Associate Professor
University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
Dr. Darlene Santiago is an Associate Professor and translational researcher at the University of Puerto Rico School of Pharmacy. Her unique and novel strategy to address the opioid epidemic in Puerto Rico from a pharmacological approach involves the understanding of the intrinsic pharmacokinetic variability in exposure, and pharmacotherapy outcomes in relation to OUD treatment effectiveness amongst Puerto Ricans. By conducting pharmacokinetic modeling strategies, Dr. Santiago has proposed buprenorphine updated and evidence-based dosing schemes for Hispanic Puerto Ricans with OUD. Dr. Santiago’s research on Puerto Ricans substance use and buprenorphine involves the complete lifespan of individuals, from infancy (neonate) to older adults, and how substance use practices can impact it’s resulting clinical manifestations and pharmacotherapy needs.
