Scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP) have generated culture maps using data from the Integrated Values Survey (IVS).

Ang groundwater—tubig na nakatago sa ilalim ng lupa—ay isang likas-yamang hindi nakikita, ngunit tiyak na hindi nalalayo sa isipan ng mga Pilipino. Ang hindi tagong yamang ito ay mahalaga para sa pang-araw-araw na buhay, lalo na sa agrikultura, kung saan ito ang nagbibigay-buhay sa irigasyon. Gayunpaman, habang lumalaki ang ating pangangailangan sa pagkain at lumalalim pa ang naabot natin sa ilalim ng lupa gamit ang teknolohiya, nahaharap sa isang malubhang krisis ang estado ng groundwater dahil sa labis na paggamit nito at kontaminasyon na nangangailangan ng agarang pansin.

Sa Pilipinas, lalong pinalalala ang mga problemang ito ng mga natatanging hamon na dulot ng tag-ulan at tag-init panahon sa bansa. Sa matitinding panahon, ang mga run-off mula sa mga sakahan ay maaaring magdala ng mga nakapipinsalang kemikal sa ilalim ng lupa, na nagbabanta sa ecological services na ibinibigay nito, ang biodiversity sa lugar, at ang public health. Sa kasamaang palad, sa kabila ng mga pagsisikap na subaybayan ang water quality, ang buong lawak ng mga problemang ito ay hindi lubos na nauunawaan. Bunsod nito, hindi pa buo ang mga datos na nakakalap at hindi rin pare-pareho ang pagsusuring ginagawa sa buong bansa.

Isang pangkat ng mga mananaliksik na pinamumunuan ni Dr. Francis S. Magbanua ng University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science, Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB), at partners sa proyekto mula sa Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Cebu, at Davao del Norte ay masusing sinusuri ang sitwasyon. Ang kanilang pag-aaral ay nakatuon sa kung paano nag-iiba ang kalidad ng groundwater sa pagitan ng mga agrikultural at magugubat lugar sa nag-iibang panahon. Ang kanilang natuklasan ay kapwa nagbibigay-liwanag at nakababahala.

Ipinakita ng pananaliksik na ang paggamit ng lupa (gawing sakahan o panatilihin ang gubat) at ang panahon (tag-ulan o tag-init) ay may malaking epekto sa kalidad ng groundwater, ngunit sa magkaibang paraan. Ang paggamit ng lupain para sa agrikultura ay madalas nagdudulot ng groundwater na mas mainit at mas mayaman sa kemikal ngunit mas mababa rin ang kalidad. Tumataas din ang panganib ng kontaminasyon ng groundwater kapag talamak ang mga gawaing pang-agrikultura. Ang mga magugubat lugar, sa kabilang banda, ay tumutulong sa pagpapanatili ng groundwater na mas malamig, mas malinis, at mas mayaman sa oxygen. Gayunpaman, ang anyo ng lupa—tulad ng mga matatarik na slope—ay maaaring makaapekto sa dami ng organic matter na naiipon sa groundwater.

Sa panahon ng tag-ulan, ang pagtaas ng pag-ulan ay tumutulong na palamigin ang groundwater at mapabuti ang antas ng oxygen nito. Pinapataas din nito ang pH habang dinadala ng tubig-ulan ang mga mineral at organic matter sa ilalim ng lupa. Baliktad nito, ang tag-init ay nagdudulot naman ng mas mainit na temperatura ng tubig sa lupa. Bagaman maaaring tumaas antas ng oxygen dahil bumabagal ang daloy ng tubig, ang pangkalahatang kalidad ng groundwater ay maaaring bumaba rin. Ang mas mababang antas naman ng groundwater ay maaaring magdulot ng mas mataas na konsentrasyon ng dissolved ions at iba pang suliranin ukol sa kalidad ng tubig. Sa kabilang banda, natuklasan ng pag-aaral na walang pinagsamang epekto ang paggamit ng lupa at panahon, na nangangahulugang habang ang bawat factor ay may kanya-kanyang epekto sa groundwater, hindi nila pinapaigting ang epekto ng bawat isa.

Ngunit kahit tila hindi nakatali sa isa’t isa ang mga epektong ito, malinaw ang mensahe: parehong mahalaga ang paggamit ng lupa at mga pagbabago sa panahon upang maunawaan ang kalagayan ng mga pinagkukunan natin ng groundwater. Halimbawa, ang pagkakaroon ng dissolved organic compounds (DOC) ay maaaring pahiwatig ng mga aktibidad ng tao malapit sa groundwater, ngunit batay sa pag-aaral, nakikita rin ang DOC sa mga magugubat na lugar, na maaaring maging indikasyon ng disturbances dulot ng paggamit ng lupa ng tao.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a common bacterium that lives in the intestines of animals and humans, and it is often used to identify fecal contamination within the environment. E. coli can also easily develop resistance to antibiotics, making it an ideal organism for testing antimicrobial resistance—especially in certain agricultural environments where fecal material is used as manure or wastewater is reused.

Traditional laboratory methods for analyzing antimicrobial resistance are often time-consuming and labor-intensive, making them impractical for large-scale monitoring. As a result, researchers are exploring faster approaches using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and predictive modeling.

Marco Christopher Lopez and Dr. Pierangeli Vital of the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s Natural Sciences Research Institute (UPD-CS NSRI), along with Dr. Joseph Ryan Lansangan of the UPD School of Statistics, tested various artificial intelligence (AI) prediction models to determine the antimicrobial resistance of E. coli using genetic data and laboratory test results from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database.

Groundwater—water trapped beneath the Earth’s surface—is a resource that may be out of sight, but it is certainly not out of mind for many Filipinos. This invisible resource is vital for everyday life, especially in agriculture, where it provides the lifeblood for irrigation. However, as our demand for food grows and technology allows us to tap deeper into the Earth, groundwater faces an urgent crisis of over-extraction and contamination that demands immediate attention.

In the Philippines, these problems are further complicated by the unique challenges posed by the country’s wet and dry seasons. During extreme weather events, runoff from farmlands can carry harmful chemicals into the groundwater, threatening the ecological services it provides, its biodiversity, and the general public’s health. Unfortunately, despite efforts to monitor water quality, the full extent of these problems remains poorly understood. Consequently, this produces patchy data and inconsistent assessments nationwide.

A team of researchers headed by Dr. Francis S. Magbanua of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science, Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB), and project partners from Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Cebu, and Davao del Norte have taken a closer look at the situation. Their study focused on how groundwater quality varies between agricultural and forested areas across seasons. The findings were both enlightening and concerning.

The research showed that land use (agricultural or forested) and the season (wet or dry) significantly impact groundwater quality, but in different ways. Agricultural land use generally leads to warmer, more chemically rich but poorer groundwater quality. It also increases the risk of groundwater contamination due to farming activities. Forested areas, on the other hand, help maintain cooler, cleaner, and more oxygen-rich groundwater. However, their terrain—such as steep slopes—can influence the amount of organic matter present in the groundwater.

During the wet season, increased rainfall helps cool groundwater and improves its oxygen levels. It also raises pH as rainwater carries minerals and organic material into the groundwater. Quite the opposite, the dry season brings warmer groundwater temperatures. Although oxygen levels may sometimes rise due to reduced water movement, overall groundwater quality tends to decline. Lower groundwater levels can lead to more concentrated dissolved ions and potential water quality concerns. Interestingly, the study found no combined effect of land use and season, meaning that while each factor influences groundwater quality independently, they do not amplify each other’s impact.

But even though the effects may be independent, the message is clear: both land use and seasonal changes are crucial to understanding the state of groundwater resources. For example, the presence of dissolved organic compounds (DOC) is indicative of human activities but was also observed in the forested sites of this study, suggesting potential disturbance across different land use types.

Scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s Institute of Chemistry (UPD-CS IC) have published a comprehensive analysis of existing techniques for detecting methanol—an industrial chemical highly toxic to humans—in lambanog, a popular traditional alcoholic beverage in the Philippines.

Emphasizing that methanol can be dangerous—even fatal—at high concentrations, Kristine Anne Ladines and Dr. Cynthia Grace Gregorio aimed to identify detection techniques that are effective, affordable, and simple enough for small producers, such as micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to use—potentially through portable or paper-based testing kits.

“Lambanog holds cultural and economic significance in the Philippines, but repeated methanol poisoning incidents have harmed its reputation and endangered lives. Many cases of death and hospitalization have been linked to unsafe, unregulated production,” Ladines said. “Given these serious public health risks, we were driven to help find solutions that empower small producers to test and ensure the safety of their products.”

By identifying affordable and practical detection methods, the review can help inform national agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration about which technologies are best suited for widespread use among small producers.

“It can guide regulatory policies to mandate methanol testing using appropriate tools, helping ensure consumer safety while supporting industry compliance,” Ladines added.

Ladines believes that government and academic institutions can support MSMEs in adopting safer production and testing methods in several ways—including training and education on safe fermentation and distillation practices, providing subsidies or grants for acquiring basic detection equipment or kits, and developing accessible technologies such as low-cost paper-based sensors tailored for field use.

The paper, titled “Finding MeOH: A literature review on methods for the determination of methanol in Lambanog and alcoholic beverages,” is published in JSFA reports, a food science journal publishing papers on food science and agriculture, with particular emphasis on the agriculture/food interface

References:

Ladines, K. A., & Gregorio, C. G. (2025). Finding MeOH: A literature review on methods for the determination of methanol in Lambanog and alcoholic beverages. JSFA reports. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsf2.229

Sa Pilipinas, ang breast cancer ang pangunahing uri ng kanser sa kababaihan, na may mahigit 33,000 bagong kaso na naiulat noong 2022. Sa taon ding iyon, kumitil ito ng mahigit 11,000 buhay, kaya’t pumapangalawa sa lung cancer ang breast cancer sa sanhi ng pagkamatay sa bansa na may kinalaman sa cancer.

Kapag agresibo, ang breast cancer ay maaaring kumalat sa ibang bahagi ng katawan sa pamamagitan ng isang proseso na tinatawag na metastasis. Gayunpaman, bago ito mangyari, kinakailangan munang pasukin ng cancer cells ang mga ugat tulad ng lymphatic at blood vessels upang makarating sila sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng katawan. Ang kondisyong ito, na kilala bilang lymphovascular invasion (LVI), ay nagsisilbing maagang indikasyon ng metastasis para sa mga duktor. Sa kasalukuyan, ang LVI ay maaari lamang matukoy kapag tinanggal ang tumor sa isang operasyon at sinuri ang tissue na nakapalibot dito.

Pero ngayon, may mga biologist mula sa University of the Philippines (UP) ang nakabuo ng isang mathematical model na kayang tukuyin ang LVI sa mga pasyente ng breast cancer bago pa man sila sumalang sa isang operasyon. Ipinakita rin ng kanilang pag-aaral ang ugnayan ng LVI at drug resistance, na maaaring magpaliwanag kung bakit ang mga pasyente ng breast cancer na may LVI ay hindi gaanong gumagaling gamit ang anti-cancer drugs.

“If we can detect LVI earlier, doctors could personalize patient treatment and improve their outcomes. This could help avoid ineffective treatments and focus on strategies that work better for aggressive breast cancer,” ayon kay Dr. Michael Velarde, ang pangunahing mananalisksik ng grupo mula sa UP Diliman College of Science Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB). [“Kung mas maaga nating matutukoy ang LVI, mabibigyan natin ang mga pasyente ng kaukulang paggamot para sa kanilang ikagagaling. Makakatulong ito upang maiwasan ang mga hindi epektibong paggamot at sa halip ay tumuon sa mga strategy na mas mabisa laban sa agresibong uri ng breast cancer.”]

Bukod kay Dr. Velarde, kasama sa pag-aaral sina Allen Joy Corachea, Regina Joyce Ferrer, Lance Patrick Ty, at Madeleine Morta ng UPD-CS IB, at mga mananaliksik mula sa Philippine Genome Center at UP Manila.

Bago ang operasyon, ang mga pasyente ng breast cancer ay binibigyan ng mga anti-cancer drug tulad ng doxorubicin at anthracyclines upang paliitin muna ang mga tumor. Kung minsan, nagiging mabisa ang droga at napapaliit ang tumor hanggang sa tuluyang mawala, kaya di na nangangailangang sumalang sa operasyon. Subalit maaari ring lumiit lang ang tumor pero di nawawala, kaya’t mangangailangan pa rin ng surgical removal. Dito lang malalaman ng mga duktor kung may LVI ang mga pasyente.

Mula sa clinical data na hinango sa 625 pasyente ng breast cancer sa Philippine General Hospital at maging sa pampublikong datos, napansin ng grupo ni Dr. Velarde na karamihan sa mga pasyenteng may LVI ay hindi rin gaanong gumagaling sa anti-cancer drugs.

Pinatunayan pa nila ang koneksyon sa pagitan ng LVI at drug resistance sa pamamagitan ng pagkuha ng mga tumor sample at pagpapatubo ng mga ito sa laboratoryo upang maging organoids – maliliit na tila organ na gumagaya sa tunay na mga organ. Ipinakita ng kanilang tests na ang mga organoid na positibo sa LVI ay hindi gaanong tumutugon sa mga anti-cancer drug kung ikukumpara sa mga negatibo sa LVI.

Natuklasan nila na may ilang enzymes pala ang sangkot sa paglusaw ng mga anti-cancer drug, gaya ng UGT1 at CYP enzymes, na nakitang mas marami sa mga pasyenteng may LVI. Kapag ang mga enzymes na ito ay mas marami, mas mabilis na nalulusaw ang mga anti-cancer drug, na nagpapababa sa kanilang bisa. Dahil dito, kapag mataas ang UGT1 at CYP enzymes sa mga pasyenteng ito, tataas din ang posibilidad na makaliligtas ang kanilang tumor at maaari pang kumalat sa ibang parte ng katawan.

Gamit ang mga kaalamang ito, nakabuo sila ng regression model na nagsusuri sa pag-express ng UGT1 at CYP genes sa mga biopsy ng pasyente bago sumalang sa operasyon. Tumugma naman sa 92% ang prediksyon ng kanilang modelo kapag ikinumpara sa resulta ng pagsusuri ng tissue mula sa surgery.

“Importantly, our approach can be implemented in the Philippines using locally available genomic technologies, making earlier detection and tailored treatment more accessible to Filipino patients,” dagdag pa ni Dr. Velarde. [“Ang mahalaga, maaaring ipatupad sa Pilipinas ang aming pamamaraan gamit ang locally available genomic technologies, upang mas mapabilis ang access at mapaaga ang paglapat ng personalized treatment sa mga pasyenteng Pilipino.”].

Gayunpaman, binanggit ni Dr. Velarde na nasa early stages of development pa ang kanilang model at hindi pa maaaring ipampalit sa nakagawiang paraan sa pagtuklas ng LVI. “More validation studies are needed before this can be used in clinics.” [“Mas marami pang pag-aaral ang kakailanganin bago ito tuluyang magamit sa mga klinika.”]

Plano rin ng grupo na i-validate ang kanilang mga resulta sa pamamagitan ng pagsubok sa mga gene signature sa mas maraming pasyenteng Pilipino na may breast cancer. Balak din nilang imbestigahan kung paano nauugnay ang UGT1 at CYP genes sa LVI upang matukoy ang mga kombinasyon ng gamot na mas epektibo para sa mga pasyenteng LVI-positive. “Our goal is to develop a practical test that can be used in Philippine hospitals to guide doctors in choosing the best treatment for each patient,” pagtatapos ni Dr. Velarde. [“Ang aming layunin ay makabuo ng isang praktikal na pagsusuri na maaaring gamitin sa mga ospital sa Pilipinas upang gabayan ang mga doktor sa pagpili ng pinakamahusay na paggamot para sa bawat pasyente.”

References:

Corachea, A. J. M., Ferrer, R. J. E., Ty, L. P. B., Aquino, L. A., Morta, M. T., Macalindong, S. S., Uy, G. L. B., Odoño, E. G., Llames, J. S., Tablizo, F. A., Paz, E. M. C. C., Dofitas, R. B., & Velarde, M. C. (2025). Lymphovascular invasion is associated with doxorubicin resistance in breast cancer. Laboratory Investigation, 104115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labinv.2025.104115

In the Philippines, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, with over 33,000 new cases reported in 2022. That year, it claimed more than 11,000 lives, making it the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the country, following lung cancer.

Aggressive breast cancers can spread to other organs, a process called metastasis. Before it does, however, the cancer cells must first invade the lymphatic and blood vessels, which enables them to travel to different parts of the body. This condition, known as lymphovascular invasion (LVI), serves as an early indicator of metastasis for doctors. Currently, LVI can only be detected by examining tissue surrounding the tumor that has been surgically removed.

Now, biologists from the University of the Philippines (UP) have developed a mathematical model that can detect LVI in breast cancer patients even before surgical treatment. Their study also revealed links between LVI and drug resistance, helping explain why breast cancer patients with LVI respond poorly to anticancer drugs.

“If we can detect LVI earlier, doctors could personalize patient treatment and improve their outcomes. This could help avoid ineffective treatments and focus on strategies that work better for aggressive breast cancer,” said corresponding author Dr. Michael Velarde of the UP Diliman College of Science Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB).

Along with Dr. Velarde, the study’s authors are Allen Joy Corachea, Regina Joyce Ferrer, Lance Patrick Ty, and Madeleine Morta of UPD-CS IB, and researchers from the Philippine Genome Center and UP Manila.

Before surgery, breast cancer patients are given anticancer drugs such as doxorubicin and anthracyclines to shrink the tumors first. In some cases, the treatment is so effective that the tumors disappear completely, eliminating the need for surgery. In other cases, however, the tumors only shrink, requiring surgical removal. It is only after this procedure that doctors can determine if the patients have LVI.

From the clinical data of 625 breast cancer patients at the Philippine General Hospital, along with publicly available data, Dr. Velarde and his co-authors observed that the majority of patients with LVI also responded poorly to the anticancer drugs.

They further confirmed the link between LVI and drug resistance by collecting tumor samples and growing them in a lab into organoids – small, organ-like structures that mimic real organs. Their tests revealed that LVI-positive organoids were indeed less receptive to anticancer drugs compared to LVI-negative ones.

They discovered that certain genes involved in breaking down anticancer drugs, called the UGT1 and CYP genes, are more abundant in patients with LVI. When these genes are more abundant, the drugs are broken down more quickly, reducing their effectiveness. As a result, patients with high activity of UGT1 and CYP genes are more likely to have tumors that survive chemotherapy and eventually metastasize.

Using these insights, they developed a regression model that analyzed the expression patterns of UGT1 and CYP genes. Their model correctly predicted LVI status at the time of biopsy and before surgery 92% of the time.

“Importantly, our approach can be implemented in the Philippines using locally available genomic technologies, making earlier detection and tailored treatment more accessible to Filipino patients,” added Dr. Velarde.

However promising, Dr. Velarde noted that the model is still in its early stages of development and is not yet ready to replace current methods for diagnosing LVI. “More validation studies are needed before this can be used in clinics.”

The authors also plan to validate their results by testing the gene signatures of larger groups of Filipino breast cancer patients. They plan to further investigate how UGT1 and CYP genes are related to LVI to identify drug combinations that work better for LVI-positive patients. “Our goal is to develop a practical test that can be used in Philippine hospitals to guide doctors in choosing the best treatment for each patient,” concluded Dr. Velarde.

References:

Corachea, A. J. M., Ferrer, R. J. E., Ty, L. P. B., Aquino, L. A., Morta, M. T., Macalindong, S. S., Uy, G. L. B., Odoño, E. G., Llames, J. S., Tablizo, F. A., Paz, E. M. C. C., Dofitas, R. B., & Velarde, M. C. (2025). Lymphovascular invasion is associated with doxorubicin resistance in breast cancer. Laboratory Investigation, 104115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labinv.2025.104115

Joshua Veluz, Paul Christian Gloria, Laurence Anthony Mallari, and Dr. Maria Auxilia Siringan of the Microbiological Research and Services Laboratory (MRSL) at the UPD-CS Natural Sciences Research Institute (NSRI), along with Ann Elizabeth Enova of the UPD-CS Marine Science Institute (MSI), reconstructed 17 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from microbial mats collected in Acacia, Mabini, Batangas. MAGs are genomes assembled from environmental samples without the need for cultivation and isolation.

“Our findings reveal diverse bacterial genomes with functional genes related to nutrient cycling, potentially supporting marine ecosystem health,” the researchers explained in an interview. Additionally, they identified biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) associated with the production of bioactive compounds. These BGCs enable microbes to produce antibiotics, anticancer agents, and other bioactive metabolites.

Their study underscores the vital role of microbial ecosystems in SGD sites, particularly in sustaining marine biodiversity and driving biogeochemical cycles. It also emphasizes the potential of these microbes to address the global demand for new antimicrobial agents.

“The baseline information and insights generated through our study are essential references in developing and establishing policies and regulations on environmental protection of our marine resources, such as those found in SGD-influenced sites in Mabini, Batangas,” the researchers said. They added that they also presented their findings and project outcomes to an audience of over 50 people at the Mabini Tourism Office, emphasizing the biodiversity in SGD-associated sites and providing recommendations. The meeting attendees included Mabini’s local government officials, tourism industry representatives, divers, and Bantay-Dagat members.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with nearly 2 million deaths. In the Philippines in 2022, it recorded 23,728 new cases—making it the second most common cancer after breast cancer—and caused 20,953 deaths, the highest among all cancer types. Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for more than 80% of cases. Experts say that late diagnosis and challenges in treating late-stage cases are the main factors affecting the cancer mortality rate, including NSCLC.

Biomarkers, which are essential measurable indicators in lung cancer management, help identify lung cancer subtypes, guide treatment options, and predict outcomes. The lack of biomarkers that can be used to detect NSCLC, and lung cancer as a whole, prompted scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) to identify potential biomarkers for lung cancer, specifically NSCLC lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

To address this challenge, Dr. Baby Rorielyn Dimayacyac-Esleta, Ferdinand Mira, Lara Beatrice Suñga, Venus Pondevida from the UPD-CS Institute of Chemistry (IC); Lorenzo Zarate, Ben Joshua Porras, Dave Laurence Juntilla, and Dr. Eloise Prieto of the UPD-CS National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB); and Dr. Sullian Naval, Dr. Treah May Sayo, and Dr. Herdee Gloriane Luna of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) conducted a quantitative proteomics analysis to examine total protein levels in tumor and adjacent normal tissue specimens from early-stage Filipino NSCLC LUAD patients, identifying 4,403 proteins with irregular expression in tumors.

The identified proteins are linked to cancer and play an important role in protein translation, carbohydrate metabolism, and the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway. According to the research, disrupting these functions may drive NSCLC progression.

A total of 33 proteins were identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers. “These proteins have aberrant expression in both gene and protein levels, and their gene levels are correlated with poor 5-year survival rate of NSCLC patients,” Dr. Esleta explained, noting that these proteins were previously detected in tissues and/or in the blood plasma of NSCLC patients, highlighting their potential for clinical use.

The proteins that the team identified can now be prioritized for qualification, verification, and validation in the biomarker development pipeline. During the qualification phase, a large collection of specimens will be analyzed using a targeted proteomics technique. “These proteins can be tested for possible application in the diagnosis of NSCLC to complement existing diagnostic methods such chest radiography, low dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan, and bronchoscopic examination, and significantly enhance the accuracy and sensitivity of detection,” Dr. Esleta added.

Dr. Esleta and her team are currently working on the establishment of the targeted proteomics pipeline in IC’s Clinical Proteomics Laboratory to have the capacity of continuing the goal of providing diagnostic protein biomarkers in the clinic.

Their research paper, titled “Discovery of Key Candidate Protein Biomarkers in Early-Stage Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma through Quantitative Proteomics,” is now included in the Journal of Proteome Research, a publication which reports on global protein analysis and function, including genomics, spatio-temporal proteomics, metabonomics and metabolomics, and clinical proteomics. Their work was supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).

References:

Dimayacyac-Esleta, B. R., Mira, F. D., Zarate, L. M., Porras, B. J., Juntilla, D. L., Suñga, L. B., Pondevida, V. B., Naval, S. S., Sayo, T. M., Luna, H. G., & Prieto, E. I. (2025). Discovery of key candidate protein biomarkers in early-stage Nonsmall cell lung carcinoma through quantitative Proteomics. Journal of Proteome Research. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00764

Ferlay, J., Ervik, M., Lam, F., Laversanne, M., Colombet, M., Mery, L., Piñeros, M., Znaor, A., Soerjomataram, I., & Bray, F. (2024). Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer. Retrieved from https://gco.iarc.who.int/today

Majeed, U., Manochakian, R., Zhao, Y., & Lou, Y. (2021). Targeted therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Current advances and future trends. Journal of Hematology & Oncology, 14(1).