Biomedical Research Education
Program of Puerto Rico
(BREP)

Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Principal Investigator of the Puerto Rico Biomedical Research Education Program,
gave an overview of the SEPA and PR-BREP programs.

Staff from the Biomedical Research Education Program (BREP) meets with the Science Teachers at the Department of Education of Puerto Rico.

Staff of the Biomedical Education Research Program (BREP) at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus, Dr. Emma Fernández-Repollet, Dr. Abe Schwartz and Mr. Felipe N. Padilla; introduced the PR-BREP program to a group science teachers from Intermediate Schools of the Island. The meeting was held at the Department of Education.

Ms. Zenaida Ledesma, Special Assistant Central Level at the Oficina de Alianza Corporativa Pro-Educación, Ms. Sylvette Santiago Ramírez, Director of the Oficina de Alianza Corporativa Pro-Educación and Ms. María Elena Morán, Director of the Puerto Rico Department of Education Science Program were present at the meeting. Ms. Ledesma explained the goals and objectives of the Oficina de Alianza Corporativa Pro-Educación and how the program facilitates alliances between the schools and the community, including the industry sector and individual volunteers.

Ms. Zenaida Ledesma, Special Assistant Central Level at the Oficina de Alianza Corporativa Pro-Educación, explained
the goals and objectives of the Oficina de Alianza Corporativa Pro-Educación to a selected group of science teachers.

Ms. María Elena Morán, Director of the Puerto Rico
Department of Education Science Program, welcome the teachers
to the meeting and introduced the Biomedical Research Education Program.

Dr. Fernández-Repollet provided an overview of the of the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program, which is the initiative at the National Institutes of Health that supports the BREP program in Puerto Rico. She emphasized to the teachers the benefits and the impact of these programs in the community. She also explained the origin of the PR-BREP program and its goal to increase the awareness of Puerto Rican students in biomedical sciences using informal education and recreational learning tools.

Mr. Felipe N. Padilla explained in detail the goals and tools
that the BREP program will use to achieved these goals

Science teachers from the Puerto Rico Department of Education.

Mr. Padilla explained the various initiatives of the program and the innovative tools that have been developed to accomplish these goals. He discussed in detail the design of comic books and the creation of Internet clubs as incentives for the students to join the program and learn about biomedical research and the diseases that affect the Puerto Rican population. Dr. Schwartz introduced the Professional Development Program, which consists of training sessions and science seminars to science teachers. These activities provide the teachers will the necessary tools and knowledge to initiate a BioMed Battle Team website and a biomedical research club at their local schools.

Over 25 teachers attended the meeting. The BREP Program thanks Ms. Zenaida Ledesma from Oficina de Alianza Corporativa Pro-Educación for organizing this successful activity.

Contact Information:

Emma Fernandez-Repollet, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Telephone: (787) 763-9401
Fax: (787) 758-5206
Email:efernandez@rcm.upr.edu