Pew Grants Funding to Biomedical Researchers in Latin America

16 scientists receive Advancement Awards to accelerate research

PHILADELPHIA, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today that 16 scientists were given an Advancement Award of $20,000 in funding to further their biomedical research in Latin America.

This one-time grant is given to alumni of the Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences who have returned to the region and established a laboratory at an academic or research institution in the past five years. These funds help investigators purchase equipment and expand their research efforts in independent labs across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay.

"Pew Latin American fellows are among the best and brightest biomedical scientists in the region," said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Pew's senior vice president for Philadelphia and scientific advancement. "For 35 years, they have honed their skills in U.S. labs, with many returning to home to help strengthen scientific communities across countries. With this award, these 16 fellows will have new opportunities to follow their curiosity and help expand global scientific discovery."

The Advancement Award, supported by Biohub, builds on Pew's decades-long commitment to bolstering innovative research across Latin America.

The Pew Latin American Fellows Program provides early-career scientists with salary support to conduct postdoctoral training in the United States and offers additional funding as a launchpad for fellows who choose to start independent labs in Latin America. Nearly 70% of program participants, including these awardees, have returned to the region to establish their own labs.

Advancement Award recipients are:

Rodrigo A. Aguilar, Ph.D.
2016 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidad Andrés Bello

Fernando J. Bustos, Ph.D.
2015 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidad Andrés Bello

Daiana A. Capdevila, Ph.D.
2016 Pew Latin American Fellow
2024 Pew Innovation Fund Investigator
Fundación Instituto Leloir

Juan-Pablo Castillo, Ph.D.
2015 Pew Latin American Fellow
2025 Pew Innovation Fund Investigator
Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso

Victor H. Cornejo, Ph.D.
2018 Pew Latin American Fellow
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

José Duhart, Ph.D.
2019 Pew Latin American Fellow
Fundación Instituto Leloir & Universidad Nacional de Quilmes

Andres A. Herrada, Ph.D.
2013 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidad de Concepción

Bruno Manta, Ph.D.
2015 Pew Latin American Fellow
Institut Pasteur de Montevideo

Karla F. Meza-Sosa, Ph.D.
2015 Pew Latin American Fellow
Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez

Rafik Neme, Ph.D.
2017 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidad del Norte, Colombia

Priscilla C. Olsen, Ph.D.
2016 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Ana S. Peinetti, Ph.D.
2017 Pew Latin American Fellow
2024 Pew Innovation Fund Investigator
Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires)

Hugo Sepúlveda, Ph.D.
2018 Pew Latin American Fellow
Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas - Universidad Andrés Bello

José E. Soto, Ph.D.
2017 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Paulo José P. L. Teixeira, Ph.D.
2013 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz

Daniela Paula de Toledo Thomazella, Ph.D.
2014 Pew Latin American Fellow
Universidade de São Paulo

Founded in 1948, The Pew Charitable Trusts uses data to make a difference. Pew addresses the challenges of a changing world by illuminating issues, creating common ground, and advancing ambitious projects that lead to tangible progress. Learn more at pew.org.

Erin Davis, [email protected] 

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SOURCE The Pew Charitable Trusts