ERCA overview
Education and Research Consortium of the Americas
ERCA MEMBER INSTITUTIONS
ERCA VIRTUAL INSTITUTE CHAIRS
Water quality
Context: Large portion of fresh water is been contaminated. Contamination
is happening through several factors: animals (pork, turkey, waste, humans
(Ecoli), biological, organic (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides), inorganic.
Goal: Set up 20-30 points to test samples of concentration of pesticides/
herbicides and viruses. Start with the highest levels to prioritize areas.
Prepare a social analysis with the help of local Researcher teams to identify
community health needs.
Infectious Diseases/Tropical Medicine
Context: The pandemic COVID19 and the global burden of Neglected
Tropical Diseases brings the attention of ERCA member institutions over
Latin America.
Goal: To identify research opportunities on dynamics of HIV, dengue,
chikungunya, tuberculosis, among others and present research papers and
grant proposals to institutions in the Americas.
ERCA VIRTUAL INSTITUTES
Psychosocial Determinants of Disease
Context: Around Latin America the main mental issues are anxiety,
depression, suicide attempts. Alcohol abuse and drugs (genetic
predisposition) is also common, high suicide rate in Yucatan among young
people (unknown cause).
Goal: To address and screen mental health youth, share knowledge and
support research.
Ecology and Human Well-being
Context: Human well-being is derived from complex, global ecological
processes, generated by a web of life that consists of countless other
non-human species. Our human societies must actively nurture
mutualistic, ecological relationships to sustain a harmonic balance.
Goal: To create educational opportunities and to conduct research.
 ERCA overview
Education and Research Consortium of the Americas
Education and Research Consortium of the Americas

EDUCATIONAL
• Infectious Disease and Psychosocial Determinants of Disease Global Health Series CME webinars in
alliance with Department of Biosystems and Agriculture Engineering (BAE-COE): 10/01-05-08-21-22-
28/2021: Participants: 12 per webinar. International students: 4-6 per webinar. Dual accreditation
(DO/MD) and Certificate of participation.
• Water Quality Webinar on Microbial Forensics: tracking surface associated virus to protect public
health: 10/21/21. Participants: 25. International students: 10.
• Research training on wastewater surveillance in collaboration of COE and COM students for 2022
• Global Health Webinars on One Health for 2022
• Ecology and Human Well Being walking tours 2022-2023

RESEARCH

- Wastewater Virology Surveillance Network, Peru, Dominican Republic, Mexico.

- Waste management and Water treatment in Iquitos , Peru.

- Pilot study of an mHealth platform for mental health screening among young adults in Merida, Mexico
- Toxoplasmosis and mental health

- Nanotechnology and Tuberculosis in Mexico and Dominican Republic.

- HPV applications; Nanotechnology and Toxoplasmosis;

- Restoring the Mayan Forest & Forest therapy & Maternal well being (connection w/vanilla production)

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