10 LOCAL

BIOTECHNOLOGIST
Angel Alcala is a world-renowned
Filipino ecologist and biologist with
more than 30 years of contributions
to the field of conservation biology.
He was the first scientist to
comprehensively study the reptiles
and amphibians of the Philippines,
and his research led to the identification of more than 50
new species.
Filipino scientist Benjamin
Cabrera is a physician who
is known for his works on
public health and medical
parasitology. He studied and
devised treatments for the
tropical disease filariasis, for
which he received the Philippine
Legion of Honor in 1996. He also
carried out research on simian malaria and ascariasis.
 Dr. Pedro Escuro has made significant
contributions to rice breeding. He
provided leadership in the
development, isolation, and release of
nine Seed Board rice varieties: Milpal
4, HBD-2, Azmil 26 and C-22 (upland)
and C-18, C4-63, C4-137, C-168 and
C-12 (lowland). Dr. Escuro has 18
honors and awards to his name.

Dr. Pedro Escuro has made significant contributions

to rice breeding. He provided leadership in the
development, isolation, and release of nine Seed Board
rice varieties: Milpal 4, HBD-2, Azmil 26 and C-22
(upland) and C-18, C4-63, C4-137, C-168 and C-12
(lowland). Dr. Escuro has 18 honors and awards to his
name.
He led the world's first national-scale assessment of
damage to coral reefs leading to international
conservation initiatives such as the replanting of corals.
He also pioneered giant clam (Tridacna gigas) breeding stationed in Bolinao and
other protective areas for coastal communities of the Philippines.
National Scientist Bienvenido O. Juliano,
known Filipino expert in Organic Chemistry, joined
our Creator on February 21, 2018. He demonstrated
that the amylose (a linear polymer made up of D-
glucose units) content of starch determines the
quality of milled rice in Asia. In addition, he also
delved into the nutritional quality of rice and
formulated an innovative and improved
methods for grain quality evaluation
 Dr. Milagrosa R. Martinez-Goss is a
Professor Emeritus at the Institute of
Biological Sciences and recognized for her
important contributions to the field of
phycology. She is the MNH’s curator for
algae and diatoms. Ma'm Goss is dubbed
the “great algal-agriculturist of the sea” for
her exceptional contributions in the study
of diatoms and algal taxonomy, a field
dominated by foreign researchers. She has
described around 20 new species and
varieties of algae and determined 20 more as new country records for the
Philippines.

Dr. Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza is

recognized for her significant contributions in
plant biochemistry and biotechnology research
and education. Among her contributions are
the following: (1) comprehensive biochemical
and nutritional studies on Philippine
indigenous legumes; (2) biochemical
mechanisms of plant resistance against
selected pests and diseases; (3) fatty acid and
triacylglycerol composition of coconut
varieties and hybrids; (4) established the
biochemical basis of the makapuno coconut
phenotype; (5) physicochemical and
molecular studies on the storage proteins of
coconut; (6) development and use of biochemical and molecular tools in studying
genetic diversity of plants and pests; (7) development of papaya with delayed
ripening trait by genetic engineering; (8) physicochemical, functional, molecular
studies and engineering of mungbean and coconut proteins, and ; (9) and gene
discovery initiatives in important crops.
 Baldomero Olivera Jr. is currently a
Distinguished Professor of Biology at the
University of Utah and a Howard Hughes Medical
Institute Professor. He is also a member of the
National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of
Medicine. Baldomero Olivera Jr. is currently a
Distinguished Professor of Biology at the
University of Utah and a Howard Hughes Medical
Institute Professor. He is also a member of the
National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of
Medicine. His early research contributions include
the discovery and biochemical characterization of
E. coli DNA ligase, a key enzyme of DNA replication and repair that is widely
used in recombinant DNA technology. He is presently a Distinguished Professor of
Biology at the University of Utah.
Eduardo Quisumbíng y Argüelles was a Filipino
biolog. Quisumbing is pioneer in the study of Philippine
medicinal plants where he made tremendous
contribution. His book Medicinal Plants in Philippines
is the forerunner of all researches on medicinal plants in
the country. He was author of more than 129 scientific
articles published here and abroad.

Asuncion Karganilla-Raymundo is a Filipino

biologist and Professor Emeritus for Microbiology at
the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of
Agriculture. Raymundo is recognized for her significant
scientific contributions in the field of microbial genetics
research and education in the country. She is a pioneer
in the application of biotechnology of agriculture in the
Philippines. Her specialization covers microbial
genetics, industrial microbiology and biotechnology.