2020 UC MEXUS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Awards

The 2020 UC MEXUS-CONACYT Postdoctoral Fellowship program brought 17 recent Ph.D. recipients from Mexico to work with UC faculty and researchers. Names of postdoctoral fellows, home Mexican institutional affiliations, and host UC faculty and departments are listed below.

2018
2019

Emmanuel Ávila de Dios, Ingeniería Genética, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato

Analysis of Somatic Mutations in Lemons and Limes: The First Step towards Developing of a Genome Toolkit to Protect Mexican and California Lemons and Limes/Análisis de Mutaciones Somáticas en Limones y Limas: El Primer Paso hacia el Desarrollo de una Herramienta Genómica para Proteger las Limas y Limones de México y California.

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Aarón Barajas Aguilar, Materiales, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados, Querétaro

Charge Pumping in Sliding Two-dimensional Moiré Superlattices /Bombeo de Carga en Superredes de Muaré Deslizantes.
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Irving Caballero Quintana, Fotónica, Grupo de Propiedades Ópticas de la Materia, Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica A.C.

Atomic-scale Insights into Morphological, Optical and Electronic Characteristics in Organic Photovoltaics Cells/Información a Escala Atómica sobre las Características Morfológicas, Ópticas y Electrónicas en Celdas Fotovoltaicas Orgánicas.

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Grisel Cruz Becerra, Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Functions of the Nucleosome-Binding HMGN and Dsup Proteins in Oxidative DNA-Damage Protection and Chromatin Dynamics/Funciones de las Proteínas de Unión al Nucleosoma HMGN y Dsup en la Protección del DNA Contra Daño Oxidativo y la Dinámica de la Cromatina.

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Dagoberto Cruz-Sandoval, Ciencias de la Computación, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

Real-time Adaptive Social Robots for Highly Personalized Interactions for Neurorehabilitation and Cognitive Stimulation Interventions/Robots Sociales Adaptables en Tiempo Real para Interacciones Altamente Personalizadas para Intervenciones de Neurorehabilitación y Estimulación Cognitiva.

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Miguel Ángel González Mandujano, Óptica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

Optical Forces on High Index Dielectric Nanoparticles/Fuerzas Ópticas en Nanopartículas Dieléctricas de Alto Índice de Refracción.

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Yocelyn Teresa Gutiérrez-Guerrero, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Gene Regulation and Environmental Adaptation in Low and High Latitude Populations of House Mice Across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres/Regulación Genética y Adaptación al Ambiente en Poblaciones de Ratones Domésticos en Bajas y Altas Latitudes en los Hemisferios Norte y Sur.

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Fernanda Herrera, Economía, El Colegio de México

Geospatial Analytical Modeling for Sustainable Land Use Planning in Mexico/Modelaje Analítico Geoespacial para la Planificación Sostenible del Uso del Suelo en México.

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Eunice López Fuentes, Ciencias de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica

Identifying Epigenetic Mechanisms for Proliferation and Self-renewal of Tumor Propagating Cells (TPCs) in Lung Cancer
/Identificación de los Mecanismos Epigenéticos en la Proliferación y Autorenovación de las Células Propagadoras de los Tumores (TPCs) en Cancer de Pulmón.
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Jessica Lissete Maldonado Mendoza, Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

Genetic Analysis of Melanocytic Lesions to Establish the Evolution of Oral Mucosal Melanoma
/Análisis Molecular de Lesiones Melanocíticas para Establecer la Evolución del Melanoma de Mucosa Bucal.
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Citlali Eliosa Minor, Óptica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

Development of New Sources for Biophotonic Imaging Applications/Desarrollo de Nuevas Fuentes de Luz para Aplicaciones en Biofotónica y Formación de Imágenes.

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Oscar Antonio Ortega Rivera, Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes

Treatment and Prevention of Atherosclerosis Using a Plant Virus-nanoparticle Vaccine Platform
/Tratamiento y Prevención de la Aterosclerosis Utilizando una Plataforma de Vacunas con Nanoparticulas de Virus de Plantas.
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José Carlos Ponce Rojas, Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Dissecting the Mechanisms of RNA-induced Pathogenicity in Neural Cells/Mecanismos de Patogénesis Mediada por ARN en Células Neurales.

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Javier Alan Quezada Rentería, Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C.

Nanomaterial Technologies for the Development of Chlorine-resistant and Antibiofouling Membranes for Seawater Desalination
/Tecnologías Basadas en Nanomateriales para el Desarrollo de Membranas Resistentes al Cloro y Antibiofouling para la Desalinización de Agua de Mar.
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Carlos Trasviña Arenas, Biotecnología de Plantas, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad

Deciphering New Roles for Metallic Cofactors in MUTYH and Their Relevance in Carcinogenesis: A Tale of [4Fe-4S] Cluster and Zinc Linchpin Motif/Descifrando Nuevos Roles para los Cofactores Metálicos de MUTYH y Su Relevancia en Carcinogénesis: Una Historia de los Motivos del Clúster [4Fe-4S] y del Zinc Linchpin.

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Omar Valencia Mendez, El Hombre y Su Ambiente, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

Monitoring of Cryptobenthic Reef Fishes as Indicators of the Condition of Gulf of California Reef Ecosystems/Monitoreo de Peces Arrecifales Criptobentónicos como Indicadores de la Condición de los Ecosistemas Arrecifales del Golfo de California.

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Ernesto Antonio Zarco Ortiz, Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas

LGBTQ Migratory Experiences from Mexico to the USA. Digital Narratives and Migration Mappings
/Experiencias Migratorias LGBTQ desde México hacia los EE.UU. Narrativas Digitales y Mapas Orales de Desplazamientos.
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© 2021 University of California Alianza MX

Mexico and the United States of America are two of the largest producers of lemons and limes in the world. However, biotic and abiotic factors, as well as undesirable agronomic traits limit the production. In this work I propose to develop a high-quality genome assembly in order to support the genetic improvement of lemons and limes. This includes sequencing, assembly and annotation of the genome of Limoneira 8A lemon, identification of genetic changes that distinguish lemon and lime varieties, which are mainly originated by somatic mutations. The potential to identify candidate mutations causing interesting phenotypes using DNA sequencing technologies is a mayor outcome of this proposal. Moreover, these candidates will form the basis of future genome editing in lemons and limes.

Emmanuel Ávila de Dios, Ingeniería Genética, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato

It has been demonstrated that the quantum electronic properties of bilayer heterostructures based on two dimensional (2D) materials are highly sensitive to the relative alignment of the layers. Typically, the interlayer angle and displacement in this type of heterostructures is a fixed parameter. I propose to manipulate the physical structure of moiré superlattices in-situ and perform an experimental study of the dynamic phenomena, where the physical structure of the device is time dependent. To achieve such control of the devices’ structure, I will develop and implement a new instrument specially designed to slide and rotate the layers of Van der Waals heterostructures. Recent theoretical analysis indicate that an electric current can be induced by sliding motion between the two layers of a moiré superlattice. The experimental study of this phenomenon can lead to new interesting physics and applications in the fields of quantum electronics and photonic devices.

Aarón Barajas Aguilar, Materiales, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados, Querétaro (Host: Javier Sánchez-Yamagishi,Department of Physics & Astronomy, UC Irvine

During the last few years, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) has exceeded 16% for single-junction devices. However, compared with inorganic (PCE = 27.6%) and perovskite (PCE = 25.2%) photovoltaics, OPV devices exhibit lower efficiency. This lower efficiency is attributed to a high rate of recombination and to energetic disorder in the organic semiconductor thin film. This disordered organic semiconductor thin film is strongly influenced by morphological characteristics (molecular structure, intra- and intermolecular interactions) and causes a broad density of states (DOS) distribution along the bandgap of the organic semiconductor thin films. The photovoltaic (PV) processes are governed by morphological, optical and electronic characteristics of organic semiconductor materials at scales ranging from sub-nm to at least several tens of nm. For this reason, it is essential to study their PV properties with atomic scale spatial resolution as a means to achieve higher efficient OPV devices. In this project, the morphological, optical and electronic characteristics of non-fullerene (carbo-benzene molecule) as acceptor and conjugated polymer (PM6) as donor, will be studied by the spectroscopy and microscopy with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and the combination of femtosecond laser with the STM.

Irving Caballero Quintana, Fotónica, Grupo de Propiedades Ópticas de la Materia, Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica A.C.

DNA damage mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is detrimental to many cellular functions. The DNA damage suppressor (Dsup) protein is a tardigrade-specific factor that protects cells from the genotoxic effects of ROS via binding to nucleosomes. Intriguingly, Dsup has sequence homology with the nucleosome-binding domain of the vertebrate-specific high-mobility group N (HMGN) proteins. The HMGN proteins are present in all vertebrates, and they are abundant and ubiquitous proteins that bind to two high-affinity sites on nucleosomes without DNA sequence specificity. These properties suggest that the HMGN proteins are important. However, due to the presence of several HMGN genes in vertebrates, the biological roles of the HMGN proteins have been an elusive mystery. Because the HMGN-like region of the tardigrade Dsup protein is a key component of its DNA protective function, it is important to consider that the HMGN proteins might similarly protect DNA from oxidative damage in vertebrates. In my research, I will use a new genetic strategy in conjunction with cell-based functional analyses as well as mechanistic biochemical studies to gain a comprehensive understanding of the roles of the nucleosome-binding Dsup and HM damage protection and chromatin dynamics in human cells.

Grisel Cruz Becerra, Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

In recent years, social robots have been used to facilitate social interaction and support with tasks of daily living for people with dementia (PwD). Over the last four years, I have been working on the development and evaluation of conversational robots to conduct therapeutic sessions with PwD. These results were encouraging, and there are still more exciting questions to explore. For example, it would be good for the robot to be able to adapt itself to states of the participant (e.g., loss of attention, lack of motivation), in order to sustain engagement during the interaction. After discussing my previous work with Dr. Laurel Riek and learning of the work of the Healthcare Robotics Lab (RHCLab), I am proposing the design, development, and evaluation of real-time adaptation strategies for social robots to enhance interactions to conduct effective neurorehabilitation and cognitive stimulation interventions. The experience of the RHCLab for collaborative work with robots in complex environments using computer vision provides support for the development of this project. Additionally, my knowledge in dialogue systems and models to infer activity and behavior can complement ongoing projects in the RHCLab.

Dagoberto Cruz-Sandoval, Ciencias de la Computación, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

Optical manipulating using optical forces in low refraction index of dielectric particles, such as glass or latex, has been used for a long time searching for applications in biology, biotechnology and medicine. The interest to improve the stability of the optical trapping originated the research on new kinds materials.

 

Recently, there has been a great interest on high index dielectric (HID) nanoparticles, due to the realization that nanoparticles such as silicon can support strong magnetic and electrical resonances without the inherent high losses of plasmonic resonances of metallic nanoparticles. In particular, has been studies on try to exploit the properties of HID like using interference between multipoles to improve the stability of the optical trapping.

 

We propose to study the optical forces that may be exerted optically, through electric- and magnetic-type resonances on HID particles, and explore of self-assembly aspects, similar to those that have been observed with metallic nanoparticles. The idea is to combine the expertise of the postdoctoral candidate in HID and that of the host on optical forces and the assembly of nanoparticles. The objective is to explore the magnitude of the effect for different nanoparticles with the goal of finding parameters that are suitable for experimental work.

Miguel Ángel González Mandujano, Óptica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

Recent studies support the hypothesis that changes in gene regulation may be the major source of

evolutionary novelties and the genetic bases of adaptation of complex traits. Unfortunately, there are few concrete examples supporting this hypothesis. A powerful approach to identifying adaptation signatures in gene regulation (cis or trans) is to look genome-wide for alleles whose frequency co-varies with environment. Here, I propose to study adaptive gene regulatory signals in cis-acting variants and its link with adaptive phenotypes along latitudinal transects in wild populations of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) in South America (from Brazil to Argentina). Also, I will compare our results, with genes previously studied on North American mice populations, to identify parallel evolutionary patterns in both hemispheres. The main objectives of this proposal are: i) Genome scans for selection across populations in South America; ii) Differential gene expression along a latitudinal cline; iii) cis-eQTL and allele-specific expression (ASE) discovery; and iv) Adaptive regulatory variation in mice from North and South America. To reach these objectives, we will combine genomic and transcriptomic data with organismal-level phenotypic data. This project will contribute to understand the role of gene regulation in driving environmental adaptation, and it will help us to better understand how species will respond to climate change, which is a serious threat for biodiversity.

Yocelyn Teresa Gutiérrez-Guerrero, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

The GLOBIUM model measures the change in the demand for land of various sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, forestry, and bioenergy, under different scenarios and policy simulations. While some countries and regions have already calibrated a spatial representation of their land use changes, Mexico has yet to estimate its own country-specific parameters. This is the broad goal of the project proposed by Professor McCord, and that I will develop with him at the School of Global Policy & Strategy at UCSD, in conjunction with CIDE Prof. Juan Manuel Torres Rojo, and the Mexican FABLE team.

The significance of this research project is twofold. First, the development of GLOBIOM-Mexico will provide analytical grounds for government officials, academics, and policymakers to develop pathways to fulfill Mexico’s Sustainable Development Goals in a national and globally coherent manner. It is of particular interest to achieve national objectives of biodiversity conservation, zero deforestation, and reduced GHG emissions by 2050. Second, GLOBIOM-Mexico will allow us to assess the impact of the adoption of healthier diets, namely those consisting of less animal products and ultra-processed foods, and higher shares of plant-based foods, on the agricultural sector and livestock markets.

Fernanda Herrera, Economía, El Colegio de México

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tumors have a functional heterogeneity in regard to tumor-propagating capacity. Cells with an increased capacity to sustain tumor propagation are called tumor-propagating cells (TPC or cancer stem cells). A TPC population identified in a mouse model of LUAD [(KrasG12D/wt/p53fl/fl, (KP)] sustain growth in serial orthotopic transplantations and are distinguished by expression of Notch receptors. TPCs show chemoresistance and high plasticity. TPCs gene expression signature is associated with a worse prognosis in human cancer. My hypothesis is the TPCs gene expression may be regulated by global chromatin alterations driven by epigenetic regulators. The mechanisms that sustain TPC of LUAD in their self-renewal state are poorly understood. My goal is to study the epigenetic mechanisms of TPC maintenance. To uncover chromatin signatures of TPCs and to identify regulatory dynamics, I will compare chromatin accessibility of TPCs to the non-TPCs from KP mouse models by ATAC-seq and I will identify the enriched transcription factors motifs of open chromatin. Moreover, I will create an epigenetic short hairpin RNA (shRNA) library to screen epigenetic regulators implicated in plasticity and self-renewal ability of TPCs and I will evaluate them whether function through Notch signaling.

Eunice López Fuentes, Ciencias de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica

Oral melanoma (OMe) is an aggressive tumor with poor response to conventional treatments. Its pathogenesis is unclear as its relationship with precursor lesions. Sequencing analyses have revealed copy number changes and somatic mutations in MAPK pathway genes on OMe; however, there is no current molecular data to characterize benign and intermediate oral mucosal lesions, also, the sequential order in which these modifications arise remains to be determined. The aim of this proposal is to characterize the molecular features of melanocytic oral lesions from the entire histopathological spectrum and establish correlations with their clinico-pathological characteristics. Thus, through a retrospective study that will include samples of 74 melanocytic lesions (40 benign, 4 intermediate and 30 maligns) of histopathology referral centers in Mexico City and from UCSF. Genomic DNA will be obtained from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues and sequenced by next-generation sequencing. Statistical analysis will analyze continuous variables using Mann- Whitney test. Pairs of binary variables will be compared using act tests. Test with P values less than .05 will be considered statistically significant.

Jessica Lissete Maldonado Mendoza, Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

The understanding of complex molecules (collagen, hemoglobin, lipids, etc.) and cancer breast detection are relevant topics in biophotonics. Advances in those topics require specialized pulsed light sources in combination with imaging and spectroscopy techniques which implies bulky optical systems and high-cost light sources only accessible to a limited group researchers. Recently, development of compact, affordable hand-held tunable sub-nanosecond sources of light based in passive Q-switching lasers has been made possible by the availability of scalable industrial laser components. In this research, compact and flexible optical tunable sources will be developed in the visible region, around 400 nm and 700 nm, the near-infrared region, around 1 micron, and the mid-infrared region, between 3.3 and 3.8 microns, based on periodic and a periodically-poled lithium niobate crystals. The high repetition rate of the near infrared and visible sources (around tens of kHz) of sub-nanosecond pulse duration will improve the scanning of images in real-time of the UC Davis photoacoustic acquisition systems. The mid-infrared pulsed sources with fine tuning and narrow spectral width is presented as a simpler, smaller and compact source for sum-frequency generation spectroscopy. Experiments related with topics in biophotonics will be performed.

Citlali Eliosa Minor, Óptica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), especially atherosclerosis, are the number one cause of death globally. A primary goal in the treatment of atherosclerosis is to decrease the low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in serum. Statins are the main drugs used to achieve this goal; however their efficacy is compromised by side effects and lifelong treatments. Immunotherapy that involves the use of monoclonal antibodies (Alirocumab/Evolocumab) targeting the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9), a protease that promotes LDL-receptor degradation and increase LDL-C in serum, are still unattainable for most patients due to high costs. Therefore, we propose a vaccination approach. The rationale of applying vaccination against atherosclerosis relies on downregulating the inflammatory responses through the antibody-mediated depletion of supernormal LDL-C levels in serum, which alleviate the physiopathology mechanisms. Improvement of vaccination can be reached using a plant virus nanoparticles (VNPs) platform. Therefore, we focus on the main atherosclerosis checkpoints like LDL proteins (i.e. ApoB100) and key enzymes (i.e. CETP and PCSK9) related to cholesterol homeostasis in serum. Our innovation offers long-term effects requiring a simpler dosage and multiple ways application: early in life (prevention); or later in life, either before an atherothrombotic event (late primary prevention) or after an event (secondary prevention).

Oscar Antonio Ortega Rivera, Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes

RNA is essential in all life forms. However, RNA can also harm cells, specifically when it adopts aberrant

structural conformations. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), the archetype harmful RNA, is often observed during viral infections, where it can activate antiviral responses. It has been increasingly recognized that endogenous dsRNAs can also activate these antiviral responses. dsRNAs can be found in neuropathologies characterized by nucleotide repeat expansions (NREs), for example, in Huntington’s disease, many spinocerebellar ataxias, fragile X syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, among others. In these diseases, NREs in coding and non-coding gene segments form dsRNA stem-loops, and our preliminary data suggest that these dsRNA stem-loops compromise neural cell fitness. The objective of this proposal is to understand the mechanisms by which these RNAs impact neural cell health. To this end, I will focus on two basic questions: (i) What structural determinants render NRE-RNAs harmful to neural cells? (ii) which signaling pathways are activated in response to NRE-RNAs in neural cells? Defining the mechanisms by which NRE-RNAs elicit neural cell damage will reveal new RNA-driven pathogenic mechanisms in neurodegeneration. Therefore, the work proposed is significant as it may guide new therapeutic developments for devastating and often fatal diseases.

José Carlos Ponce Rojas, Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Water availability is one of the most important problems that face our society. Seawater desalination using reverse osmosis (RO) is a suitable approach to face this problem. However, the membranes used in this technology present two major drawbacks, they are prone to biofouling, which directly impairs the membrane performance and increases the total cost of the process, and they present a weak chemical resistance against chlorine, the main chemical reagent used for disinfection proposes during RO. This proposal has as objective to use nanomaterial technologies such as graphene oxide (GO) to modify RO membranes, in order to improve their antifouling properties and grant them an increased chlorine resistance. The main idea consists in anchoring GO sheets to the surface of the membrane and then to modify the sheets with amine groups. These groups will work as chlorine scavengers, granting the membrane an increased chlorine resistance. Moreover, after being exposed to chlorine, the amine groups in GO will convert to chloramines, a powerful biocide, giving the membrane a

self-sufficient defense against biofouling. It is between the scope of this project to explore the possible large-scale production of the new technology if the laboratory tests are satisfactory.

Javier Alan Quezada Rentería, Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C.

The DNA glycosylase MUTYH harbors two metal cofactors a [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster and Zinc linchpin motif, that are essential for repairing adenine mispaired opposite 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanine via base excision repair. Improper MUTYH mediated repair is associated with a form of colorectal cancer, and so far 9% of the cancer-related mutations have been found in these metal sites. Despite the studies focused on these cofactors, their function and role in carcinogenesis are not fully understood. I propose an integrative approach using biochemistry, cellular biology, structural and in silico studies to explore the roles of these cofactors. To this end, we have designed and cloned a codon-optimized MUTYH gene for bacterial overexpression and purification with the highest reported activity (52%) so far. Additionally, we have done 15 MUTYH cancer-related mutant constructs located in the metallic cofactors and designed a GFP-based bacterial assay that will allow for high- throughput screening of somatic- and germline-cancer related mutations of MUTYH. Furthermore, using in silico analysis, we identified that the [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster has a distal structural interplay with the catalytic pocket, connected by an intricate H-bond network. To support this hypothesis, we are working to obtain the co-crystal structure of MUTYH in complex with DNA and APE1.

Carlos Trasviña Arenas, Biotecnología de Plantas, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad

Cryptobenthic reef fishes (CRFs) are an ideal group to model and monitor local, regional and global

environmental changes due to their cryptic nature, short life histories and rapid turnover, and they are an unexploited group. The richness of CRFs from the Gulf of California (GC) is one of the best evaluated in the world, making them especially useful for detecting long-term ecosystem changes by quantitative analysis. This study proposes to use past quantitative data on Gulf CRFs collected in the 1970s and in 2010 to evaluate long- term changes in the CRFs community. The 2010 samples (Galland 2013) showed a dramatic decline in CRFs compared to samples from the same sites in the 1970s (Thomson & Gilligan 2002), however it is not known if these changes are permanent or the underlying cause(s) of this decline. Using the same methodology, sites, and seasonality to test the hypothesis that these changes in biomass and abundance reflect a persistent change in the reef ecosystem. The aims of this study are to conduct an exhaustive, quantitative collection of CRFs at 17 sites in the GC, to compare the long-term abundance and biodiversity of CRFs (1970 – 2020), and to test environmental variables responsible for the biological signals.

Omar Valencia Mendez, El Hombre y Su Ambiente, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana

This project proposes analyzing the displacement process through Mexico to the United States of the LGBTQ migrant people, both Mexican and Central American, with the purpose of finding out more about the migratory phenomenon from the following perspectives: a) Profiling of the home countries and their discrimination, violence, exclusion processes, and some other problem areas. b) The importance of the narratives regarding the countries, that are transited in order to migrate to the United States and the dangers, opportunities and challenges that are faced by the migrants during their migration journey and c) Wishes, hopes of security, self-fulfillment, healthcare and other expectations placed in the target country, more specifically in the USA.

 

Also arises, making visible the movement paths, the asylum requests and the dispersion from Central America, across Mexico and to/in the United States through the experiences of migrant LGBTQ people. Its importance lies in presenting a study of the migratory processes beyond demographical statistics. It will be proposed as an analysis and profiling of the problem area through the experiences of the LGBTQ migrant people. In this way, research can be done with the voices of those who experience/ experiment the process.

 

Finally, seek to proposing the digital narratives as a methodological tool to collect data through the life experiences of those who migrate, which implies incorporating a set of documental collections consisting of audiovisual stories, life histories, narratives and evidence collected from mass media information sources in order to profile violence processes, movement paths, and dispersion. At the same time, this proposal will relate to UC Davis’ Project “Humanizando la deportación”, which will strengthen the database of video narratives on its webpage: http://humanizandoladeportacion.ucdavis.edu/es/

Ernesto Antonio Zarco Ortiz, Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas