UPR Mayagüez lands $8 million NSF grant to advance AI-driven stem cell research
By THE STAR STAFF
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (RUM by its acronym in Spanish) has secured an $8 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a multidisciplinary research center that will combine artificial intelligence, cellular manufacturing and bioprocess engineering to advance stem cell research and therapeutic applications.
The initiative, known as the Collaborative E-RISE: Center for AI Driven Bioprocess Control for Cell Manufacturing (CAPCell), will bring together researchers from RUM, the University of Puerto Rico’s Río Piedras campus, Ana G. Méndez University and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust.
CAPCell aims to develop artificial intelligence-based tools that improve the manufacturing, monitoring and quality control of stem cells intended for therapeutic use. Researchers hope the technologies will help increase cell production efficiency, reduce losses during manufacturing and make cell-based treatments more broadly accessible to patients.
The project will initially run for four years, with the possibility of a three-year renewal. It will be led by Dr. Manuel Rodríguez Martínez, a professor in RUM’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering, with Dr. Maribella Domenech García, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, serving as associate director.
“This project seeks to create a center for controlling stem cell manufacturing bioprocesses and their medical applications through artificial intelligence,” Rodríguez Martínez said in written remarks. “The idea is to use AI techniques and tools to improve the manufacturing process of these cells, maximize production and ensure they can be used more accessibly for the treatment of different diseases.”
Rodríguez Martínez said one of the grant’s most significant features is its collaborative nature, bringing together expertise from chemical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, software engineering and business disciplines while strengthening ties with industry partners.
“It allows us to combine knowledge from multiple disciplines to address a complex problem,” he said. “It also creates opportunities to develop new collaborations with companies and industries interested in cell manufacturing. We want the knowledge generated here to be transferred to other institutions and to create new opportunities for economic and scientific development both in Puerto Rico and beyond.”
A key component of the CAPCell initiative will be workforce development and training for future scientists and professionals in emerging technology fields.
The proposal earmarks more than $1 million in scholarships and student support, including funding for undergraduate and graduate students, tuition assistance, research experiences, specialized seminars and summer camps for high school students. The program will also offer professional development opportunities for teachers.
In addition, the center will launch an exploratory grant program for faculty members who are not currently part of the project’s principal research team.
University officials said the initiative positions Puerto Rico to strengthen its role in advanced biomedical research while fostering collaboration among academic institutions, industry and the island’s broader innovation ecosystem.
