By Armando M. Guidote Jr. and Carlos P. Garcia

Drs. Aaron Joseph L. Villaraza, Manuel Joseph C. Loquias and Allan Patrick G. Macabeo are the recipients of the 2013 National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Talent Search for Young Scientists. These National Award winners were honored last 11 July 2013, during the Awarding and Closing Ceremonies of the NAST 35th Annual Scientific Meeting held at the Manila Hotel.

Dr. Aaron Joseph L. Villaraza receiving First Prize in the 2013 NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists.

Dr. Villaraza was awarded for outstanding scientific and technological contribution entitled “Macro-molecules, dendrimers, and nanomaterials in magnetic resonance imaging: The interplay between size, function, and pharmacokinetics”. He is currently an Associate Professor of the Institute of Chemistry of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He completed his PhD in Chemistry in 2008 at the School of Chemistry of Manchester University, working on the synthesis of heteropolymetallic lanthanide complexes for in vivo biological imaging. He was awarded a Cancer Research Training Fellowship at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. In 2010 he received his current faculty appointment at the University of the Philippines Diliman and teaches courses in Introductory and Advanced Inorganic Chemistry. Since 2010, in addition to teaching, he has also spent several months abroad in the Departments of Biology and Pharmacy of the University of Utah working on fluorescent marine snail toxins, and more recently, as a Visiting Academic at Oxford University’s Chemistry Research Laboratory, working on the synthesis of neuroactive bacterial secondary metabolites and their lanthanide conjugates. Dr. Villaraza helps out with the management of the new Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) facility of UP Diliman, and serves as coordinator for a General Chemistry course. He also co-manages the PMS-ICBG research program, a drug discovery program from marine sources funded by the US NIH-FIRCA.

Dr. Allan Macabeo receiving Third Prize in the 2013 NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists.

Dr. Macabeo was awarded Third prize for his work “Stereoselective routes to aryl substituted -butyrolactones and their application towards the synthesis of highly oxidized furanocembranoids”. He initiated his research career back at the University of San Tomas after receiving a doctorate degree from the Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Regensburg in 2011 under Prof. Dr. Oliver Reiser’s tutelage. His doctoral research focussed on the total synthesis of furanolactone cembranoids. An alumnus of Santo Tomas (BS Chemistry 1999; MS Chemistry 2003), he was awarded various fellowships including the DFG Research Fellowship (March-May 2011), Universität Regensburg and recently, the National Research Foundation (NRF)-Funded Visiting Research Fellowship (Prof. Zhao Yu Research Group), National University of Singapore, last April-June 2012. Those who know Allan describe him as a researcher, foremost, whose interest in naturally derived biologically active compounds brings the discipline of chemistry to answer problems traditionally dealt with by synthetic chemists.

Dr. Manuel Joseph C. Loquias (Mathematics) of the Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines-Diliman cited for his work entitled “Coincidence isometries of a shifted square lattice” bagged the Second prize, to round up this year’s winners. The NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists principal aim is to encourage young people to pursue a career in science. This year’s winners were selected from a total of nine competitors from across different academic institutions.

By Armando M. Guidote Jr.

KIMIKA, the Journal of the Philippine Federation of Chemistry Societies, held a three-day writing workshop last 10-12 April as part of the 2013 Philippine Chemistry Congress at the Silliman University Library’s American Studies Resource Center.

The writing workshop was made agreeable that even the most reluctant of writers met the expectations for writing workshop. To date, there have been six completed manuscripts submitted. The Workshop was facilitated by Dr. Drexel Camacho – KIMIKA Editor-in-Chief. It began with a talk on the qualities of manuscripts accepted by Kimika given by Dr. Nina Rojas and Mr. Elliard Roswell Yanza. The participants were then assigned to different mentors for individual guidance.

The mentors were led by the Kimika Editorial Board members: Dr. Drexel Camacho and the Field Editors: Dr. Nina Rojas (Biochemistry), Dr. Alicia Aguinaldo (Natural Products), Dr. Susan Arco (Organic Chemistry), and Dr. Josephine Castañares (Analytical Chemistry). The other mentors were Dr. Lourdes Guidote, Dr. Nestor Valera and Dr. Rene Macahig.

Workshop Participants:

1. Lavilla, Charlie (MSU-IIT)
2. Lagua, Faith Marie G. (De La Salle University)
3. Labastilla, Evelyn M. (Tarlac State University)
4. Cabugos-Flores, Annabelle (De La Salle University and DOST)
5. Reyes, Ronald L. (Ateneo de Manila University)
6. Ramal, Allan A. (University of San Carlos)
7. Junio, Melanie O. (University of the Assumption)
8. Tabunag, Jenny Syl D. (MSU-IIT)
9. Yanza, Elliard Roswell (Ateneo de Manila University)
10. dela Rosa, Francis M. (PTRI-DOST)
11. Castillo, Leah (FNRI-DOST)
12. Abrea, Anthony (PSHS-CVISC)
13. Medrano, Irma G. (Ateneo de Naga University)
14. Villegas, Lora Mae G. (University of San Carlos)
15. Yachob-Saddalani, Sheeva(Western Mindanao State University)
16. Sy, Jennifer (Pamantasan ng Lungsod na Maynila)

The workshop was made possible by support from the Commission on Higher Education and the Silliman University. Efficient assistance was given by Mr. Francis Biyok of the Silliman University Department of Chemistry.

Plans are currently being made for the 2014 Kimika Writing Workshop as part of the Philippine Chemistry Congress in Naga City, Camarines Sur.

• 63rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting from 30 June to 5 July 2013 
• 35 laureates and more than 600 young researchers from nearly 80 countries 
• Green Chemistry is a central topic

The first week of July will see 35 Nobel Laureates congregate at Lake Constance in Germany to meet the next generation of leading scientists and researchers at the 63rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. More than 600 young researchers from nearly 80 countries will be part of this special convention – among them Rene Angelo Macahig, a 32-year-old Assistant Professor from the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines, who is looking forward to the scientific exchange in Lindau: “As a young scientist and a Filipino, it will be an immensely galvanizing experience to be able to participate in the Lindau Meeting, interact with some of the brightest minds in the world and be inspired by a generation of Nobel laureates who have pushed the frontiers of science and expanded our understanding of the universe.”

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On 21 May 2013, the Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas – Division of Analytical Sciences (KKP-DAS) held a two-day training course on “Measurement Uncertainty in Analytical Chemistry: A Hands-on Approach” at the Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corporation (PASAR) in Isabel, Leyte. This significant training course revisits the fundamental principles, evaluation strategies and the general prominence of measurement uncer-tainty in chemical analysis amid the changing landscape and demands of Analytical science.

The decision whether a given result indicates compliance or non-compliance with a specification, it is necessary to take into account the measurement uncertainty associated with the result. The training included hands-on experiences on the identification of sources and spread-sheet calculation of uncertainty in chemistry measurements. The training team was led by Dr. Fortunato Sevilla III of the University of Santo Tomas and Dr. Lilibeth Coo of the University of the Philippines. The seminar includes a discussion and general recommendations, followed by more detailed instructions on establishing rules for interpretation and by several examples.

Participants came from various segments within PASAR to include its laboratory managers, supervisors, analysts and technicians. Participant worked on exercises on the quantification of measurement uncertainty, using in-house chemical analysis data. Measurement uncertainty has become an important parameter for the global quality and acceptability of the results of chemical measurements.  It is used as the basis for decision on the fitness for purpose of the results of chemical analysis.  It is a requirement in the documentation of measurement data in ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratories. This training course was a sequel to the previous workshop that KKP-DAS conducted for PASAR on “Quality Measurements in the Analytical Laboratory” held last December 2012.