Progress 09/15/22 to 07/13/23

Outputs
Target Audience:The ISISS-PR project impacted 136 people through conferences (n= 103), outreach (n=27),and undergraduate research (n=6) from 2022 to 2023. The audience was 98% Hispanics from the HSI institutions: UPR Aguadillla and UPR Arecibo. Changes/Problems:The University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo did not provide a laboratory space to locate the equipment funded by the ISISS-PR project. Due to the inconvenient circumstances, I applied to a tenure-track position at UPR Mayaguez that was recently approved. For the success of the project, we are processing the transfer of the project from UPR Arecibo to UPR Mayaguez. This process delayed the purchasing of the equipment. However, when the ISISS-PR project is officially transferred to UPR Mayaguez we will process the equipment purchasing to successfully complete the activities proposed in the project and reach the goals. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training: Six (6) recruited undergraduate students were trained in the methods used for the isolation of microorganisms and parasites, and identification of antimicrobial resistance microorganisms.Students learned aseptic techniques, microscope usage, and bioinformatic tools. Professional Development: Students learned soft skills such as scientific methods, presentation skills, and data management. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Annual Meeting 2023 and Student Symposium. Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists, American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The event took place at the Pontifical Catholic University, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Title:6/08/23. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Once the project is transferred to UPR Mayaguez, the equipment will be purchased.We will provide training sessions for students, faculty, and staff to use it. We will recruit additional students for undergraduate research to use the equipment to identify bacteria and characterize the potential antimicrobial resistance in retailmeat and cattle. We will continue providing conferences and outreach events to create awareness about antimicrobial resistance.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal: Strengthen institutional educational capacities by providing scientific instrumentation and training to increase the number of students that enter careers in Food and agriculture science fields by providing specialized equipment available for undergraduate research. Objective 1. By the end of the project, ISSIS-PR project will expose 24 undergraduate students from UPR to research in the areas of food and agricultural sciences. Method 1: Fall of each PY, 8 students will be recruited to participate in the research projects studying antimicrobial resistance in retail meat, beef cattle, or parasite research. By the end of PY3, the program would have exposed 24 students to food and agricultural sciences research. In the first year of the project, a total of six (6) students were recruited to participate in the research projects studying antimicrobial resistance in retail meat or parasite research. Method 2: PY1, one seminar will be offered about acquiring the equipment. PY2-PY3: one training workshop will be delivered to students and faculty interested in research in food and agricultural sciences research. The equipment purchases and training seminar was delayed because of the transfer of the ISISS-PR project to UPR Mayaguez. The companies were contacted to acquire quotes for the equipment requested in the proposal. After the project gets transferred to UPR Mayaguez the equipment will be acquired to proceed with the activities planned on the ISISS-PR project. Method 3: By the end of the project the ISISS-PR project, at least 90% of the participants of the research in the areas of food and agricultural sciences will be retained in the second-to-third year critical transition. In the first year of the ISISS-PR project, the recruited students (6) were retained. Additional students will be recruited after the project ISISS-PR is transferred to UPR Mayaguez. Method 4: Each PY, the enrollment of students will be monitored after their participation in the program. The enrollment of students is currently monitored after their participation in the ISISS-PR program. Objective 3. By the end of the project the ISISS-PR project, at least 3 faculty will participate in training workshops and seminars related to food and agricultural sciences. Method 5: the training workshop will be offered to capacitate to use of the specialized equipment acquired by the ISSIS-PR. After the project gets transferred to UPR Mayaguez the equipment will be acquired to proceed with the activities planned on the ISISS-PR project. Method 6: Each PY2-PY3, one seminar per year will be offered to faculty and staff of Natural Sciences about results obtained by using the equipment acquired by this proposal to create awareness about antibiotic resistance and its impact on food supply and the population's health. PD/PI, Dr. Yadira Malavez, has offered conferences about antibiotic resistance and its impact on food supply and the population's health during the spring of PY-1 in diverse university forums. The talks were entitled "Antibiotic resistance from farm to fork: recent findings and future perspectives" and "The silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance: a global concern". Also organized a One Health Event entitled: "Raising Awareness about Antimicrobial Resistance: The Silent Pandemic". The event had as speakers: Claudine Kabera, M.Ph. (Program Manager of the NARMS program, FDA), Jessica O'Neill, M.D. (Clinical Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, Division of Infectious Diseases), and Yadira Malavez, Ph.D. Additional seminars will be organized to disseminate the results of the project once the equipment is purchased.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Abstract: Jenyliz Nieves Lebron, Carlos N. Centeno Velez, Esther M. Vega Quinones, Yadira Malavez Acevedo. 6/08/23. Antibiotic Resistance in Campylobacter spp. from Puerto Ricos Retail Meat: A Bioinformatic Approach to Raise Awareness. Annual Meeting 2023 and Student Symposium. Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists, American Society for Microbiology (ASM). Pontifical Catholic University, Ponce, PR.