Additional Board Member
Idhaliz Flores
PhD
Social Media Oversight in support of Mathew Leonardi
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Department of Basic Sciences, Department of ObGyn, Ponce Health Sciences University, Chair, Division of Women’s Health, Ponce Research Institute
Idhaliz Flores, PhD, is molecular biologist with 20 years of experience in research on Women’s health, endometriosis, pelvic pain and infertility. Dr. Flores is Professor of Basic Sciences and Ob-Gyn at Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) in Puerto Rico and Director of the Endometriosis Research Program at the Ponce Research Institute.
Her research focus includes discovery of molecular biomarkers, genetics/epigenetics, immune mechanisms, psychosocial impact, health disparities, stress and stigma associated with endometriosis.
Accomplishments of her research program including documenting epidemiological patterns, identification of potential immune diagnostic/therapeutic markers, discovery of genetic and epigenetic drugable targets, investigating central mechanisms of pain in the rat model and the HPA axis in patients, and pioneering studies of the effects of stress on disease progression, pain mechanisms, and inflammatory correlates.
Dr. Flores has received multiple NIH grants, has published over 60 scientific papers, and has mentored dozens of students in the biomedical sciences.
Dr. Flores is member of the Board of Directors of ENDOPR (Fundación Puertorriqueña de Pacientes con Endometriosis), a member of UNIENDO (an alliance of endometriosis patient associations in Latin America/Spain), Board Member of the World Endometriosis Society (WES), Co-founder and Chair of the Scientific Board of Sur 180 Therapeutics, and Chief Scientific Officer for Nura Health, a start-up company that develops non-invasive diagnostics for endometriosis.
Email: iflores@psm.edu