María Del Mar Figueroa-Gispert, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow at Ponce Health Sciences University. She earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus (UPR-MSC) and her bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Management from the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao.

Her doctoral research, conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Ana M. Espino and co-mentorship of Dr. Filipa Godoy Vitorino, investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of Fasciola hepatica-derived proteins in ulcerative colitis and their effects on the gut microbiome. Her current postdoctoral research, under the mentorship of Dr. Marcos J. Ramos-Benítez, focuses on neutrophil biology and the immunomodulatory effects of the F. hepatica protein Fh15, with particular emphasis on neutrophil activation, extracellular trap formation, phagocytosis, and extracellular vesicle production during inflammation. Her work has resulted in peer-reviewed scientific publications and presentations at national and international scientific conferences.

Beyond research, María del Mar is actively involved in teaching, mentorship, scientific leadership, and science communication. She teaches microbiology and related biomedical sciences and has mentored students at different stages of their scientific training. She was an ASM Future Leaders Mentorship Fellow and has held leadership roles within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists (PRSM), and other scientific and community organizations. She is also actively engaged in STEM outreach initiatives aimed at making microbiology accessible to students and the broader Puerto Rican community.

Her long-term goal is to establish an independent academic research career integrating innate immunity, microbiology, mentorship, and education. Through her research and service, she seeks to advance the understanding of immune regulation while creating opportunities for the next generation of scientists and strengthening the representation of Puerto Rican and early-career researchers in the scientific community.

Email: maria.figueroa14@upr.edu