Pinoy inventor investigates abaca spacesuits and other nanotech innovations

Pinoy inventor investigates abaca spacesuits and other nanotech innovations

Published: November 20, 2023

By: Harvey L. Sapigao

Nanotechnology is a bustling field that opens the door to innovation across a wide variety of industries, from fashion and clothing to health and wellness. With this in mind, Dr. Gil Nonato Santos launched the iNano Research Facility in 2006.

 

iNano aims to provide nanotech-related services to academic institutions and industries, from manufacturing nanoparticles to nano-coating materials. Its diverse range of projects includes an abaca fabric coated with nanocomposites that can be used for spacesuits. Another project is focused on detecting lung diseases such as active tuberculosis, which affects 10 million people worldwide.

Dr. Gil Nonato Santos, head of DLSU’s iNano Research Facility, demonstrates a cost-effective tuberculosis test that uses nanotechnology to detect telltale compounds in a patient’s breath. (Photo credit: Dr. Gil Nonato Santos)

Dr. Santos  received his doctorate from the University of the Philippines – Diliman National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP). He is currently a full professor at De La Salle University – Laguna (DLSU-Laguna) and a visiting professor at Osaka University.

 

Based out of DLSU-Laguna, iNano has collaborations with institutions and companies across the globe, including a prestigious partnership with Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI), a global company that manufactures electronics and semiconductor supplies, and support from USAID. iNano also has collaborations with the Lung Center of the Philippines and National Taiwan University.

 

More of iNano’s achievements and goals will be discussed by Dr. Santos at the next iStories session on Monday, November 20, at 4:00 PM. He will give his talk at the CS Admin Auditorium and will also be live streamed on Zoom. To join, you may register through this link: https://bit.ly/iStories6 

 

iStories is a series of monthly innovation-themed talks, storytelling, and activities featuring local and international scientists. The initiative aims to ignite the creativity and inventiveness of young scientists not just from UPD-CS but also from other institutes inside and outside of UP.

 

For inquiries about iStories, please message adride_staff@science.upd.edu.ph 

 

For interview requests and other media concerns, please contact media@science.upd.edu.ph

UP geologists sweep 2023 PRC Licensure Exam

UP geologists sweep 2023 PRC Licensure Exam

Published: November 17, 2023

By: Harvey L. Sapigao

All ten topnotchers of the Philippine Regulation Commission’s (PRC’s) recently-conducted annual Geologists Licensure Exam are from the UP Diliman College of Science National Institute of Geological Sciences (UPD-CS NIGS).

UPD-CS NIGS was also the overall top-performing school, with 48 of 52 examinees having passed the licensure exam—a passing rate of 92.31% for the Institute. In comparison, the total passing rate for all 351 examinees from across the country was 47.01%.


The PRC Geologists Licensure Exam was computer-based, and held online from November 13 to 15, 2023.


Pursuant to Republic Act 10166, also known as the Geology Profession Act of 2012, the PRC Geology Licensure is a requirement for any individual who wants to practice geology as a profession in the Philippines.

 

For interview requests and other concerns, please contact media@science.upd.edu.ph.

UP scientist’s novel tech empowers rural fisherfolk

UP scientist’s novel tech empowers rural fisherfolk

Published: November 9, 2023

By: Timothy James M. Dimacali

Innovative data-driven technologies are empowering Filipino coastal communities by enabling them to make better informed decisions on when and how to utilize marine resources. 

 

An advocate of sustainable fishing practices, Dr. Aletta Concepcion T. Yñiguez of the UP Diliman College of Science’s Marine Science Institute (UPD-CS MSI) has been working closely with small-scale fishers and government agencies to help rural fisherfolk with technologies developed by UP scientists.

Dr. Yñiguez holds a SensPak tube, developed in collaboration with the National Institute of Physics, off the coast of Bolinao in June 2021. Once lowered in the water, such devices can help scientists and fisherfolk monitor the health of the marine environment almost in real time. (Photo credit: UPD-CS MSI DOST HABHazard Program)

Yñiguez collaborated closely with an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the UP Diliman College of Science’s National Institute of Physics (NIP), led by Dr. Giovanni Tapang,  to create compact sensor arrays that fit neatly into an ordinary PVC tube. Dubbed SensPak, the devices can monitor environmental conditions and send this valuable data in real time to scientists, fisherfolk, and decision makers for assessment and action.

 

She and her fellow MSI researchers also created ARAICoBeH (A Rapid Assessment Instrument for Coastal Benthic Habitats), an inexpensive tool for taking underwater photos of endangered areas such as coral reefs without needing to dive. She also spearheaded HABHub (Harmful Algal Bloom Hub), an online platform that facilitates the detection and reporting of algal blooms, which could threaten both the lives and livelihoods of affected fisherfolk. 

 

HABHub utilizes robust early-warning systems that allow for more proactive mitigation and enhanced understanding of HAB phenomena. HABHub also makes use of the Automated Water Quality Monitoring System (AWQMS) developed by the MSI’s Dr. Cesar Villanoy, Dr. Charina Amedo-Repollo, and Rachel Francisco, which continually looks at the temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and amount of chlorophyll in the water.

 

These and other innovations and insights from Dr. Yñiguez were the focus of a recent iStories webinar, hosted by the UPD-CS. 

 

“To ensure the sustainable utilization and management of ocean resources, it is critical that observational, monitoring and decision-support tools are in place to provide concrete, science-based information and management. But the technologies, tools and capacity for these are sorely lacking,” Dr. Yñiguez said at the event. 

 

“Our present efforts help bridge this gap through interdisciplinary collaborations to develop cost-effective sensors that automate ocean observation, building ocean data repositories and models for understanding, forecasting and decision-support,” she added.

 

For her work, Dr. Yñiguez was bestowed The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service (TOWNS) award in 2022. Given by the TOWNS Foundation, Inc., the prestigious award honors Filipinas 21 to 45 years old who have contributed greatly to Philippine society in their chosen fields.

 

iStories is a series of monthly innovation-themed talks, storytelling, and activities featuring local and international scientists. The initiative aims to ignite the creativity and inventiveness of young scientists not just from UPD-CS but also from other institutes inside and outside of UP.

 

For inquiries about iStories, please message adride_staff@science.upd.edu.ph 

 

For interview requests and other media concerns, please contact media@science.upd.edu.ph  

4th Graduate Student Research Conference

4th Graduate Student Research Conference

Save the Date! 

Join us at the 4th Graduate Student Research Conference on November 13, 2023, at the CS Admin Building Auditorium! 

Get ready to be inspired by the innovative research and groundbreaking ideas of our talented graduate students!

UPD-CS celebrates 40 years with Science Film Festival in partnership with Goethe Institut

UPD-CS celebrates 40 years with Science Film Festival in partnership with Goethe Institut

Published: October 24, 2023

By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

In celebration of its 40th Anniversary, the UP Diliman College of Science in partnership with the Goethe-Institut is providing free university and public screenings of the Philippine Science Film Festival Philippines 2023.

 

The two days of screenings (see schedule below) will kick off on the College’s Anniversary on Thursday, October 26, and will be held at the UPD-CS Institute of Biology Auditorium at the National Science Complex, UP Diliman. Students and members of the public are free to attend but may be asked to show a valid university or government ID for security purposes.

 

Founded in 1983, the UP Diliman College of Science is the country’s premier generator of new scientific knowledge and the leading producer of PhD and MS graduates in the basic and applied sciences and mathematics. In 2023 alone, the College graduated 19 PhDs, the most in its four-decade history.

 

The Science Film Festival Philippines, now in its 14th year, will be held from October 25 to December 01, 2023. Celebrated as one of the biggest and longest-running science events in the Philippines, the festival offers a roster of 34 science-related films in support of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

FILM SCHEDULES

 

DAY 1 (October 26, Thursday)

 

Short Film Entries

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Ranging in length from 6 minutes to 10 minutes, these brief documentaries cover a range of topics from “The Forgotten Forest” to “Redesigning the Wheel”. 

 

Powering Puerto Rico

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

This is a film about a Northeastern University professor’s innovative solution to provide affordable renewable power to Puerto Rico using reconditioned hybrid car batteries after Hurricane Maria left millions without electricity.

 

A League of Extraordinary Makers: Rise of the Makers

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

A documentary exploring the rise of the Maker Movement, highlighting individuals who create, innovate, and hack a wide range of products and technologies, from everyday items to groundbreaking innovations, as they become the heroes of this movement.

 

Kelp – South Africa’s Golden Forests | The Last Seed

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

“Kelp” explores the hidden beauty and importance of the Great African Seaforest on South Africa’s Western coastline, emphasizing its contributions to livelihoods, conservation, and cultural heritage while advocating for its sustainable management in the face of climate change.

 

“The Last Seed” is a close-up look at the challenges facing food and agriculture in 21st-century Africa, with a central focus on the control of seeds, while raising questions about lost values and the search for sustainable solutions, using music, dance, visuals, and the experiences of small-scale food producers and experts.

 

DAY 2 (October 27, Friday)

 

Short Film Entries

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Ranging in length from 6 minutes to 10 minutes, these brief documentaries cover a range of topics from “The Forgotten Forest” to “Redesigning the Wheel”.

 

Duty of Care – The Climate Trials

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Lawyer Roger Cox’s pioneering legal actions against the Dutch government and Shell resulted in landmark climate rulings that sparked a global wave of climate cases, with a cast of characters and experts exploring the principles of justice in addressing humanity’s greatest climate challenge.

 

Gardening Marine Forests: A Hands-on Approach to Restoration | Wild Hope – Coffee for Water

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

In “Gardening Marine Forests,” two marine scientists explore how a hands-on approach to marine restoration is reviving kelp forests in South Korea by emphasizing the deep connection between people and the ocean, showcasing inspiring examples of community involvement and sustainable practices.

 

“Coffee for Water” showcases the inspiring change-makers who are actively restoring and safeguarding the environment. With a focus on growing coffee to preserve Mozambican rainforests, this film emphasizes the power of local actions and offers a hopeful perspective.

 

Forest Partners

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

This documentary explores the symbiotic relationship between public and private organizations, local communities, and tropical forests, showcasing innovative solutions that blend technology and traditional knowledge to protect and sustainably manage these landscapes, with a focus on success stories from South America, Africa, and Asia.


For further inquiries, please message media@science.upd.edu.ph

UP scientists make composite flowers to fight cancer-causing dyes

UP scientists make composite flowers to fight cancer-causing dyes

Published: October 6, 2023

By: Timothy James M. Dimacali

Scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) have simplified the process of making microscopic composite flowers that can neutralize the highly carcinogenic azo dyes widely used in food, clothes, and medicines.

Seen under an electron microscope, these nanoflowers—each one less than half the width of a human hair—feature a gold center surrounded by ‘petals’ made from a copper compound. This nanomaterial has been found to facilitate the degradation of widely used but highly toxic azo dyes. (Photo credit: Wiley-VCH; see reference below)

Azo dyes are synthetic colorants that come in a variety of vivid colors, including red, orange, and yellow. They were commonly used in everything from denim and leather to soft drinks and jams. However, it was discovered that some azo dyes are closely linked to bladder cancer. Moreover, the regulated use and safe disposal of these carcinogenic azo dyes remain a global concern.

 

A new material that may help to safely degrade azo dyes was recently investigated by Enrico Daniel R. Legaspi, Prof. Michelle D. Regulacio, and Leila Andrea E. Pineda from the Institute of Chemistry (UPD-CS IC); Luce Vida A. Sayson of the Material Science and Engineering Program (UPD-CS MSEP); and colleagues from Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR).

 

The nanocomposite material exhibits a flower-like structure, each just around 50 nanometers in diameter or less than half the width of a human hair, with a gold (Au) center surrounded by petal-like copper oxide (Cu2O) crystals. It was found that this configuration greatly enhances Cu2O’s ability to catalyze the breakdown of azo dyes into harmless chemicals.

 

The researchers said that this is the first time that this flower-like configuration has been synthesized in a single manufacturing setup, thereby paving the way for easier and more affordable production.

 

“The one-pot synthesis protocol presented in this work is a more straightforward and less laborious approach that does not require a separate pre-synthesis step. Furthermore, the synthesis can be conveniently performed at ambient conditions using nontoxic reagents,” the researchers explained in their paper.

 

“The uniquely designed Au-Cu2O nanoflowers were found to effectively catalyze the borohydride-mediated degradation of synthetic azo dyes. The hybrid exhibited superior catalytic activity relative to pristine Cu2O, underscoring the significance of creating a nanocomposite,” they added.

 

For interview requests and other concerns, please contact media@science.upd.edu.ph.

 

References:
Legaspi, E. D. R., Regulacio, M. D., Pineda, L. A. E., Sayson, L. V. A., Jiang, W., Heng, J. Z. X., Wu, W., & Ye, E. (2023). Facile One‐Pot Synthesis of Uniquely Designed Au−Cu2O Nanocomposites for Effective Catalytic Degradation of Azo Dyes. ChemistrySelect, 8(25), e202300904. https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.202300904

Bee nests inspire UP scientists to make new ‘smart’ materials

Bee nests inspire UP scientists to make new 'smart' materials

Published: September 25, 2023

By: Timothy James M. Dimacali

Bee nests are a marvel of natural engineering that have inspired human engineers and inventors for centuries. Now, Filipino researchers are investigating ways to create porous materials that not only mimic the strengths of beehives but are also able to selectively trap microparticles. These new materials have potential uses in everything from water purifiers to medical sensors.

The researchers from the UPD-CS Institute of Chemistry include the paper’s authors (counter-clockwise, from middle left) Jose Jesus Gayosa, Dr. Susan Arco, Gillian Kathryn Yap, and Marco Laurence Budlayan. Not in photo is fellow UP researcher and co-author, Jonathan Patricio. Also in photo (at back, L to R) are Leo Sabolboro and Miguel Karlo Santos. (Photo credit: Dr. Susan Arco)

Jonathan Patricio, Gillian Kathryn Yap, Jose Jesus Gayosa, and Dr. Susan Arco of the UP Diliman College of Science’s Institute of Chemistry (UPD-CS IC) and colleagues from the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) were able to control the physical properties of porous polyvinyl chloride (PVC) films by adjusting the drying temperature used in the manufacturing process.

 

The PVC is formed around droplets of water which, when they evaporate, leave a pattern of microscopic holes reminiscent of a bee’s nest. Such honeycomb structures have long been recognized for their engineering applications:

 

“One of the most interesting structures inspired by nature is the honeycomb pattern… Its unique properties and structure inspired the construction of light and robust aircraft and spacecraft, protection gear, panels, packaging, and cushioning because of an ability to absorb impact and energy,” the researchers explained in their paper.

 

“The repeating units of a honeycomb pattern can also effectively trap particles and impurities thus making them a promising structure for air and water filters,” they added.

The UP researchers investigated the difference in the honeycomb structure of PVC films that were dried at room temperature (a) and at temperatures above 80°C (b). (Photo credit: M. L. M. Budlayan)
Drying temperatures in the manufacturing process for PVC films affects the wall thickness and cell size of the films’ honeycomb structures. These PVC films have a wide range of potential uses. (Photo credit: M. L. M. Budlayan)

The researchers also explored the wettability of the various honeycomb PVC materials they created, as well as the potential of selectively trapping microparticles by subjecting the honeycomb to an electric charge.


The study “opens the possibility of integrating polymeric honeycomb structures into substrates used for microparticle trapping, sensing, and other related applications,” the researchers concluded.


For interview requests and other concerns, please contact media@science.upd.edu.ph. 


References:


Budlayan, M. L. M., Patricio, J. N., Yap, G. K. B., Gayosa, J. J. A., Arco, S. D., Diaz, J. M. A., & Guerrero, R. A. (2023). Honeycomb pattern formation on poly(Vinyl chloride) films: Electrically-driven microparticle trapping and the effect of drying temperature. Materials Research Express, 10(8), 085304. https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/acefb1

Investigating the role of bird perches in reforestation

Investigating the role of bird perches in reforestation

Published: September 12, 2023

By: Timothy James M. Dimacali

Reforesting damaged forests is crucial for fighting climate change and protecting wildlife. One common way to do this is by planting trees, but this can be expensive and labor-intensive. A cheaper and more effective approach is Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR), which can involve the use of bird perches to attract fruit-eating birds that can help spread tree seeds and speed up the natural regeneration of the forest.

A Philippine green pigeon (Treron axillaris) is seen eating a fig, the seeds of which will be dispersed the next time the bird defecates. Researchers are looking at the potential role of artificial and natural bird perches in this dispersal process towards restoring degraded forests.(Photo credit: Jelaine Lim Gan)

Researchers from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB), the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, and the UK’s Newcastle University aim to embark on a systematic review and meta analysis of previous studies and observations to figure out how well artificial and natural perches work in increasing seed dispersal and seedling growth on degraded areas.

 

“The results will synthesize available evidence on the topic, identify knowledge gaps we need filling to upscale the strategy, and inform their use in concert with other ANR strategies,” the researchers said in their paper. “The search strategy was informed through a literature scan and discussions with stakeholders and experts,” they added.

 

The meta study aims to see if perches help bring in more seeds and seedlings in terms of numbers and types. The researchers hope to learn how to use perches better and combine them with other strategies to bring damaged forests back to life.

 

The results of the meta study are expected to be available in 2024.

 

References:

Gan, J. L., Grainger, M. J., Shirley, M. D. F., & Pfeifer, M. (03 August 2023). How effective are perches in promoting bird-mediated seed dispersal for natural forest regeneration? A systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence, 12(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-023-00308-z

BS Biology Scholarship Grant

The Family of Dr. Alfonso A. Aliga and Flordelis Asis Aliga Scholarship Grant

Qualifications:

1. Must be a Filipino Citizen.
2. Regular student at the University and minimum Second Year standing.
3. Currently enrolled in the BS Biology program.
4. Must have earned minimum cumulative weighted average grade “2.75” in all courses.
5. Enrolled and passed in at least Fifteen (15) credit units per semester.
6. Must not have received any final grade lower than “3.00” or have an existing grade of “INC”.
7. Parents / Guardian’s combined annual gross income is not more than Three Hundred Thousand Pesos (P 300,000.00).
8. Must have not been held liable in any disciplinary action.
9. Must have been of good moral character and must not has been convicted on any crime.

 

Benefits:


1. Stipend: P 5,000 / month
2. Miscellaneous Expenses (Book Allowance): P 5,000 / Sem

Deadline: September 30, 2023

Please submit the following requirements:

1. Accomplished Scholarship Form
2. ITR (Latest)
3. TCG
4. Form 5
5. GMC
6. OSE Clearance
to adsapa_staff@science.upd.edu.ph