Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla received a $250,000 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), awarded on June 10, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2027. The award funds the acquisition and implementation of a Nikon AX Galvo Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (LSCM) with a four-laser configuration (405/488/561/640 nm) to establish advanced imaging capabilities at the resource-limited institution. This state-of-the-art instrument enables high-resolution fluorescence imaging, live-cell microscopy, and quantitative analysis capabilities essential for competitive biomedical research and undergraduate education.

The LSCM directly supports four active multidisciplinary research projects spanning parasitology, plant pathology, environmental chemistry, and neuroscience, while being integrated into core laboratory courses in immunology and undergraduate research curricula. Through a collaboration with the Neuroimaging and Electrophysiology Facility (NIEF) Excellence Imaging Center, the institution will deliver specialized technical training, advanced sample preparation expertise, and sustained technical support. The overarching objective is to transform the institution from a primarily teaching-focused campus into a research-active institution capable of producing graduate-school-ready students equipped with cutting-edge technical skills and enhanced research productivity, particularly benefiting the student population of which 96% are Pell Grant recipients.