Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle):
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the key personnel and other significant contributors in the order listed on Form Page 2.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FOUR PAGES.
NAME
POSITION TITLE
Amalchi Castillo
eRA COMMONS USER NAME
Undergraduate research student
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
DEGREE
(if applicable)
Centro Residencial Oportunidades Educativas
CROEM
University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus
YEAR(s)
FIELD OF STUDY
2004-2006
High school
B.S
Expected
2011
Chemical Engineering
A. HONORS:
2008-2010
BioMinds (Amgen sponsored research initiative for undergraduate students majoring in
fields of natural sciences and engineering.)
2007-present
Honor’s scholarship award (tuition cost exemption)
2005-2006
High school research initiative for solar energy transportation alternatives; member of the
first high school students in the Caribbean to construct a working solar car.
B. Other Professional Activities:
Employer:
Prof. Walter J. Chazin PhD
Summer Research Minority Summer Program
Position:
Undergraduate research
Time Period:
May 2008 – August 2008
Location:
Nashville, TN (Vanderbilt University)
Description:
 Analysis of the binding activity of the 70N domain of RPA (Replication Protein A) to single stranded
DNA.
 Analysis of preferential oligo-sequence affinity of RPA to ssDNA
Employer:
PHS 398/2590 (Rev. 09/04)
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Biographical Sketch Format Page
Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle):
Prof. Belinda Pastrana, PhD -PI
Position:
Undergraduate Research
Time Period:
August 2007 - Present
Description:
Structure and dynamic characterization of human centrin and hsfi1 protein interactions using biophysical
methods.


Isolation of hsfi1 protein using affinity chromatography techniques.
Secondary structural characterization of hcentrin-hsfi1 complexes using circular dichroism.
Employer:
Harvard University
Position:
Undergraduate Research
Time Period:
June 2007 - August 2007
Location:
Cambridge, MA
Description:
Protein concentration using an Integrated Circuit/ Micro Fluidic chip, capable of manipulating microparticles
using dielectrophoresis.
Employer:
Prof. Iris Hernandez, Prof. John Gill PhD
Position:
High school research
Time Period:
2005 - 2006
Location:
CROEM high school, Mayaguez
Description:
The use of urine as a commercial fertilizer substitute and its effect on the growth of Lactuca sativa.
C. Oral Presentations

Protein concentration using a dielectrophoretic based IC/ microfluidic chip Harvard University, 2007
PHS 398/2590 (Rev. 09/04)
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Continuation Format Page