Puerto Rico is becoming a very attractive global bioscience R&D and manufacturing hub. Not only because of the appealing tax incentives but also the talent that we are fostering in the island (especially in the life sciences, biotech, aerospace and engineering sectors). To continue cultivating research talent it is imperative that the local researchers receive the tools needed to conduct their projects — funding being one of the most important.
 
The Research Grants Program at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust is a local funding mechanism that supports the development of science and technology research projects. As of February 2021, the program has awarded 96 grants since 2014, totaling ~$11.5M in funding and a ROI of $31M+. These grants have allowed our grantees to obtain preliminary data that will help them secure robust grants at a federal level that will continue supporting their research projects. As the grants director, I am responsible not just for the program’s administration, but also continually having a pulse on the broader research community.
 
I am currently leading an assessment of the research ecosystem on the island, namely throughout the Puerto Rico universities. This includes a platform that collects, displays, analyzes and reports on all academic activities and research. This data collection is very useful to researchers and their institutions. But the benefit extends beyond the research ecosystem. Local and international organizations are regularly seeking personnel with specific expertise for collaborations and specific research projects and do not know where to look for them. As such, this platform fills the gap, serving as a centralized place that compiles all the academic activity that takes place on the island. We are presently piloting the platform with the Ponce Science Health University.
 
It’s my passion and belief that facilitating and promoting research is investing in the country’s knowledge economy. For this reason, I am looking forward to developing new relationships with leaders interested in moving their economy through R&D and entrepreneurial ventures.
 
As mentioned above, Puerto Rico offers very attractive tax incentives. I would like to explore ways to develop research partnerships and collaborations that will benefit both parties and may lead to the creation of new inventions, technologies and companies.
 
Another project that I will be working on is the development of a Research Continuity Plan for our grantees and researchers on the Island. During the past years, Puerto Rico has faced hurricanes, earthquakes and now the current Covid19 Pandemic. Our goal is to identify and create a safe space to protect samples in case of an emergency as well as identifying allies that can assist us during those times. Some of our grantees were able to send their samples to their partners in other research laboratories in the mainland after Hurricane Maria. This allowed them to continue conducting their research projects and protect years of hard work.
 
Not only in Puerto Rico but around the world, countries face wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes among other disasters that put in danger not only lives, but decades of research experiments that are are looking for solutions to problems facing society, whether it is the development of vaccines, drugs, studies of diseases, among others.
 
I would like to establish relationships with other jurisdictions, create an international network that connects researchers, and share best practices that will allow us to establish a robust research continuity plan. Doing so will benefit Puerto Rico, the United States, and the international community.