Four scientific papers co-authored by UPLB faculty members and researchers won the 2020 National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Outstanding Scientific Paper Awards.

NAST announced the winning papers on its official Facebook page on June 25.

The Outstanding Scientific Paper Awards are given annually for papers with quality content and significant contribution to science and technology.

These papers should be published in Thompson Reuters- or SCOPUS-listed journals in the Philippines within five years preceding the awarding period.

Three of the four papers co-authored by UPLB personnel were published in the Philippine Journal of Science (PJS).  

First is the “Genome-guided molecular characterization of oil genes in coconut (Coconut nucifera L.)”  written by Anand Noel C. Manohar, Darlon V. Lantican, Melvin P. Dancel, Don Emanuel M. Cardona, Alissa Carol M. Ibarra, Cynthia R. Gulay, Alma O. Canama, Roanne R. Gardoce, and Hayde F. Galvez.

The said authors are currently and formerly based at the following UPLB units: the Philippine Genome Center-Program for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry (PGC-Agriculture), Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), and Institute of Crop Science (ICropS). IPB and ICropS are both under the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS).

Second is the“Filipino DNA variation at 36 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) marker units”  by Jazelyn M. Salvador, Jae Joseph Russell B. Rodriguez, Lindsay Clare DL. Carandang, Altair B. Agmata, Maria Lourdes D. Honrado, Frederick C. Delfin, and Maria Corazon A. De Ungria.

Rodriguez is a faculty member at the Genetics and Molecular Biology Division of the Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

The third PJS-published paper is the“Chemical reaction networks: Filipino contributions to their theory and its applications”  co-authoredby Carlene P.C. Pilar-Arceo, Editha C. Jose, Angelyn R. Lao, and Eduardo R. Mendoza.

Dr. Jose is an associate professor and the director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics, CAS.

On the other hand, the remaining paper was published in the Philippine Journal of Crop Science.

Entitled “DNA fingerprinting and genetic diversity analysis of Philippine Saba and other cultivars of Musa balbisiana Colla using simple sequence repeat markers,” this scientific paper is co-authored by Arnelyn Doloiras-Laraño, Roberta N. Garcia, Carlo Miguel C. Sandoval, Antonio G. Lalusin, Lavernee S. Gueco, Visitacion C. Huelgas, and Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza.

Doloiras-Laraño is formerly with IPB-CAFS and is currently a PhD student at Ehime University, Japan; Gueco, Huelgas, and Dr. Mendoza are from IPB-CAFS; while Dr. Garcia, Sandoval, and Dr. Lalusin are faculty members at ICropS-CAFS.

The winning papers were determined according to their content quality, contribution to science and technology, clarity of presentation, and thoroughness of research documentation.

Five other papers made it to the winning circle. These scientific papers cover agricultural sciences, biological sciences, engineering sciences and technology, mathematical and physical sciences, health sciences, and social sciences.

NAST is the country’s highest recognition and advisory body on issues concerning science and technology. (KEAraguas with reports from NAST Facebook page and nast.ph)