Biography

Dr. Torres was born at home in the remote mountainsof Helechales, Yahuecas in Adjuntas, PuertoRico.  He grew up raising farm animals and working in the family’s small coffee plantation.  He studied at CROEM and got his BS degree in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. After completing a MS degree in Cancer Pathologyhe obtained a PhD in Immunology from Baylor College of Medicine.  He went to the University of California at Davis as a Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow to study the immunology of retroviruses.  He performed immunological research on viruses, becominga tenured Full Professor.  He is now a Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the School of Medicine at the University of California at Davis.  He teaches immunology to both medical students and senior undergraduates.In 2001he was the founding president of a private biotechnology company (Variation Biotechnologies, now VBI Vaccines, listed as VBIV in NASDAQ) dedicated to the development of new vaccines and the improvement of existing vaccines.  His research has always been focused on antigenic variation at the epitope level.  His work has included the characterization of multiple antigenic sites for viruses including influenza, SRV, SIV, HIV, HCV and HPV.  His current research still employs antigenic variation in the development of cancer immunotherapeutic vaccines.Dr. Torres is actively involved in global health biotechnology transfer to the poorest countries of Latin America.  He is passionate about worldwide conservation of the environment, plants and animals and works in the preservation of endangered tortoises and lizards.