Publications —

Peer-Reviewed Papers and Extended Abstracts (submitted)

1. Torres-Vazquez-I. I. and E. Rosa-Molinar (submitted). Simple 3-D in-vitro solid tumor gliospheres will advance study of cellular interactions between CAR T-cells and solid tumor cells, in “The Use of Organoids in Cancer Biology”, Front. Oncol.
2. Torres-Vazquez, I. I. and E. Rosa-Molinar (submitted). Development and characterization of human cerebral organoids: Analysis of synapses, Bio-protocol
3. Medina-Lopez, A. M., B. R. Mosier, P. Shi, I. I. Torres-Vazquez, L. S. Simar, N. Martinez-Rivera, J. D. Miranda-Gonzalez, L. Bantis, E. Rosa-Molinar (submitted). Process validation of a multiplexed live-cell bioassay for screening traumatic spinal cord injury serum to detect early cell death, in "Programmed Cell Death and Central Nervous System (CNS) Trauma", Front. Cell Develop. Biol.
4. Medina-Lopez, A. M., B. R. Mosier, P. Shi, I. I. Torres-Vazquez, L. S. Simar, N. Martinez-Rivera, J. D. Miranda-Gonzalez, L. Bantis, E. Rosa-Molinar (submitted).  Process development of a multiplexed live-cell bioassay for screening traumatic spinal cord injury serum to detect early cell death, Bio-protocol
5. Martínez-Rivera, N., J. L. Serrano-Vélez, I. I. Torres-Vázquez, R. B. Langerhans, and E. Rosa-Molinar (submitted). Are superficial neuromasts proprioceptors underlying fast copulatory behavior, in “The Neural Circuitry of Mating Behaviors”, Front. Neural Circuit

Peer-Reviewed Book (commissioned; to be published in 2023)

1. Torres‐Vazquez, I. I., Medina-Lopez, A. M., Martinez-Rivera, N., and Rosa‐Molinar, E. (in press). Serial section scanning transmission electron microscopy-in-scanning electron microscope, a new correlative microscopy technique; in: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology: Microscopy Techniques – A Primer; Springer Nature Publisher (Eduardo Rosa-Molinar [editor]; Publishing Agreement Contract Number: 136079).
2. Rosa‐Molinar, E., Torres-Vazquez, I. I. and Martinez-Rivera, N. (in press). What is cleared and stained? …”[A] rose by any other name” or … “a rose is a rose is a rose.”; in: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology: Microscopy Techniques – A Primer; Springer Nature Publisher (Eduardo Rosa-Molinar [editor]; Publishing Agreement Contract Number: 136079).
3. Medina-Lopez, A. M., Torres-Vazquez, I. I., Martinez-Rivera, N., and Rosa-Molinar, E. (in press), Assisted microwave immunocytochemistry, a time-efficient alternative to traditional immunocytochemistry; in: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology: Microscopy Techniques – A Primer; Springer Nature Publisher (Eduardo Rosa-Molinar [editor]; Publishing Agreement Contract Number: 136079).
4. Serrano‐Velez, J. L., Rodriguez‐Alvarado, M., Martínez‐Rivera, N., Torres‐Vazquez, I. I., and Rosa‐Molinar, E. (in press). Dissection and analytics of a neural circuit: From neurons‐to‐dendrites‐ to‐ connexin 35‐containing gap junction puncta‐to-connectivity; in: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology: Microscopy Techniques – A Primer; Springer Nature Publisher (Eduardo Rosa-Molinar [editor]; Publishing Agreement Contract Number: 136079).

Abstracts

1. Irma I. Torres-Vázquez (2019). Loss of Diversity in Electrical Synapse’s Connexins. 3rd KU Annual Neuroscience Graduate Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas. (Data-blitz/ May 20, 2019).
2. Irma I. Torres-Vázquez, Aidyn M. Medina López, Noraida Martinez-Rivera, John O’Brien, and Eduardo Rosa-Molinar (2019).  Loss of Diversity in Electrical Synapse’s Connexins. KU Annual Neuroscience Graduate Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas. (Poster/ May 20, 2019).
3. A.M. Medina‐Lopez, I.I. Torres‐Vazquez, H. Shinogle‐Decker, N. Martinez‐ Rivera, E. Rosa‐Molinar (2018).  Molecular dynamics of spinal cord injury: Identification of potential biomarkers using a three-dimensional (3-D) model.  American Society of Cell Biology and European Molecular Biology Organization 2018 Meeting, San Diego, CA [B481/P2302] (poster/ December 10, 2018).
4. I. Torres-Vazquez, L. Saavedra, J. Davila, E. Rosa-Molinar (2018).  A three-dimensional tissue model to study the synapses.  American Society of Cell Biology and European Molecular Biology Organization 2018 Meeting, San Diego, CA [B484/P1473] (poster/ December 09, 2018).
5. G. E. Sanchez-Irizarry, A. H. Martins, N. Sabeva, N. Martinez-Rivera, I. I. Torres-Vazquez, P. A. Ferchmin, V. A. Eterovica, Y. Ferrer-Acosta, E. Rosa-Molinar (2018).  A novel method for the quantitative analysis of ultrastructure in astrocyte monolayers after an ischemic stroke-like insult. Society for Neuroscience Meeting 2018, San Diego, CA [430.06 / LLL27] (poster).
6. Torres-Vázquez I.I., Saavedra L., Dávila J., and Rosa-Molinar E. (2018). A three-dimensional 3D tissue model of spinal cord circuit. Society for Neuroscience, Kansas City Chapter 2018 Annual Symposium, Kansas City, Kansas (poster).
7. A.M. Medina-Lopez, I. I. Torres-Vazquez, H. Shinogle-Decker, T. Neeland, N. Martinez-Rivera, and E. Rosa-Molinar (2017). Preliminary characterization of mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns using a three-dimensional microfluidic ex vivo model of the blood-brain barrier/neurovascular unit. American Society of Cell Biology and European Molecular Biology Organization 2017 Meeting, Pennsylvania, PA [B505/P2357] (poster).
8. E. Rosa-Molinar, I.I. Torres-Vázquez, N. Martínez-Rivera, C. M. Santiago- Robles, H. Shinogle-Decker, P. S. Tapa-Chetri, J. P. Kilcrease, V. Joshi, and R. D. Powell (2017). Higher resolution and precision correlative and integrated volume electron microscopy: Solving sample surface charging and electron beam damage. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting 2017, Washington, D.C. [624.14 / VV90] (poster).
9. Torres-Vázquez I.I., Martínez-Rivera N., Miller M. E., and Rosa-Molinar E. (2017). The synapses between Renshaw cells: Rethinking inhibitory circuit of the spinal cord. 2017 Neuroscience Graduate Program Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas (poster).
10. P. S. Thapa-Chetri, C. M. Santiago-Robles, N. Martinez-Rivera, I. I. Torres-Vazquez, V. N. Joshi, R. D. Powell, and E. Rosa-Molinar (2017). Development and Characterization of Nanoparticles as Imaging Probes for Correlative Optical and Electron Microscopy. 17th IEEE International Conference on Nanotechnology, Pittsburgh, PA [Paper WePPP.2] (poster).
11. E. Rosa-Molinar, C. Santiago- Robles, J.L. Serrano-Velez, M. Rodriguez- Alvarado, N. Martinez-Rivera, I. I. Torres-Vázquez, V. Joshi, and Powell R. D (2016). Dendritic arbors of gap-junction-coupled spinal neurons. Society for Neuroscience 2016 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. [186.07/KKK70] (poster).

Presentations —

3rd KU Annual Neuroscience Graduate Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas. May 20, 2019. Loss of Diversity in Electrical Synapse’s Connexins. (Data-blitz). 

Irma I. Torres-Vázquez, Aidyn M. Medina López, Noraida Martinez-Rivera, John O’Brien, and Eduardo Rosa-Molinar (2019).  Loss of Diversity in Electrical Synapse’s Connexins. KU Annual Neuroscience Graduate Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas. May 20, 2019. (Poster). 

Graduate Neuroscience Seminar, November 12, 2019. Electrical Synapse: Niche Diversity. 

Graduate Neuroscience Seminar, September 22, 2020. From Neuronal Stem Cell Niches Toward Clarity.

Torres-Vázquez I.I., Saavedra L., Dávila J., and Rosa-Molinar E. A three-dimensional 3D tissue model of spinal cord circuit. Society for Neuroscience, Kansas City Chapter Annual Symposium, Kansas City, Kansas, 2018. (poster)

Rosa-Molinar E., Torres-Vázquez I.I., Martínez-Rivera N., Santiago- Robles C., Shinogle-Decker H., Tapa-Chetri, P., Kilcrease J. P., Joshi V., and Powell R. D. Higher resolution and precision correlative and integrated volume electron microscopy: solving sample surface charging and electron beam damage. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC 2017. (poster) 

Torres-Vázquez I.I., Martínez-Rivera N., Miller M. E., and Rosa-Molinar E. The synapses between Renshaw cells: Rethinking inhibitory circuit of the spinal cord. Neuroscience Graduate Program Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas 2017. (poster)

Rosa-Molinar E., Santiago- Robles C., Serrano-Velez J.L., Rodriguez- Alvarado M., Martinez-Rivera N., Torres-Vázquez I. I., Joshi V., and Powell R. D. Dendritic arbors of gap-junction-coupled spinal neurons. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA 2016. (poster)

Santiago- Robles C., Habiba K., Torres-Vázquez I. I., Martínez-Rivera N., Serrano- Vélez J., Makarov V. I., Morell G., Weiner B. R., Powell R. D., Joshi V., Thapa P. S., and Rosa-Molinar E. Silver-graphene dots as nanoscale imaging probes for correlative optical and electron microscopy. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL 2015. (poster)

Torres-Vázquez I. I., Torrench-Santos C., Serrano-Vélez J. Rein K., and Rosa-Molinar E. In vivo demonstration of okadaic acid internalization in glutamatergic spinal motor neurons. Experimental Biology, San Diego, CA 2014. (poster)

Negrón-Morales C., Torres-Vázquez I. I., Serrano-Vélez J. L., Powell R. D., and Rosa-Molinar E. New en bloc staining technique improves tissue contrast and electrical conductivity. Experimental Biology 2014, San Diego, CA 2014. (poster)

Torres-Vázquez I. I., Serrano-Vélez J. L., Fraser S., and Rosa-Molinar E. Delineating a neural circuit: Characterization of an inhibitory spinal interneuron of the rapid copulatory circuit (RCC). 8th Conference of the Specialized Neuroscience Research Program, San Juan, P.R. 2010. (poster)

Martínez- Rivera N., Torres-Vázquez I. I., and Rosa-Molinar E. Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone 1 (GnRH-I) neurons within the ventral spinal cord of a male internal fertilizing teleost fish, Gambusia. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. 2010. (poster)

Torres-Vázquez I. I., Martínez-Rivera N., Serrano- Vélez J. L., and Rosa-Molinar E. Characterization of inhibitory spinal interneurons of a fast spinal neural circuit. 61st Annual Meeting of the Histochemical Society, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA. 2010. (poster)

Torres-Vázquez I., Serrano-Vélez J. L., and Rosa-Molinar E. A retrograde labeling, Immunohistochemical, and laser scanning confocal microscopy study of inhibitory spinal interneurons in adult Gambusia. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. 2009. (poster)

Torres-Vázquez I., Serrano-Vélez J. L., and Rosa-Molinar E.  A retrograde labeling, Immunohistochemical, and laser scanning confocal microscopy study of inhibitory spinal interneurons in adult Gambusia. 17th Annual Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference, San Juan, P.R. 2008. (poster)

Torres-Vázquez I., Serrano-Vélez José L., Rivera-Rivera Nydia L., and Rosa-Molinar Eduardo. Gap junctions among dendrites of motor neurons and Parvalbumin-containing GABAergic interneurons establish a dense and far-ranging network in the ventral spinal cord. 16th  Annual Puerto Rico Neuroscience Conference, San Juan, P.R. 2007. (poster)

Torres-Vázquez I., Serrano-Vélez José L. and Rosa-Molinar Eduardo. Gap junctions among dendrites of motor neurons and Parvalbumin-containing GABAergic interneurons establish a dense and far-ranging network in the ventral spinal cord. National Society for Histotechnology 33rd Annual Symposium/Convention, Denver, CO. 2007. (poster)

Awards and Honors —

• STEMCELL’s  Human Pluripotent Stem Cell (hPSC) Culture Training Award. Virtual, 2022