboration, and community engagement, we aim to close critical gaps in healthcare research and improve health outcomes locally and globally. We believe that meaningful scientific progress happens when various perspectives come together with a shared purpose.

Whether you are an established researcher, an aspiring scientist, or a community partner, RCMI at PHSU invites you to be part of a legacy of innovation—and a future focused on health balance for all.

Our Goals

The major goal of the proposed Center is to elevate and build upon the established and competent RCMI Center that aims to improve community health

Specific Aims

Enhance Ponce Health Sciences University’s (PHSU) research capacity to conduct world-class basic biomedical, behavioral, population and/or clinical/health services research.
Enable all levels of investigators at the recipient institution to become more successful in obtaining competitive extramural support, especially from NIH, for research on diseases and conditions that disproportionately impact populations health.
Foster an institutional environment conducive to the research career development and enhancement for post-doctoral fellows, junior faculty, and early-stage investigators.
Enhance the tools for and conduct of research generally and specifically for improving health.
Establish sustainable partnerships with community-based organizations to promote research efforts and the dissemination of research findings.

Administration Core

The Administrative Core oversee the day-to-day management of all Core activities, facilitate and coordinate the duties of the institutional RCMI advisory units and promote the development of Research Partnerships and Collaborations between PHSU and other research-intensive institutions, among others.

Richard J. Noel Jr, PhD, MBA

Kenira Thompson García, PhD, MBA

Doris A. Andujar Pérez, MPH

Stephanie Batista Ortiz

Amarilys Santiago Rivera, BA

Frances Irizarry, BA

Recruitment Core

The main goal of the Faculty Recruitment Core is to establish the necessary workforce to meet PHSU's mission of advancing the field of differences in health outcomes through competitive research by recruiting highly competent research faculty in the targeted areas of the RCMI program.

Richard J. Noel Jr, PhD, MBA

Rosario Costas Muñiz, PhD

Center for Research Resources (CRR)

The RCMI Center for Research Resources (CRR) at Ponce Health Sciences University / Ponce Research Institute (PHSU/PRI) is enhancing Puerto Rico’s biomedical research capacity through shared resources and training. CRR integrates advanced core facilities, such as MAGIC, the Immunotechnology Unit, and the BRAIN Facility, to support research on differences in health outcomes..

Vanessa Rivera Amill, PhD

Richard J. Noel Jr, PhD, MBA

James Porter, PhD

Marcos J., Ramos Benítez, PhD

Wilfredo De Jesús Rojas, MD, FAAP, MSc

Mary Rodríguez Rabassa, PsyD, MSc

Eliut Rivera Segarra, PhD

José Oliveras Torres, MD

Iris Martínez, DrPH, MPH, BHE

Pablo López, BS

Andrea Arias, MS

Raphael Sánchez Torres, BS

María Colón, BA

Yashira García, MA

Yadira Rodríguez, MA

Camille Lugo, BS

Bethzaly Velázquez, MS

Katiria Quiñones

Wanda Vargas Maldonado, BSN

Community Engagement Core (CEC)

The Community Engagement Core focus on expanding community training, research, and health promotion in the southern and western regions of Puerto Rico. Through the Community Training Institute for Health Disparities (CTIHD), the core empowers community members with knowledge and skills to increase collaborative research on differences in health outcomes and enhance community health education.

Julio C. Jiménez Chávez, MD

Luisa M. Morales Torres, DrPH

Elizabeth Rivera, EdD

Eida Castro Figueroa M, PsyD, MSc

Jeileen Ruiz Rivera, PsyD

Nicole Muñoz Berastaín, DrPH,MPH

Fernando J. Rosario Maldonado, MPH

Dorimar Rodríguez, BBA

Alondra Rosario, MPH

Jorge Motta, MPH

CEC Publications

Newsletter CEC - 11th Edition

Directorio de Recursos

Strategic Pipeline for Academic Research Career Success (SPARCS)

The SPARCS Core, led by Drs. Richard Noel and Guillermo Armaiz is designed specifically for early-stage investigators (ESIs) is a natural extension of START and incorporates a one-on-one, hands-on approach to ensure the success of our trainees. Specifically, trainees will receive career guidance from a mentoring team, individual career development activities, workshops and seminars, and access to a Pilot Project Program that provides funds to develop their research.

Richard J. Noel Jr, PhD, MBA

Guillermo Armaiz Peña, PhD

María Santiago, BBA

Frances Irizarry, BA

SPARCS Scholars

José Oliveras Torres, MD

Nicole Muñoz Berastaín, DrPH,MPH

Giselle Cordero, PhD

Mario Bermonti, PhD

Rachel Rodríguez, DrPH

Carmen Ortiz, PhD

Tiffany J Ríos, PhD

Emmanuel Cruz, PhD

Pilot Project Program

The Research Pilot Project Program supports primarily early-stage investigators in developing biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and translational research focused on diseases and differences in health outcomes affecting smaller demographics.

SPARCS Pilots Awarded

Dr. Normarie Torres
Title: Implementation of the Caregivers-Patients Support Coping with Advanced-Cancer (CASA) Intervention

Dr. Giselle Cordero
Title: Social risk factors of health and their impact on cognitive and psychological functioning among Hispanic/Latino pediatric patients with Celiac Disease.

Dr. Giselle Cordero has been selected as a LEAP Scholar by the APA's Leadership Development Institute, a program that supports early career scientists through mentorship, leadership training, and research funding. (Vol 4. Is 3).