José A. Torres Ruiz, PhD
Chairperson and Professor
Department of Biochemistry
Education
 1995    Extramural Assoc. Trainee, Federal Grants Administration, National Institutes of Health
1991  Post-Doctorate in Biochemistry , Washington State University
1987 Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Washington State University , Pullman , WA
 
Current Research, Teaching and Professional Appointments 2010 - Present Director of Graduate Studies, Ponce School of Medicine
01/07 - Present Director of the RCMI Program, Ponce School of Medicine
2000 - 2010 Associate Dean of Research and Director of Graduate Studies 
1996 - Present Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Ponce School of Medicine
1996 - Present Co-Director of the Extramural Associates (EA)-National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consortium of Puerto Rico
1995 - Present Chairman of the Biomedical Research Committee at the Ponce School of Medicine 
1995 - Present Chairman, Department of Biochemistry, Ponce School of Medicine
1993 - Present Director of the MBRS Program
1988 - Present Chairman, Radioisotopes Committee, PSM
1988 - Present Coordinator of the Annual Biomedical Research Symposium

Courses Offered Medical Biochemistry Course (BCH 612)
Graduate Course: Special Topics in Biochemistry (Enzymology & Protein Chemistry, Protein Targeting)
Recent Memberships of Professional Societies / Awards 2003 Distinguished Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research and Administration Presented at the 2003 Ponce School of Medicine’s Graduation Ceremonies.
1998 Banquet Speaker, National Minority Research Symposium, New York
1998-2000 Best Teaching Professor, Students Choice Award
1997 Distinguished Alumni Award given by the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - College of Arts and Sciences
1997 Distinguished Investigator at the Ponce School of Medicine
1996 Winner of the Golden Apple for Teaching Excellence, American Medical Student Associate, AMSA, Orlando, FL (1997)
Research Interest "Chaperonins from Chromatium vinosum"
"The Expression of Molecular Chaperones in Mitogen-Activated Human T Cells"

Recent Publications 2010 J A Torres-Ruiz, and V R Franceschi.  "Immunocytochemical Identification of Molecular Chaperones from Flaveria", Planta (2010) In-Press
2002 GH Ochoa, YM Clark, B Matsumoto, JA Torres-Ruiz, and L Robles, “Heat Shock Protein 70 and Heat Shock 90 Expression in Light- and Dark-Adapted Adult Octopus Retinas”. Journal of Neurocytology, Vol. 31, Num. 2, pages 161-174 (2002).
1998 J A Torres-Ruiz and M Bendayan.  "Chaperonins 60` and CO-Chaperonin 10, from Chromatium vinosum ".  Methods in Enzymology, 290, 147 (1998).
1997 C S Velez-Granell, A E Arias, J A Torres-Ruiz and M Bendayan. "Presence of Chromatium vinosum Chaperonins 10 and 60 in Mitochondria and Peroxisomes of Rat Hepatocytes, Biol. Cell, 85, 67, (1997)
 
1995 C S Velez-Granell, A E Arias, J A Torres-Ruiz, W K Kan, and M Bendayan. "Immunochemical Location of Chaperonin 10 and 60 in Rat Liver Tissue". Eur. J. Cell Biol., 85,1 (1995).
 
   
On-Going Research  

1R01 HD42444-06 Dorothy J. Becker, M.D. (PI) 7/1/2006-6/30/2011
José A. Torres-Ruiz, Ph.D.- (PI) Puerto Rico Subcontract NIH/NICHHD
Title: “Nutritional Primary Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes”
Aims: To determine whether weaning to formula comprised of hydrolyzed protein compared to a standard intact foreign (cow’s milk, CM) protein formula, reduces the cumulative incidence of diabetes – predictive autoantibodies over the first 6 years of life in children who carry a T1D risk –associated HLA genotype and have an affected first-degree relative (FDR).

5U56-CA126379-04 Jose A. Torres Ruiz, Ph.D. (PI) 8/1/2006-7/31/2011
NIH/NCI- National Cancer Institute
Title: PSM/Moffitt Cancer Center Partnership
The geographic proximity and large Hispanic populations and Puerto Rico (PR) have driven a long-standing interest by the Ponce School of Medicine and Moffitt Cancer Center in developing and academic partnership. The complementary expertise at both institutions will provide a synergistic means of effectively studying aspects of the cancer problem in Puerto Ricans, and secondarily in the Hispanic population in general.

3G12RR003050-24 Raul Armstrong, (PI) 1/1/2008-12/31/2013
NIH/NCRR National Center for Research Resources
Jose A. Torres-Ruiz (PD)
Title: RCMI Program at the Ponce School of Medicine
The RCMI Program, through the period of years 2008-2013, proposes to continue the development of its human and physical infrastructure in order for the institution to reach its major goals and objectives contained in the Institutional Strategic Plan for Research. Particular emphasis will be given to the development of health disparities research in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Basin, and the development of translational research. The proposed Program consists of four Core activities (Administration, AIDS Research Infrastructure Program, Molecular Biology, and Behavioral) and five Research Pilot Projects. The major goals and objectives of the present competitive continuation application are to; (1) provide administrative support to foster continued progress of RCMI Program activities, (2) implement a formal Faculty Mentoring Program to assist investigators in developing independent and competitive research careers, (3) strengthen faculty recruitment, development, and retention, (4) strengthen the HIV/AIDS Research Infrastructure Program and the Molecular Biology Core, (5) implement and further develop a Behavioral Neurosciences Core, (6) provide the necessary leadership and guidance for the development of five Research Pilot Projects presented by junior faculty, and (7) implement a comprehensive evaluation program to provide continuous assessment of progress achieved by all RCMI Program activities.
 
     
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