By Maria Kathrina Antonio

Following its remarkable feat at the E-NNOVATE International Invention & Innovation Summit in Krakow, Poland, MMSU receives the Gold Award (Pharma Category) and a Special International Award from BauerTek Farmaceutical Technologies Corporation for the MMSU Black Garlic initiative on May 31 at the Center for Flexible Learning. Dr. Richard Nixon Gomez, general manager of BauerTek, presented the award.

MMSU’s industry partner, BauerTek, and inventors Richard and Rigel Gomez assisted in converting black garlic from a research experiment into a full-blown nutraceutical product. The black garlic capsule aims to help patients with nerve disorders and certain forms of cancer.

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis, who also serves as the project leader of MMSU’s black garlic production program, expressed her pride and joy in this feat, stating how the university’s research and development products are competitive on an international scale.

Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, MMSU vice president for research, development, and innovation; Dr. Virgilio Manzano, Jr., MMSU vice president for planning and strategic foresight; Dr. Dionisio Bucao, director for research; Dr. Marilou Lucas, director for extension; Mayor Joefrey Saguid of the Municipality of Dingras; Atty. Alfonso Delos Reyes from the Municipality of Solsona; Engr. Brian Rasco from DOST Ilocos Norte; Prof. Rhian Jaymar Ramil, project staff level 3 of IFP-Probiotics; the MMSU probiotics team; and other university officials and staff were present at the event. Delegates of the Indigenous Food Research Consortium, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, and Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College also joined via Zoom.

In February 2022, MMSU and BauerTek partnered in exploring pharmaceutical applications of indigenous food plants (IFPs) and other herbal plants in the Ilocos, such as makahiya and lagundi, turmeric, and garlic, especially the black garlic, and the eventual isolation and production of S-allyl L-cysteine (SAC). Furthermore, the partnership between academia and industry on IFP probiotics was forged.

Meanwhile, MMSU and BauerTek signed a memorandum of agreement in early 2023 for the Experiential Pharmacy Practice (EPP) program. In the agreement, BT accommodated pharmacy students of MMSU College of Health Sciences for a 150-hour in-person internship in its laboratory based in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

BauerTek Corporation, a Filipino-owned pharmaceutical firm based in Bulacan, is a production, research, and development pharmaceutical facility for all-natural herbal supplements, standing in its company motto, Imbensiyong Pinoy, Gawang Pinoy.