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Blessa Mae O. Llamas and Donisa Madijah M. Mamalo, fourth year Bachelor of Science in Biology major in Animal Biology students of the University Southern Mindanao (USM), were selected for the 2025 Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) Undergraduate Thesis Grant in Natural Products. They will receive maximum of seventy-five thousand pesos (Php 75,000.00) thesis grant.
Guided by their adviser, Prince Nur-Hakeem N. Buisan, RMicro., MSc., Llamas and Mamalo were among the 18 selected entries out of 129, and one of only two qualifiers from Region XII—the other being Mindanao State University-General Santos City (MSU-GSC).
Their proposal titled, “Angiosuppressive and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Cinnamomum mercadoi S. Vidal Crude Solvent Extracts Using Chorioallantoic Membrane Assay”, aims to preliminarily investigate how the crude solvent extracts of Cinnamomum mercadoi, or locally known as kalingag, suppresses new blood vessel formation and anti-inflammatory responses. With implications towards anti-cancer research, while utilizing avian egg embryos as a model.
DOST-PCHRD’s grant provides fund support to all undergraduate students who will conduct their thesis on natural products from plants and microorganisms.
The program promotes research in natural products to grow the number of experts in the field. It supports the DOST-PCHRD’s Tuklas Lunas program, which aims to develop safe, effective, and affordable drugs from the country’s natural resources.
After completing their thesis and requirements, students will join a research presentation competition to showcase their work on natural products.
The team attended the online orientation on July 30, 2025 where the grant and the provisions of the memorandum of agreement were discussed.
