Biochemistry & Analytical Biochemistry

Rafael Alvarez Gonzalez

Rafael Alvarez Gonzalez

Biography

As a result of success in mentoring and good people interactions, my research program was started in 1989 when I was given the role of a scientific leader at the University of North Texas Health Science at Fort Worth in 1989. During my time there (1989-2011), I was privileged to teach Medical Students and train Research Assistants, Physicians, Post-doctoral fellows, Masters and Doctoral mentees, as well as summer undergraduate interns and regional high school students of all diverse ethnic and gender backgrounds. Again, while the development of more innovative methods expanded and the number of publications first-authored by my pupils steadily grew at an average of two/year, the most rewarding experience was the daily interactions with a research team of between 4 and 12 members. Obviously, the success in the research-training of younger scientists and the stable productivity of scientific reports was facilitated by securing financial approval for more than 15 research grant proposals from agencies like: 1) the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH; 2) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: 3) The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation; 4) The Petroleum Research Fund; and 5) private and scientific societies including the American Chemical Society, ASBMB and the American Society for Cell Biology, amongst others, from a total of ~60 grant proposals (~ 3/year) submitted for funding consideration. Our rate of success with:1) extramural research funding over the years (~25%); 2) the 100% job- placement of laboratory alumni; and 3) the quality of the Journals publishing our scientific data strongly emphasize my ability to write accurate progress reports succinctly and persuasively. Due to my oral and written communication skills, I have been invited to deliver more than 20 International Research Seminars and more than 50 National and International Scientific Meetings.

Research Interest

Enzyme Mechanisms; Carcinogenesis; DNA Damage and Repair; Epigenetics; DNA Metabolism; Pharmacology of DNA:Protein Interactions; Metabolic Diseases; Vitamin Metabolism; NAD Metabolism; ADP-ribosylation Reactions; Chronic Diseases; Cancer.