A PROFESSOR from the University of Santo Tomas has been elected as the new Chair of the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the National Research Council of the Philippines.

Dr. Ross Vasquez will serve the post for two years from 2024-2026.

According to UST, Vasquez will focus on “Fostering Filipino Excellence in Pharmaceutical Science: Advancing Research, Transforming Healthcare, and Enhancing Lives for a Healthier and Resilient Nation” during his term.

“[The] division leaders and members envision the group to be a dynamic and forward-thinking hub of scientific exploration, dedicated to transforming innovative ideas into tangible healthcare solutions,” UST quoted Vasquez as saying.

“Collaborations among academic, industry, and healthcare organizations are expected “to amplify the impact of pharmaceutical research, fostering a collaborative ecosystem that accelerates progress and health for Filipinos,” he added.

Vasquez is an academic staff of the Department of Pharmacy and is an academic researcher at the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences.

Among his recent research projects are painkiller screening and the potential cardiovascular toxicity of anti-leukemia drugs.

Currently, he is working on natural mood enhancement products from Philippine sources. He is also working on a UST-funded project entitled “Utilization of zebrafish model for human diseases and the application of AI tools in Pharmacology and Toxicology Research.”

NRCP is a national organization of researchers that aims to advocate frontier science and humanities research and evidence-informed policies with the highest ethical standards committed to impacting national and global sustainable development.