Dr. Bianca Valdés-Fernández, Dean of the School of Health and Sciences at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, has been invited to deliver a lecture at the Puerto Rico Microbiology Student Meeting. The event, organized by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists (SMPR), will take place on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo. The meeting will bring together student chapters and interest groups from across the island, with the goal of fostering collaboration and professional development in the field of microbiology.
Her lecture will focus on science policy and the importance of evidence-based decision-making, a subject she has approached from both biomedical research and scientific public policy. She also has postdoctoral experience in immunology and parasitology at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus, where she collaborated in the development of agents to treat inflammatory diseases. Her academic background is further complemented by her active role in the Puerto Rico Science Policy Action Network (PR-SPAN), where she served as co-director.
Since 2024, she has served as Dean of the School of Health and Sciences at Sagrado, an academic unit with more than five decades of history that prepares students to meet contemporary challenges in science and health through a holistic approach, from prevention to care. The School offers programs in biomedical sciences, biology, chemistry, psychology, exercise science and health promotion, and nursin. They also offer accredited programs and partnerships with local and international institutions that create direct pathways to graduate studies in medicine, pharmacy, optometry, and related fields.
“It is an honor to contribute my expertise at the intersection of science policy and microbiology. In the current context our society is experiencing, it is essential to foster spaces for learning and critical reflection in the formation of the next generation,” stated Dr. Valdés-Fernández.
Her participation in this meeting reflects a career that bridges research, scientific public policy, and academic leadership, contributing to the development of the next generation of science professionals in Puerto Rico.