Castillo, who to date has mentored two PhD in Pharmacy and fifteen MS in Pharmacy students in completing their terminal research requirements, most of which were published in Scopus-indexed journals, was recognized for her ability to guide budding health researchers toward making significant contributions to their respective fields. She continues mentoring a new batch of scientists, a group of 12 advisees, most of whom are conducting experiments for their respective studies.

In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Castillo disclosed her belief that health researchers “must be mindful of the scientific integrity and ethical soundness of research  protocol through good research practice so as to maintain quality, relevance and reliability of research output,” emphasizing the importance of character in being a good researcher. While she acknowledges that most students begin with degree acquisition as their end-goal, she hopes to impart to them that ‘having the degree is just an icing on the cake.” Among the values she strives to impart to her advisees are “focus, determination, time management, proper documentation, honesty, patience, and a lot of hard work,” as well humility and being teachable.

Once a student herself, Castillo paid homage to her own mentors, the late Dr. Eduardo de Leon, Assoc. Prof. Ma. Tomasa Ochoa, Dr. Marina Osi, former Science Dean John Donnie A. Ramos, PhD, as well as Academician Maribel G. Nonato, PhD. Meanwhile, Prof. Grecebio Jonathan D. Alejandro, Dr. rer. nat., and Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences Director Bernard John V. Tongol, PhD provided the recommendation letters for Castillo’s nomination. She dedicated the award to her family and thanked her students, colleagues, and superiors, namely Pharmacy Dean Aleth Therese L. Dacanay, PhD, in the academe.

Currently, she and her students are working on various projects, such as on the anti-inflammatory activity of Pandanus spp., chondroprotective potential of Alipinia, antihyperuricemic activity of Dillenia. Some of the projects have gone past the experimentation phase and are awaiting the publication of results. Meanwhile, their current project is studying the antiangiogenesis property of syringin and alpinumisoflavone. Funding agencies such as the Commission on Higher Education, National Research Council of the Philippines, and the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care have provided support to several undertakings.

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The Thomasian scientist’s research interests lie in the 1) isolation and identification of secondary metabolites from endemic Rubiaceae plants, indigenous Pandanus species, and endophytic fungi; 2) chemotaxomic significance of the isolated natural products; 3) pharmacological activities of the isolated natural products; and 4) total synthesis and chemical modifications of bioactive natural products.

Lastly, his notable research is on the drug development from natural products: Organic chemistry-oriented research on natural products (isolation of lead/bioactive molecules à synthetic or semi-synthetic studies à biological evaluation).

Tan was named the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Outstanding Young Scientist in Pharmaceutical Science in 2018.  He was recognized as the Novartis Next Generation Scientist Program Fellow in 2016.

A former chair of the Department of Chemistry, Tan teaches at the Graduate School. He is also the newly appointed Assistant Research Director of the Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences.

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Macabeo’s project, entitled “Drug discovery of biologically active natural products from Philippine Hypoxlon Species,” will be a collaboration between UST as the ������Ƶ Institution and the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Germany, represented by Prof. Dr. Marc Stadler, as Virtual Host Collaborator.

The project will look into “untapped fungal natural products from Philippine Hypoxylaceae,” which when studied is seen to increase the chances of finding novel antibiotic compounds. The need for new chemotherapeutic treatments has been highlighted by the “rapid development of drug-resistant strains.”

The virtual collaborative work aims to find new secondary metabolites with potent antibiotic properties and will last from September 2021 to January 2022, provides Georg Forster Humboldt alumni from “developing and emerging countries who are facing multiple challenges during the long-lasting pandemic. Macabeo’s project will receive a lump-sum amount of 3,000 EUR per month.

Macabeo becomes one of the first recipients of the newly created Digital Cooperation Fellowship grant of the Humboldt Foundation, which also receives funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

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