By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr.

A chemistry researcher from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland, United States is now virtually onboard as a visiting professor anew at the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU). 

Dr. Concepcion A. Remoroza, a Filipino balik-scientist, will provide training and consultancy services to MMSU for two months. Her visiting professorship in the university is being hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences–Department of Biological Sciences (CAS-DBS).

University officials, faculty and students welcomed the visiting professor in a welcome program yesterday, October 5. 

As a visiting professor, Remoroza will hold a training and demonstration on glycoproteomics (introduction, data acquisition and processing, analysis and interpretation) for faculty and students among the MMSU departments of biological sciences, physical sciences, computing and information sciences, pharmacy, chemical engineering and marine biology, and from the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center and Tuklas Lunas Development Center.

She will also provide consultancy services on MMSU’s projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), and for the research of employees and students. 

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis said the chemist’s visiting professorship at the university is “a showcase of a real partnership that is nurtured with trust and commitment through the years.” 

She said MMSU takes pride to become the only state university in the country that has forged partnership with NIST, with the aim to establish the Carbohydrate Research Center (CRC) in the university. The proposed center will focus on the utilization of farm wastes leading to the production of food and medicine. (Read: https://www.mmsu.edu.ph/news/us-based-filipino-chemist-to-lead-creation-of-crc-in-mmsu).

CAS-DBS chairperson Doreen D. Domingo hopes they can initiate other PCHRD projects, invite more NIST experts as speakers at the university, and establish additional linkages with the US-based institution at the end of Remoroza’s visiting professorship. 

The US-based Filipino chemist first visited MMSU in 2018 to train faculty and students on carbohydrates chemistry and mass spectrometry, and provide consultancy services for the CRC’s establishment. (StratCom)