Assistant Professor
Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Email: eduardo.alvarez@uccaribe.edu
Dr. Eduardo Álvarez Rivera earned his B.S. in Microbiology from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus, and his Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC), School of Medicine. He is a full-time Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at UCC, where he leads an independent, student-centered research laboratory focused on cancer biology, immunology, and the therapeutic potential of natural compounds.
A major focus of Dr. Álvarez Rivera’s laboratory is the development of novel therapeutic approaches for glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive and treatment-resistant primary brain malignancy. His research investigates the anticancer activity of polysaccharide peptide (PSP), derived from Coriolus versicolor, and erinacines, derived from Hericium erinaceus, using highly malignant glioblastoma cell models. His laboratory evaluates the time- and dose-dependent effects of these compounds on tumor cell viability and molecular signaling pathways associated with glioma survival and proliferation. Current findings demonstrate a progressive and significant reduction in glioma viability with prolonged PSP exposure, accompanied by changes in signaling pathways associated with tumor cell survival. His laboratory is expanding this work to investigate PSP alongside established glioblastoma therapies, including temozolomide, with the long-term goal of advancing promising therapeutic strategies toward preclinical models.
Dr. Álvarez Rivera’s broader research program integrates cancer biology, molecular immunology, virology, and natural-compound therapeutics, providing trainees with experience in mammalian cell culture, cell viability assays, protein analysis, Western blotting, PCR/RT-qPCR, molecular signaling, and experimental design. His laboratory emphasizes translational research questions that connect fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms with potential therapeutic applications.
Mentorship is a central component of Dr. Álvarez Rivera’s research program. His laboratory welcomes undergraduate, medical, and graduate students and provides hands-on research training, opportunities for scientific presentations, professional development, and individualized career mentorship. He has mentored numerous students across different stages of training, with trainees contributing to scientific presentations, publications, and collaborative research projects. Students under his mentorship have subsequently entered medical, dental, and pharmacy programs, as well as graduate programs. Through his research and mentorship, Dr. Álvarez Rivera is committed to developing future biomedical scientists and health professionals while advancing innovative approaches to cancer and immunology research.