Profe Ana
Ana Maria Porras, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of Florida
Department of Biomedical Engineering
aporras@bme.ufl.edu
Pub Med | Google Scholar | CV | LinkedIn
La Profe Ana Maria Porras is a biomedical engineer, researcher, educator, communicator, and science artist. She leads the Tissue-Microbe Interactions lab at the University of Florida. Her group engineers models of disease to study human-microbe interactions mediated by the extracellular matrix. The TMI lab explores these interactions in the contexts of the gut microbiome, neglected tropical diseases, and cardiovascular health.
La Profe Porras is the co-founder and senior advisor of LatinXinBME, a community that now supports over 600 Latine biomedical engineers. She also develops multilingual and artistic strategies to engage communities locally and globally. She was selected as an IF/THEN AAAS Ambassador for girls and women in STEM and was honored with a statue at the Smithsonian Institution within that program.
She is the recipient of the NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, the AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science, the Emerging Leaders Award from the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and the Rising Star Award from the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida. Prior to arriving in Florida, Prof. Porras was a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University.
She holds a B.S. in biomedical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she was also an American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow. She is always open to new ideas and ready to collaborate for a more global, community-minded world!
Positions and Education
2017 - 2021
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell University
Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Advisor: Prof. Ilana Brito
2017
Postdoctoral Associate, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advisor: Prof. Kristyn Masters
2016
Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Thesis Title: “Development of Improved Models to Understand the Sequence of Events in Early Calcific Aortic Valve Disease”. Advisor: Prof. Kristyn Masters
Delta Certificate in Research, Teaching and Learning
2013
M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2011
B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with High Honors, University of Texas at Austin
Minor in German
Honors and Awards
2026 - 2029
Pruitt Family Endowed Faculty Fellowship, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida
2026 - 2028
Emerging Leaders Award, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
2026
Rising Star Award, Cellular & Molecular Bioengineering SIG, Biomedical Engineering Society
2025
Rising Star Award, Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida
Junior Faculty International Educator of the Year Award, University of Florida
Faculty Research Excellence Award, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida
Excellence Award for Assistant Professors, University of Florida
Rising Star Award, Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Florida
2024 - 2029
Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA), National Institutes of Health - NIGMS
Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, National Science Foundation
2024
Social Impact Award, Biomedical Engineering Society (on behalf of LatinXinBME)
AAAS Early Career Public Engagement with Science Award
Community Impact Award, Society for Biomaterials (on behalf of LatinXinBME)
2023
Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida
2022
Global Fellow, University of Florida International Center
2019 - 2021
Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell University
IF/THEN Ambassador*, American Association for the Advancement of Science
*Part of the #IfThenSheCan Exhibit, including 120 statues of women in STEM at the Smithsonian
2019
Building Future Faculty Scholar, North Carolina State University
2018
Postdoc Award for Excellence in Community Engagement, Cornell University
2015 - 2016
Predoctoral Fellowship, American Heart Association
2016
International Student Leadership Award, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2011
Patricia Heard Outstanding Student Educator Award, University of Texas at Austin
2010
Unrestricted Endowed Presidential Scholarship, University of Texas at Austin
2008
Braden Communication Scholarship, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Scientific:
Global health
Cardiovascular disease
Gastrointestinal health
Infectious disease
Microbiomes
Host-Microbe Interactions
Tissue engineering
Biomaterials
Extracellular Matrix
Public engagement with STEM
Multilingualism
SciArt
SciComm
Recreational:
Crafting
Reading
Traveling
Dancing
Swimming
Beach volleyball
Movies and tv
& Ice Cream!
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2022 Instructor: BME 6938 – Global Health in BME, University of Florida
2021 Co-Instructor: BME 3060 - Biomedical Engineering Fundamentals, University of Florida
2019 Co-Instructor: Science Reporters, Clubes de Ciencia-Colombia
Taught a 1-week summer camp for children ages 14-17 on science communication with an emphasis on the use of storytelling and art.
Co-instructor: Prof. Germán Zafra.
2018 Instructor: Summer Undergraduate Microbiome Reading Group, Cornell University
2016 Co-Facilitator: Research Mentor Training, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2013-2014 Teaching-As-Research Intern: Physics Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2014 Teaching Assistant: BME 510 – Introduction to Tissue Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2013, 2015 Teaching Assistant: BME 545 – Engineering the Extracellular Matrix, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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2021-2024 University Multicultural Mentoring Program, UF
2020-2024 Preparing Future Faculty Program, UF
2019-2024 Mentor Judge, SACNAS Annual Conference
2019-2021 Mentor, Biomedical Engineering Women’s Group Mentorship Program, Cornell University
2019-2021 Advisor, Graduate and Professional’s Women Network, Cornell University
2018-2020 Ek’papalek
2018-2019 Mentor, Postdocs and Graduate Students Mentoring Undergraduates, Cornell University
2018 Mentor, Cornell-University of Puerto Rico Interuniversity Relief Program, Cornell University
2014-2017 Graduate Student Representative, Delta Program’s Steering Committee, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2015-2017 President, Colombian Badgers, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2014-2015 President, Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Association, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Research Seminars
2024 Gordon Research Conference on Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices
2024 Bioengineering Seminar Series by student invitation, UC Berkeley/UCSF Bioengineering
2023 “Meet the Scientist – 2023” seminar series, American Society of Microbiology (Colombian Chapter) and Agrosavia
2023 Basic Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Training Program, University of Florida
2022 Dept. of Bioengineering Seminar Series by student invitation, MIT
2022 Cancer Microbiome Working Group, University of Florida
2022 Featured Speaker, National Diversity in STEM Conference, SACNAS
2022 Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine
2021 Keynote at the Caribbean Microbial Meeting
2021 City College of New York Biology Colloquium
2021 Guatemalan National Academy of Medical, Physical, and Natural Sciences
2021 Biomedical Engineering Seminar, Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar
2021 Interdisciplinary Life Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin
Workshops & Panels
2024 AAC&U Conference on Global Learning.
2024 7th TERMIS World Congress
2024 Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin
2024 AAAS Annual Meeting
2024 UF Center for Teaching Excellence & International
2024 NextGen Faculty Program at Cornell University
2023 Hispanic Heritage Month Panel
2023 Inclusive SciComm Symposium
2023 LatinXinBME Symposium
2023 BME UNITE
2023 Society for Biomaterials 2023 Annual Meeting
2023 Interdisciplinary Microsystems Group
2023 Helicopter Science Series – UF International Center
2023 Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
2022 Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers
2022 Science Talk ’22 - “Communicating Science in Español: Reaching a Global Latinx Spanish Audience”
2022 Twitter Space with Caminos En Ciencia - Panel on Impostor Syndrome
2022 5th Annual UF Graduate Research Symposium - “Innovation and the Job Market”
2022 SACNAS – National Diversity in STEM Conference - “Advice from Early Career Faculty of Color” Panel
2021 AAAS 2021 Annual Meeting - “Building your Professional Networks as a Woman of Color in STEM
2021 SB3 Conference - Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Panel”
2021 ComSciCon Español - “¿Por qué hacer divulgación científica plurilingüe?”
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Experience
2023-present Advisory Board Member, The Story Collider
2018-present Science Communicator, @anamaporras and @anaerobias on social media
2019-2021 Ambassador, American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Program
2020-2021 Director of Communications, Clubes de Ciencia Colombia
2020 Host, Ruta de la Ciencia, Colombian Ministry of Science and Technology
Talks, Events, and Exhibits to Engage the Public
2024 Unidos Now - “The Engineering Design Process”
2024 Ciencia Puerto Rico
2024 Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
2024 Scientist in Every Florida School Program
2023 Unidos Now - “Making Tissues – Creando Tejidos”
2023 IF/THEN STEAM Fair
2023 CATALySES Program Workshop Leader and Facilitator
2023 Unidos Now - “Becoming Tissue Engineers”
2022 Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
2022 Colombian Embassy to the United States
2022 #IfThenSheCan Statue Exhibit at the Smithsonian
2022 Compartir de Saberes, BiblioRed Red Digital de Bibliotecas Públicas de Bogotá
2021 Biotechnology Department, Universidad Católica de Bolivia
2021 International Women’s Day Celebration, Universidad Industrial de Santander – Málaga
2021 Universidad Industrial de Santander. “¿Cómo actúan las vacunas contra el COVID-19?”
2021 Colombian Association of Engineering Colleges
2020 Ciencia al Páramo, Universidad Industrial de Santander
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Leadership Positions
2023 Co-organizer, 2nd Latinx in BME Symposium
2023 Conference Track Chair, “Technologies for Emerging Infectious Diseases”, Biomedical Engineering Society
2022-present Chair, Seminar Committee, UF BME
2022-present Advisory Board Member, Latinx in BME
2022-present Editorial Advisory Board Member, GEN Biotechnology
2019-present Founding co-President, Latinx in BME
2021 Co-organizer, 1st Virtual Latinx in BME Symposium
2021 Organizing Committee, InclusiveSciComm Symposium
2018 Chair, GRS: Signal Transduction by Engineered Extracellular Matrices
2018 Co-Organizer, Our Microbes, Our Global Health Workshop and Symposium
Committee Service
2022-present Education & Professional Development Committee, Society for Biomaterials
2022-present Membership Committee, SACNAS
2020-present Diversity Committee, Biomedical Engineering Society
2022 Conference Program Committee, Society for Biomaterials
2020-2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Society for Biomaterials
2020-2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, SACNAS
2020-2021 DEI Committee Representative, Conference Program Committee, Society for Biomaterials
Journal Reviewer
ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
Acta Biomaterialia
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology
Cardiovascular Engineering & Technology
Circulation
Frontiers in Communication
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
GEN Biotechnology
Journal of Chemical Education
Journal of the American Heart Association
Nature Communications
npj Biofilms and Microbiomes
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2022 Career MODE Program, Columbia University
2022 First Year Faculty Teaching Academy, UF Center for Teaching Excellence
2022 Faculty Success Program, National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development
2022 Global Fellows Program, UF International Center
2019 NextGen Professor, Cornell University
2015 Delta Certificate in Teaching and Learning, UW-Madison
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since 2023 Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
since 2022 Society for Biological Engineering
since 2020 American Society for Microbiology
since 2019 American Association for the Advancement of Science
since 2017 Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
since 2016 Society for Biomaterials
since 2016 Biomedical Engineering Society
since 2011 American Heart Association
since 2009 Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society