Mary Ann Escamilla  
Education Coordinator
maescamilla@panam.edu
mebiotech2002@yahoo.com
(956) 381-2420

Mary Ann Escamilla has been with Regional Biotech since April 2002.  Starting as a Biotechnologist, Mary Ann was responsible for laboratory set-up, teaching, and community outreach as well as co-authoring 4 of the modules for the program and developing the “Forensic Science Day”.

Presently, Mary Ann serves as the Education Coordinator arranging dates for the mobile lab serving as educator and liaison between Regional Biotech and the community.

A former Rio Grande Valley educator, with the Edinburg School District, Mary Ann taught Chemistry for two years.  Mary Ann has also taught English a private high school in El Paso, Texas and Reading to Middle School Students in the La Joya district.

Outside of the education field Mary Ann worked as a Criminalist for the Texas DPS crime lab in El Paso, where she conducted forensic case work in the areas of hair comparison, DNA analysis and serology and regularly testified to her findings.

Mary Ann has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from The University of Texas-Pan American and is presently working on a Masters Degree in English.  Mary Ann is also a published poet and short story writer and editor for an online journals.

Alice Zents  
 Administrative Assistant
 azents@panam.edu

Alice Zents is the Administrative Assistant for the Regional Biotech Program.

Sebastian Duque Jr.  
 Medical Technologist
 sdudue@panam.edu

Sebastian Duque Jr. is a graduate of UTPA in the areas of Biology and Chemistry.  Sebastian has been with Regional Biotech since August 2002 and presently serves as the Biotechnologist/Driver.

He is recently married and enjoying the buckled down life. Sebastian was a former Teacher/Coach at La Joya Jimmy Carter H.S. where he taught Biology and coached boys Soccer.

Jason Callahan  
 Laboratory Assistant

Jason recently graduated with his BS in Biology and is presently applying to the Physicians'' Assistant Program at UTPA.

Ana Cueva  
 Laboratory Assistant

A Clinical Laboratory Science major Ana is presently attending UTPA's MBA program.

George Eyambe, Ph.D.  
 Principal Investigator

The principal investigator for the Regional Biotech Program, he participates in developing the program, initiating partnerships with similar programs, and pursuing funding through the National Institutes of Health that made the program possible.

Dr. Eyambe is currently an Associate Professor in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences department at the University of Texas-Pan American. He has a B.S. in Biology from Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas and a B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He received his Ph.D. in Immunology in May, 1991, from the University of North Texas.

Since 1991, Dr. Eyambe has taught Clinical Laboratory Sciences courses at the college level. He has several years of laboratory management experience, prior to 1991. His research interests include health promotion and HIV/AIDS prevention, blood group antigens and disease association, immune response to environmental xenobiotics, effects of pesticides and environmental pollutants on the immune system, and the earthworm Lumbricus Terrestris as a model for assessing immunotoxicity of environmental xenobiotics.

In 1992, Dr. Eyambe participated in the United States Information Agency Fulbright Scholar Program, presenting lectures on modern blood banking, HIV, and transfusion practices for the Sultanate of Oman. He has written a number of grants and received awards in Research Development, Sponsored Research, Health Promotion Research, and most recently, Bioscience Education.

Karen Chandler  
 Co-PI

Karen Chandler is the Co-principal investigator for the Regional Biotech program, functioning in an advisory capacity on staff recruitment and hiring, and the development of new laboratory training modules.

Ms. Chandler is a tenured Assistant Professor and the Program Coordinator for the Clinical Laboratory Science Program. She is also currently serving as the Interim Assistant Dean for the College of Health Sciences and Human Services. Her educational background includes a B.S. degree in Biology from Purdue University and a M.A. degree in Allied Health Education from Central Michigan University. In addition, she has doctoral work in the area of Higher Education Administration from the University of Houston.

Ms. Chandler has been actively involved in teaching Clinical Laboratory Science at the college level since 1979. Previous awards include a Teaching Excellence Award from Texas Southmost College, the Texas Association for Clinical Laboratory Science Educator of the Year Award, Outstanding Faculty Awards in both Service and Teaching from the University of Texas-Pan American, and Who's Who Among American Teachers.

Professional activities include involvement in the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science at state, regional and national levels. She is currently serving as national Chair of the Biochemistry Urinalysis Ligand Scientific Assembly of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. She is a Past President of both the state and local societies.

Research interests include blood group antigens and disease association, diabetes, and neural tube defects and peripheral smear morphology.

Scott Gunn, Ph.D.  
 Co-PI

Co-principal investigator for the Regional Biotech program, functioning in an advisory capacity on staff recruitment and hiring, and the development of new laboratory training modules.

Dr. Gunn is a tenured Associate Professor at The University of Texas-Pan American. His duties with the department of biology include teaching various courses, and advising students for the health professions.

Dr. Gunn's formal academic training includes the following:
Postdoctoral Research Fellow. USDA, ARS, Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insect Research Laboratory, Kerrville, Texas. Sept. 1986 - Aug. 1989.

Doctor of Philosophy (Zoology), Texas A&M University, Department of Biology. Ph.D. Dissertation : "Chromosomal Evolution and its Systematic Implications Among Insular Populations of Peromyscus from Washington State and British Columbia, Canada." Sept., 1980 - May, 1986.

Master of Science (Wildlife Sciences), Texas A&M University, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. Master's Thesis : "Laboratory Testing of Repellents to Prevent Nutria Damage to Seismic Cable." Sept., 1978 - Aug., 1980.

Bachelor of Science (Biology), University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Department of Biology, Little Rock, Arkansas. Sept., 1972 - May, 1977.

For more information regarding Dr. Gunn and The University of Texas-Pan American Biology Department, visit their website at www.panam.edu/dept/biology/

Jim Telese, Ph.D.  
 Program Evaluator

Dr. Telese received his Ph.D., in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Mathematics Education.  He holds an Associate Professor position at the University of Texas, Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. 

From 1995-2005, he has been an evaluator of Urban Systemic Initiative, and Mathematics and Science Partnership grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to the Brownsville Independent School District.  The grants involved improving mathematics and science teaching from elementary to high school.  He has also evaluated a Geographic Information Systems training program grant from the NSF to Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas.

He is knowledgeable in assessment and evaluation methods and teaches graduate courses in educational research and mathematics education.   In a past life, Dr. Telese taught middle and high school mathematics and Earth Science.