Dr. Betancourt obtained her Ph.D. from Georgetown University in 1992. Her research training began as a post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Stuart Yuspa (NIH, NCI) a pioneer in the development of murine models of multistep carcinogenesis. This experience led to a post-doctoral position in the Tulane Cancer Center to study the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), low oxygen (hypoxia) and environmental stress factors (alarmins) in cancer. Her current research efforts have led to several signifi cant observations: “Alarmins” secreted from tumors recruit bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells MSCs; Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on MSCs drive this recruitment; Elevated secretion of the alarmin, LL-37 from ovarian tumors recruits MSCs to support the growth and spread of the tumor; and She recently published paradigm-shifting evidence that MSCs undergo polarization into both the accepted anti-infl ammatory MSC2 phenotype and a newly described pro-infl ammatory MSC1 phenotype. Based on this newly described MSC paradigm into both MSC1 pro-infl ammatory and MSC2 anti-infl ammatory phenotype, she has fi led an invention disclosure (US 61/391,749) and is in the process of fi ling various patent applications to protect the methodology involved and the potential for targeted stem cellbased therapies using these phenotypes in partnership with Wibi+Works, LLC. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Stem Cell and Therapy and the World Journal of Stem Cells. Dr. Betancourt obtained her Ph.D. from Georgetown University in 1992. Her research training began as a post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Stuart Yuspa (NIH, NCI) a pioneer in the development of murine models of multistep carcinogenesis. This experience led to a post-doctoral position in the Tulane Cancer Center to study the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), low oxygen (hypoxia) and environmental stress factors (alarmins) in cancer. Her current research efforts have led to several signifi cant observations: “Alarmins” secreted from tumors recruit bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells MSCs; Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on MSCs drive this recruitment; Elevated secretion of the alarmin, LL-37 from ovarian tumors recruits MSCs to support the growth and spread of the tumor; and She recently published paradigm-shifting evidence that MSCs undergo polarization into both the accepted anti-infl ammatory MSC2 phenotype and a newly described pro-infl ammatory MSC1 phenotype. Based on this newly described MSC paradigm into both MSC1 pro-infl ammatory and MSC2 anti-infl ammatory phenotype, she has fi led an invention disclosure (US 61/391,749) and is in the process of fi ling various patent applications to protect the methodology involved and the potential for targeted stem cellbased therapies using these phenotypes in partnership with Wibi+Works, LLC. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Stem Cell and Therapy and the World Journal of Stem Cells.

Genetics and Molecular Biology