Fulbright Lecture with Coray Colina – Research/Teaching in Mexico as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar

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Professor Colina’s Fulbright appointment at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) allowed her to perform research on the crucial area of opioids, and to develop pedagogical materials for use at UNAM and at UF to effectively prepare the next generation of students to work on this and similar medical related projects.

Colina’s research in Mexico combined state-of-the-art computational materials chemistry and quantitative structure– activity relationship methods with the goal of enabling the next generation of opioid receptor modulators for delivery in the body via the gastrointestinal tract. These modulators influence two main aspects of public health — the treatment of severe pain and the alteration of mood and emotions. The abuse of these compounds have become a severe public health problem with massive societal, economic, and political implications.

Professor Colina also lectured on the fields of computational chemistry and biomaterials, with a particular emphasis on the applications of bioconjugates in hybrid materials.