Sebastian D. Vega Hernández

Biology undergraduate aspiring to obtain a doctorate in Medicine. Driven to learn and grow professionally in a research setting to acquire valuable assets while developing a competitive and diverse profile. Detail-oriented individual with team organization and basic laboratory experience.

Honor's Program, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico

Arecibo, Puerto Rico

08/2019-Current

• Enrolled in specialized and/or advanced courses.
• Participated in diverse workshops.
• Volunteered in community projects.
• Worked on a social research project.

XEROX Legacy Research Program

Interamerican University, Puerto Rico 

08/2023-12/2023

• Worked under the mentorship of Magdiel Martínez, PhD.
• Studied Puerto Rico's Coffea arabica identifying genes related to product yield and resistance to external factors.
• Learned and worked on applied propagation via indirect somatic embryogenesis of Coffea arabica's Caturra variation.
• As a team, a research paper and group presentation was prepared.
• Participated in the XEROX Legacy Research Program's end of semester symposium.

Social Responsibility Research Course

Interamerican University, Puerto Rico 

08/2023-12/2023

• Worked under the mentorship of Pascual Ortiz, PhD.
• Studied the influence of social networks on student online shopping tendencies.
• Compared local data to that of other countries.
• As a team, a research paper and group presentation was prepared.

CLIMB UP Summer Research Program

University at Buffalo / Jacob's School of Medicine and Biosciences; New York

06/2023-07/2023

• Worked under the mentorship of Mikhail Pletnikov, MD, PhD.
• Assisted in the research of astrocyte mu-opioid receptors and their possible role mediating the adverse effects of heroin in mice.
• Learned how to prepare mouse brain tissue for analysis using immunostaining, under the mentorship of Olga Pletnikova, MD.
• Observed mouse brain extraction surgeries and their preparation for immunostaining.
• Learned how to use a wide field fluorescent microscope.
• Observed microglia and astrocyte expression using IMARIS software.
• Took weekly workshops and learned how to prepare a research presentation and poster.
• Participated in the program's symposium at the end of summer.
• Explored Buffalo and met other undergraduate students doing research in different areas.

Medlife

Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo

09/2022-12/2022

• Took workshops with diverse topics.
• Participated in a beach cleaning activity.
• Visited a children's center.
• Volunteered in a local medical brigade.

"Fundación Dr. García Rinaldi" Summer Program

Lares / Bayamón / Caguas / Mayagüez / Río Grande; Puerto Rico

05/2022-08/2022

• Took workshops with diverse medical topics.
• Organized two community projects with a team of fellow students.
• Worked as a team leader for an investigation under the mentorship of Dr. Jailenne Quiñones.
• Did clinical rotations in two hospitals.

"Asociación Tigre Honor"

Interamercan University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo

08/2019-Current

• Organized and participated in educational and recreational activities.
• Became part of the student committee for the organization.
• Held the secretary position.
• Helped organize an awareness video for autism. Worked alongside "Corazón Azul".

"Gran donación de artículos de primera necesidad para personas sin hogar"

Arecibo, Puerto Rico

12/2023

• Donated items and spoke with the people present.

“Reforestemos el Manglar frente al Cambio Climático”

Arecibo, Puerto Rico 

09/2023

• Learned about mangroves and how they grow.
• Planted mangroves in a designated location in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

"Para La Naturaleza"

Manatí, Puerto Rico 

06/2022 - 01/2023 - 10/2023

• Participated in a native tree-planting activity.
• Helped with the maintenance of a plant garden.

"Medical Brigade"

Utuado, Puerto Rico 

10/2022

• Helped organize packages with vitamins.
• Moved equipment.
• Interacted with the community present.

"Hogar Santa Teresita"

Arecibo, Puerto Rico

10/2022

• Helped organized social games for the kids residing in the center.

"Banco de Alimentos"

Carolina, Puerto Rico 

07/2022

• Helped organize food donations and weighed them.
• Separated non-expired donations from expired ones.
• Moved donations to specified locations for further management process.

"Casa Peregrino"

Aguadilla, Puerto Rico 

07/2022

• Helped organize a community project to support its cause.
• Helped with the management of food.
• Cleaned rooms.
• Helped set up new beds.
• Donated food and cleaning products.
• Helped organize outdoor tables for clothing donations.

"Acción Comunitaria Cialitos Inc."

Ciales, Puerto Rico

07/2022

• Helped create a mural.
• Helped clean the exterior of the organization's center.

"Brega Bien"

Hato Rey, Puerto Rico 

06/2022

• Cleaned the roof of the organization's center.
• Helped move trash bags and equipment to the desired location.

"Corazón Azul"

Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

12/2019

• Visited the organization's center and helped clean and prepare future classrooms.

• Participated in the XEROX Legacy Research Program's end of semester symposium.
• Participated in a undergraduate research symposium hosted by the Department of Sciences and Technology at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
• Won "Best Oral Scientific Presentation" at the "End of Summer Symposium" while participating in the CLIMB UP Summer Research Program.
• Received recognition for actively working on the "Fundación Dr. García Rinaldi" Summer Program.
• In 2021 made the Rector's Honor Roll list.