Dr. Jonel Saludes earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from University of San Agustin and MS Chemistry from University of Santo Tomas major in natural products under the supervision of Dr. Alicia Aguinaldo and the current IUPAC President-Elect Dr. Mary Garson. At University of California, he earned a PhD in Organic Chemistry and demonstrated the structure of novel peptides that serve as marker of human cancers using 600 MHz cryoprobe NMR. He pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in chemical biology at University of Colorado, where he investigated protein-protein interactions in viral infection using 800 MHz cryoprobe NMR, as well as created synthetic peptides that detect extracellular vesicles involved in cell signaling. He pursued an independent academic career at Washington State University, where he developed SialoPenTM, a new generation of cell penetrating peptides using a sugar amino acid backbone.
In 2015, he returned to the Philippines as a Balik Scientist and is currently a Professor of Chemistry and the Vice President for Research and Global Relations at University of San Agustin in Iloilo City. He is also the Director of the Center for Natural Drug Discovery and Development (CND3) and pursues research programs in cell signaling to understand inflammatory diseases, antibiotic drug discovery, and development of agricultural commodities into standardized commercial products such as pineapple, molasses, tawatawa, honey, and kadios. In partnership with Pharma GalenX based in Jaro, Iloilo City, he helped develop the FDA-registered skin pharmaceutical products with antibiotic properties, branded as HONELLE and SKIVIOS, that are now sold in pharmacies and online platforms nationwide. His leadership established 5 world-class research centers, namely C2B2, CANMEET, CFI, CHIC, and CND3, to help address pressing societal issues in health and wellness, Filipino heritage and indigenous peoples, data analytics, and nanotechnology for environmental problems. In May 2022, he established the first and only cryoprobe NMR facility in the Philippines, the USA DOST-PCHRD Tuklas Lunas NMR Laboratory Visayas. On January 10, 2025, Dr. Saludes opened the country’s one-and-only DOST NICER in Functional Food called KNIF2E, the Kasanggang NICER In Functional Food Excellence, dedicated to the valorization of agricultural commodities into high value products using the power of chemistry and biology research interface.
In 2021, Dr. Saludes was recognized as one of the Top 100 Asian Scientists, the PRC Outstanding Professional of the Year in Chemistry, and the PNHRS Best Mentor in Health Research. In November 2024, Dr. Saludes was awarded the Outstanding Science Administrator Award (Dioscoro Umali Medal) by the National Academy of Science and Technology.
University of San Agustin
