INDICASAT AIP and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Panama Join Forces
The director of INDICASAT (Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología) is Dr. Timothy Thomson pictured above and below.
Research Lines or Specializations:
Dr. Timothy M. Thomson is a researcher specializing in molecular medicine, with a particular focus on tumor immunology, molecular and cellular oncology, cell signaling regulation, and drug development. His main lines of research include:
- Cancer: molecular and immunological mechanisms of cancer.
- Metastasis and regulation of cell signaling .
- Transcriptomics and tumor metabolism .
- Drug development and modulation of the tumor microenvironment .
- Infectious diseases and immune response .
- COVID-19 and therapeutic strategies for its treatment .
What Does INDICASAT Do?
INDICASAT is a Panamanian scientific research and high-technology institute created by the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT). Its primary focuses are:
- Scientific Research: Conducting basic and applied research in biomedicine, biotechnology, neuroscience, and natural products chemistry.
- Education: Serving as a center for training highly qualified personnel and physician-scientists, including collaborating on doctoral programs in biomedical and clinical research.
- Technology Transfer: Bridging academia, public institutions, and private industry to boost national development and innovate within the health and agricultural sectors.
Why is Panamanian Biodiversity So Different?
Panama is considered a global biodiversity hotspot because of its unique geographic position and geological history:
- The Great American Biotic Exchange: Formed around three million years ago, the Isthmus of Panama acts as a literal land bridge connecting North and South America. This allowed species from both continents to migrate, mix, and evolve.
- Ocean Separation: The closing of the isthmus split the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, creating two distinct marine environments with wildly different conditions.
- Diverse Microclimates: Despite being a small country, Panama has massive variations in altitude, soil types, and moisture—ranging from cloud forests at 11,000 feet to dry deserts and tropical rainforests.
Doctoral Program in Biomedical and Clinical Research
The Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services (INDICASAT AIP) and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Panama join forces to develop the first Doctorate program in Biomedical and Clinical Research in Panama and Central America, in order to integrate education medical and scientific towards that of the physician-scientist. In 2014, the Health Sciences Council of the University of Panama approved the creation and opening of the Doctoral Program in Biomedical and Clinical Research at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Panama.
The doctoral program is academic, face-to-face, full-time and will last for three years (8 semesters) with a total of 88 credits.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The doctoral program seeks to train medical researchers who use the scientific method in their academic work and / or their clinical practice, responding to the need that society has at the national level and in Latin America of doctors with scientific training who carry out research and contribute to the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention of diseases.
ENTRY REQUIREMENT
Aspiring students to enter the Doctoral Program in Biomedical and Clinical Research must
- Be doctors.
- Present authenticated photocopy of titles and credits.
- Have an index of not less than 1.5 in the bachelor’s degree
- Present the certificate that they have completed the equivalence of the internship to the Specialization in Clinical Medicine at the University of Panama.
- Submit an essay in English about your interest in doing a doctoral study in Research and your motivation to do science. Indicate possible research topics that you would consider important to work on and the possibility of entering an active research program.
- Have basic computer skills.
- Ability to have full dedication to experimental work, as well as not have impediments to carry out an internship abroad.
- Present TOEFL results with a minimum score of 550 points. (If you do not have the TOEFL, you can do it in national agencies such as Edutech tel. 209-6975).
Students will be selected through an evaluation process that includes a written exam and an interview in English by the Academic Committee in September 2017.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
As of the fourth semester, the PhD candidate will have the opportunity to carry out an international internship where he will take part or complete his research project. The duration of the internship can be up to two years with prior authorization from the Academic Committee.
The applicant to carry out the doctorate can opt for a SENACYT-IFARHU scholarship that will cover his maintenance in Panama and during his internship abroad, roundtrip passage to the place of the research internship, tuition at the University of Panama and expenses of investigation. To apply for the scholarship, the candidate must be of Panamanian nationality and meet all the requirements of the program.
For more information on the scholarships available for this program, pay attention to the SENACYT website.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, CONTACT:
Ricardo Lleonart, PhD
Marisín Pecchio G., PhD
Estela Ivonne Guerrero De Leon
