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30th APAMS Programme

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The PAASE

The Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) is a professionalassociation of scientists and engineers of Philippine descent who are in the forefront of scientificresearch in their respective disciplines in the United States, the Philippines and other countries.PAASE was founded and incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Indiana onApril 23, 1980 by Drs. Severino L. Koh, Pat L. Mangonon, Jr., Edgar H. Buyco, and CarlosMelendres. Starting with 27 founding members in1980, its membership has grown to 225 by2010. Its principal objective is to use the expertise and professional stature of its members tohelp improve the state of science and technology in the Motherland, Philippines.

PAASE Objectives

• To promote the advancement of science, engineering, and technology.

• To encourage collaborative work among scientists and engineers of Philippine descent inresearch and development through scholarly and scientific endeavors.

• To support efforts that advance science and technology.

• To recognize and honor the achievements of scientists and engineers of Philippine descent.

The Annual PAASE Meeting and Symposium (APAMS)

Every year the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) holds anannual general meeting and scientific conference to further its objectives. The first annualmeeting was held in 1981 at the Silahis Hotel in Manila. From 1982 to 1997, APAMS was heldevery year except in 1984 and 1989, mostly in the U.S. In 1993, APAMS was held at theDepartment of Science and Technology in Metro Manila. APAMS returned to the Philippines in1998 and 2000, and starting in 2003, the venue of the annual meeting has alternated between theU.S. and the Philippines.

APAMS Venues (1981-2010)

1981 Silahis International Hotel, Manila1982 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA1983 Florida International University, Miami, FL1985 Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY1986 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD1987 University of Maryland, College Park, MD1988 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA1990 University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MD1991 George Washington University, Washington DC1992 University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MD


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1993 Department of Science and Technology, Taguig, Metro Manila1994 Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN1995 Ohio State University, Columbus, OH1996 George Washington University, Washington DC1997 Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA1998 University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City1999 Jekyll Inn, Jekyll Island, GA2000 Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Makati Metro Manila2001 University of California, Berkeley, CA2002 Holiday Inn Select, Solomons Island, MD2003 Manila Hotel, Manila2004 University of Maryland, College Park, MD2005 Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, Cebu City (University of San Carlos, Cebu)2006 University of California, Davis, CA2007 Century Park Hotel, Manila (De La Salle University, Manila)2008 Georgetown University, Washington, DC2009 Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City2010 University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

PAASE Presidents (1981-2010)

1981 Severino L. Koh1982 Jose B. Cruz, Jr.1983 Pat L. Mangonon, Jr.1984 Alfonso M. Albano1985 Amador C. Muriel1986 Josefino C. Comiso1987 Roberto S. Mariano1988 Antonio Wijangco1989 Antonio Wijangco1990 Crisostomo B. Garcia1991 Crisostomo B. Garcia1992 Celso S. Barrientos1993 Manuel T. Velasquez1994 Jose M. Tanchoco1995 Ernesto N. Terrado1996 Ernesto N. Terrado

1997 Felixberto A. Buot1998 Victoria C. Guerrero-Abellera1999 Eduardo A. Padlan

Sevilla D. Detera-Wadleigh2000 Sevilla D. Detera-Wadleigh2001 Marjorie B. Medina2002 Terencio I. Sarigumba2003 Benito O. De Lumen2004 Romel D. Gomez2005 Carlito B. Lebrilla2006 Danilo B. Romero2007 Alvin B. Culaba2008 Leah M. Tolosa2009 Fabian M. Dayrit2010 Onofre T. De Jesus


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PAASE Officers 2010

PresidentOnofre T. DeJesus, Ph.D.University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Madison,Wisconsin

Vice-PresidentGisela P. Concepcion, Ph.D.Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman

SecretaryMaria Jamela R. Revilleza, Ph.D.National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

TreasurerJean Tiong-Koehler, Ph.D.National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

PAASE Board of Directors

Terms ending December 2010Sevilla D. Detera-Wadleigh, Ph.D.National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MDPedro A. Jose, M.D., Ph.D.Children’s National Medical Center, George Washington UniversityErnesto M. Pernia, Ph.D.University of the Philippines School of Economics, Diliman

Terms ending December 2011Maria Luisa Virata-Theimer, Ph.D. , ChairpersonUS Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, MDChristopher C. Bernido, Ph.D.Central Visayan Institute Foundation, Bohol, PhilippinesCaesar A. Saloma, Ph.D.University of the Philippines, Diliman

Terms ending December 2012Fabian M. Dayrit, Ph.D.Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon CityRomel D. Gomez, Ph.D.University of Maryland, College Park, MDEduardo R. Mendoza, Ph.D.Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany


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PROGRAMME

May 28, 2010, Friday (1st day)Lecture Hall 1325Health Science Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison750 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705

8:00 AM Registration (c/o Diane Comiso, Rosie Velasquez, Eden Terrado, Pag-AsaBarrientos, Rose Padlan, Connie Albano)

Plenary Session A

8:30 AM Opening Remarks - Dr. Onofre T. De Jesus, President, PAASEWelcome Remarks - Dr. Paul M. DeLuca, Provost, UW-Madison

8:45 AM Introduction of Featured Guest Speaker - Dr. Onofre T. De Jesus

8:50 AM Featured Guest LectureAdventures in Aquaculture: Philippine Experience and Biotech Start-up FeaturingA Device that Converts Aqueous Ammonia into Nitrogen GasTerence P. Barry, Ph.D.Senior Scientist, Univ. of Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life SciencesCo-Founder, President, AquaMost, LLC, Middleton, WI

9:40 AM Coffee Break

10:00 AM Introduction of Koh Lectureship Awardee in Science - Dr. Gisela P.Concepcion

10:05 AM Dr. Severino and Paz Koh Lectureship Award Lecture in ScienceRigoberto C. Advincula, Ph.D.Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, TX

Session 1 Multidisciplinary Approaches to Environmental StudiesChair: Dr. Leah M. TolosaCo-Chair: Dr. Francis L. de los Reyes III

11:00 AM Optical Sensors for Biotechnology, Biomedicine and the EnvironmentLeah Tolosa, Yordan Kostov, Govind RaoCenter for Advanced Sensor Technology, University of Maryland BaltimoreCounty, Baltimore, MD

11:20 AM Fate and Transport of Emerging Contaminants and Endocrine DisruptingChemicals in the EnvironmentDiana S. Aga


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Chemistry Department, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York,Buffalo, NY

11:40 AM A Causation Framework for Environmental Molecular Microbiology andEngineeringFrancis L. de los Reyes IIIDepartment of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, NorthCarolina State University, Raleigh, NC

12:00 PM LUNCH (HSLC Atrium outside Lecture Hall)

Session 2 Understanding Health and DiseaseChair: Dr. Pedro A. JoseCo-Chair: Dr. Jean Tiong-Koehler

1:00 PM Understanding the Impact of Human Milk Oligosaccharides on InfantsMaria Lorna A. de Leoz, Shuai Wu, Peggy Cheng, Mark Underwood, John S.Strum, Rudolf Grimm, David Mills, Bruce German, and Carlito B. LebrillaDepartment of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, CA

1:20 PM Salt-sensitivity is Associated with Defective D1-like Receptor Function in C57BL/6JMiceCrisanto S. Escano, Ines Armando, Xioayan Wang, Laureano Asico, AnnabellePascua, Yum-sum Lau, Pedro A. JoseChildren’s National Medical Center, Center for Molecular Physiology Research,Department of Pediatrics, George Washington School of Medicine and HealthSciences, Washington DC

1:40 PM Transmission of Parvovirus B19 by Red Blood Cell Transfusion Verified byMolecular Analysis in a Linked Donor and Recipient Prospective StudyMaria Luisa A. Virata-Theimer, Mei-ying W. Yu, Harvey J. Alter, YanshengGeng, Li Ma1 Cathy A. Schechterly, Camilla A. Colvin and Naomi L.C. LubanUS Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Officeof Blood Research and Review, Division of Hematology, Bethesda, MD

2:00 PM Dopamine D3 receptor decreases NHE3 expression and function by inhibiting theactivity of USP48 in renal proximal tubule cellsVan Anthony M. Villar, Annabelle M. Pascua, Ines Armando, Xiaoyan Wang,Larry Asico, Hewang Li, Crisanto S. Escano, Mustafa Dajani, John E. Jones, andPedro A. JoseChildren’s Research Institute, Children’s National Medical Center, WashingtonDC 20010


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2:20 PM Development of Recombinant Influenza H3 Hemagglutinin as VaccineCandidateJenina Chavez1, Juan Lorenzo B. Pablo1, Lisa Lamberte1, Marvin A. Altamia1,Luz P. Acosta2, Fidel Malbas2, Hazel Galang2, Remigio M. Olveda2, Richard G.de la Cruz3, Acquin Lu3, Susan C. Bock3, Ameurfina D. Santos4, Eduardo A.Padlan1, Gisela P. Concepcion1

1Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City,Philippines

2:40 PM Cross-transplantation Studies Demonstrate the Role of Renal Dopamine D5Receptors in HypertensionLaureano D. Asico1, Xiaojie Zhang2, Ji-Fu Jiang3, Crisanto S. Escano1, InesArmando1, David Sibley4 and Pedro A. Jose1

1Center for Molecular Physiology Research, Children’s National Medical Center,Washington, DC

3:00 PM Coffee Break

Session 3 Advances in Sustainable BiotechnologyChair: Dr. Ernesto Terrado

3:20 PM Design and testing of a low-cost mixed-mode solar dryer for microalgal biomassNeil Lopez, Juan Ordonez, Alvin Culaba, David CartesMechanical Engineering Department, De La Salle University, PhilippinesInstitute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability, Florida StateUniversity

3:40 PM Point of Use Water Filtration Using Coconut Derived Activated Carbon inNagcarlan, PhilippinesJames Patrick Abulencia, Susan GallardoManhattan College, Riverdale, NY and De La Salle University, Philippines

Session 4 Climate and Climategate IChair: Dr. Celso BarrientosCo-Chair: Dr. Josefino Comiso

4:00 PM The Role of Forests in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Global andPhilippine InitiativesGil A. MendozaUniversity of Illinois,Urbana, IL

4:20 PM Climate Change and GeoengineeringJosefino C. ComisoNASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD


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4:40 PM Controversies Clouding Climate ChangeJosefino C. ComisoNASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD

5:00 PM Free Time

5:30 PM DINNER BANQUETBestwestern Hotel Inntowner2424 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726

Cocktail Reception (Lobby)Dinner (Ameche Ballroom)

Dinner Program: hosted by Dr. Onofre T. DeJesusand Dr. Liza Virata-Theimer

Introduction of Guest Speaker - Dr. Liza Virata-Theimer

Special Talk: “Filipino Ilustrados”Dr. Ruby ParedesAsst Vice Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Awarding of Plaques to Koh Lectureship AwardeesCommittee Chair: Dr. Ben O. de Lumen

Awarding of Membership Certificates to New PAASE MembersCommittee Chair: Dr. Josefino C. Comiso


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May 29, 2010, Saturday (2nd day)Lecture Hall 1325Health Science Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison750 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705

8:30 AM Registration (c/o Diane Comiso, Rosie Velasquez, Eden Terrado, Pag-AsaBarrientos, Rose Padlan, Connie Albano)

Plenary Session B

9:00 AM Introduction of Koh Lectureship Awardee in Engineering – Dr. Josefino C.Comiso

9:05 AM Dr. Severino and Paz Koh Lectureship Award Lecture in EngineeringDanilo B. Romero, Ph.D.Research Scientist, Laboratory of Physical Sciences, University of Maryland,College Park, MD

10:00 AM Coffee Break

Session 5 Process Modeling/ Object Recognition/SuperconductorsChair: Dr. Romel D. Gomez

10:20 AM A Model of Mutually Antagonistic Signaling Pathways in Embryonic Xenopus laevisEdwin Tecarro, Tung Bui, Marsida Lisi, Amy Sater, Akif UzmanUniversity of Houston-Downtown Department of Computer and MathematicalScience, Houston, TX

10:40 AM New Results from Sub-1°Kelvin-Cooled Superconductors and GrapheneRoberto C. Ramos, Steven Carabello, Joseph Lambert, Zechariah Thrailkill,Jerome Mlack and Pubudu GalwadugeDepartment of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Session 6 Climate and Climategate IIChair: Dr. Celso BarrientosCo-Chair: Dr. Josefino Comiso

11:00 AM Practical Climate Change Mitigation: The KISS and Other ApproachesCatalino A. BlancheUS Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture,Washington, DC

11:20 AM Using satellite data to study land subsidence, flooding and tidal incursion inMetro ManilaKelvin S. Rodolfo, A. Mahar Lagmay, Fernando P. Siringan


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Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois atChicago, Chicago IL

11:40 PM Operational Environmental Satellite SystemsCelso S. BarrientosNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Camp Springs, MD

12:00 PM LUNCH (HSLC Atrium outside Lecture Hall)

Session 7 Cancer: Mechanisms, Diagnosis, Prevention and TreatmentChair: Dr. Carlito LebrillaCo-Chair: Dr. Ben de Lumen

1:00 PM Discovery of Marine Biomolecules from Novel Marine MicrohabitatsGisela P. ConcepcionMarine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City,Philippines

1:20 PM Transcriptional Regulation of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor A5/A3/B4 LungCancer Susceptibility LocusMa. Reina D. Improgo, Andrew R. Tapper, and Paul D. Gardner BrudnickNeuropsychiatric Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry,University of Massachusetts Medical School. Worcester, MA

1:40 PM Cancer diagnosis based on protein glycosylationCarlito B. LebrillaDepartment of Chemistry and Department of Biochemistry and MolecularMedicine, University of California, Davis, CA

2:00 PM Complementary Roles in Cancer Prevention: Protease Inhibitor Makes theCancer Preventive Peptide Lunasin BioavailableBen O. de Lumen,, Chia-Chien Hsieh, Blanca Hernández-Ledesma, Hyun J.Jeong, and Jae Ho ParkDepartment of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California,Berkeley, CA

2:20 PM Biotransformation of Taxadiene in Transgenic Moss: Production of Novel TaxanesAldwin Anterola, Robert Ham, Samuel Hughes, Pierre-Francois Perroud, RalphQuatranoDepartment of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL


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Session 8 Science Research and EducationChair: Dr. Lourdes L. HeroldCo-Chair: Dr. Seville Detera-Wadleigh

2:40 PM Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Tried and True.Using the Synthesis of Aspirin in the Application of Molecular Orbital Calculationsin a General Chemistry Lab ExperimentLourdes L. Herold, Jarod Sterrett, Wendy L. Elcesser, and Anne KondoDepartment of Chemistry, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA

3:00 PM Faith in the Facts: Local Researchers’ Perspectives on Science Communication inthe PhilippinesInez Ponce de Leon, and Mark A. TuckerDepartment of Youth Development and Agricultural Education, PurdueUniversity, West Lafayette, IN

3:20 PM Coffee Break

3:40 PM Panel Session on DOST Balik-Scientist Program: Program Updates andPAASE Projects in the PhilippinesChair: Dr. Alfonso M. AlbanoCo-Chair: DOST Asst Sec. and BSP Director Ma. Lourdes P. OrijolaPanel Members: Dr. Gisela Concepcion, Dr. Rigoberto Advincula,Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo

4:40 PM Closing Remarks – Dr. Liza Virata-TheimerInvitation to the 2011 Annual Meeting – Dr. Gisela Concepcion

5:00 PM PAASE BUSINESS MEETING (Members Only)Chair: Dr. Liza Virata-TheimerCo-Chairs: Dr. Onofre de Jesus, Dr. Gisela Concepcion

Election of New Officers and Board MembersSelection of Venue for the 2012 Annual MeetingPreparations for the 2011 Annual MeetingUpdates on PAASE Advocacies (Textbook Review Project, etc)Other Issues

6:00 PM DINNER (On Your Own): Suggested Restaurants near Bestwestern Hotel:

La Brioche Cafe and Bakery2862 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53705. Tel. No.:(608) 233-3388Sa Bai Thong2840 University Ave, Madison, WI 53705. Tel. No.:(608) 238-3100Lombardino's Restaurant2500 University Ave., Madison, WI 53705. Tel. No.:(608) 238-1922

30th APAMS Abstracts

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Dr. Severino and Paz Koh Lectureship Award Lecture inScience

Nanostructured Polymer and Hybrid Materials: From Ultrathin Films to Nanoparticles

Rigoberto C. Advincula*

University of Houston, Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical Engineering4800 Cullen Blvd., Houston, TX 77204

Email: [email protected]

Our investigation and research efforts onnanostructured ultrathin films and hybridnanomaterials will be described. This involves theuse of organic polymer synthesis to produceamphiphi les , precursor polymers , andelectrochemically dopable conjugated polymers thathave been ordered in ultrathin film configurations.Polymer grafting has been demonstrated by surfaceinitiated polymerization (SIP) approaches involvingthe tethering of surface initiator groups. Thepolymers are then grown on surfaces with very highgrafting density. We have also employed the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique for controlled thin filmcomposition, thickness, and layer order at the nmscale. These nanostructured materials allow forvarious applications from display devices to bio-implant surfaces. Of high importance is thecharacterization of these structures using surfaceanalytical methods including spectroscopic methods -to probe layer structure and order. Understanding the

parameters for device fabrication and nanopatterningare also important. For example conducting surfaceprobe microscopy (SPM) methods allow for controlof bias voltage and writing speed for patterning. Thismethod has allowed preparation of write-once-read-memory (WORM) devices, sub-wavelength surface-relief gratings, sensors, and three-dimensional reliefnanopatterns on ultrathin films. In the area of hybridmaterials, we have demonstrated the preparation ofnanocomposite materials based on clay, silica, andAu nanoparticles. This was usually done by the useof the SIP approach on nanoparticles surfacemodification. We have specialized on the synthesis ofquantum dot nanomaterials with dendron ligands toproduce specific charge-transfer and energy-transferfor practical device applications. More importantly,this research has allowed us to mentor talentedstudents in the realm of nanoscience andnanotechnology.

References1. Huang, C.; Jiang, G.; Advincula, R. Macromolecules 2008, 41, 4661-4670.2. Xia, C.; Fan, X.; Locklin, J.; Advincula, R. C.; “A First Synthesis of Thiophene Dendrimers”, Organic Letters

2002; 4(12); 2067-2070.

Rigoberto “Gobet” Advincula is Full Professor Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at theUniversity of Houston. Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Florida, B.S. Chemistry, University ofthe Philippines. Post-doctoral Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research and StanfordUniversity. NSF CAREER; Arthur Doolittle Award of the ACS; FSCT Technical Speaker; UHResearch Excellence, and Koh Science Lecture Awardee, PAASE.


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Dr. Severino and Paz Koh Lectureship Award Lecture inEngineering

Engineering the Electronic Structure of Materialsfor Solar Energy-Harvesting Applications

Danilo B. RomeroLaboratory for Physical Sciences and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USAEmail: [email protected]

The sun is the most abundant source of availablecarbon-neutral energy. It is estimated that moresunlight strikes the earth in one hour (4.3 x 1020

Joule) than all the energy that we consume in a year(4.1 x 1020 Joule). And yet, recent studies haveshown that electricity derived from the sun providedonly 0.1% of the world’s electricity. For solarelectricity to be an economically-viable industry, themodule cost of fabricating photovoltaic devices mustbe brought down to $0.02 per kWh or $0.40 per Wp,where Wp is at peak power of solar insolation. Thecost of silicon-based photovoltaic devices, the currentindustry standard, is $0.18 per kWh or $3.50 per Wp.

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Today, worldwide research efforts are underway thatare directed towards the development of newtechnologies that could lead to cost-effectiveharvesting of energy from the sun. The photovoltaic effect, the physics behind theconversion of solar energy to electricity, was firstdiscovered in 1839 by Edmund Becquerel when heobserved that voltage and current are produced whena silver chloride electrode immersed in an electrolyteand connected to a metal counter-electrode wasilluminated with white light.2 Modern era solar celltechnologies were started by the demonstration by

Chapin, Fuller, and Pearson at Bell Labs of the PVeffect in p-n junctions in single-crystal silicon.3

Organic photovoltaic devices are attracting wide-interest recently because of their promise formanufacturing low-cost, flexible, large-area solarcells. Continued progress has been made towardsimproving the power conversion efficiency of thesedevices. Certified efficiency of ~ 8% in single-cellbulk heterojunction devices4 and ~ 11% in dye-sensitized solar cells.5 These values are nowapproaching that of commercially available thin-filmamorphous silicon solar cells with efficiency of 12%. Electronic structure engineering of materials hasplayed a key role in the development of high novelphotovoltaic devices. In silicon-based PV devices,this is achieved by doping single-crystal silicon toform the p-n homojunction. Organic PV devices, onthe other hand, exploit the novel electronic andstructural properties associated with the sp2

hybridization of the carbon atomic orbitals. Theability to design the sp2 hybridized structure allowsfor the chemical synthesis of organic semiconductorswith desired electrical, optical, and mechanicalproperties. Such bottoms-up approach is ideal forflexible photovoltaic device applications.

Dr. Danilo Romero is a Research Scientist at the Laboratory for Physical Sciences and theDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Maryland College Park.He is the Principal Investigator of the project on Organic Photovoltaic Devices and Technology.His field of expertise is in the area of condensed-matter, materials, and device physics and optics.He has worked on a wide-range of topics from fundamental condensed-matter physics such ashigh-temperature superconductivity, colossal magnetoresistance, and ferroelectricity in transition-

metal oxides, and organic optoelectronic devices. His current research interest is in research and development ofenergy harvesting and storage technologies based on hybrid molecular, organic, and nanostructured inorganicsemiconductor materials.

References1. United States Department of Energy report on “Solar Energy Utilization”.2. E. Becquerel, Comptes Rendus 9, 561 (1839).3. D. Chapin, C. Fuller, and G. Pearson, “A New Silicon p-n Junction Photocell for Converting Solar Radiation into Electrical

Power”, J. Appl. Phys. 25, 676 (1954).4. Solarmer Energy Inc. (http://www.solar.com/).5. M. Grätzel, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications 14 (2006) 429-442.


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Adventures in Aquaculture: Philippine Experience and Biotech Start-up Featuring ADevice that Converts Aqueous Ammonia into Nitrogen Gas

Terence BarryUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonDepartment of Animal Sciences

Laboratory of Fish Endocrinology and Aquaculture1675 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706

[email protected]

A photoelectrocatalytic oxidation (PECO) devicethat can convert aqueous ammonia into nitrogen gasis being developed as a replacement for biofiltrationin home aquariums and recirculation aquaculturesystems (Kropp et al., 2009).

The specific objectives of this study were toevaluate the effects of the following parameters onthe rate and efficiency of ammonia removal fromwater by PECO: (1) photocatalyst chemistry, (2)applied potential, (3) initial ammonia concentration,(4) pH, and (5) salt concentration. A device was alsotested in a flow-through system with and withoutlive fish (tilapia).

Anode chemistry, applied potential, and saltconcentration (faster at high salt) were the keyvariables mediating the catalytic efficiency ofammonia oxidation by PECO. The initial ammoniaconcentration (i.e., 0.1, 1 or 10 ppm ammonia-N)and pH (5-10) had little or no effect on the rate ofammonia removal from water. Nitrogen massbalance analysis indicated that 85-100% of theammonia was converted into nitrogen gas. Theremainder was primarily converted into nitrate,although low levels of nitrite and chloramines weresometimes detected. The ammonia removal ratefrom the flow-through system was approximately0.3 mg ammonia-N per hour (Fig. 1). In experimentswith live fish, little or no ammonia or nitrate levels

were detected in aquariums equipped with PECOdevices, in contrast to the control aquariumsequipped with biofilters where nitrate levelsincreased steadily with time.

Fig. 1. Photoelectrocatalytic oxidation (PECO) ofammonia. Seven liters of seawater was spiked withammonia-N. The water was pumped through asmall, 9-watt PECO device at a flow-rate of ~4L/min. Ammonia-N levels were measuredcolorimetrically. Nitrate and nitrite were measuredby ion chromatography.

References1. Kropp, R., D. Tompkins, T. Barry, W. Zeltner, G. Pepping, M. Anderson and T.P. Barry. (2009). A device that

converts aqueous ammonia into nitrogen gas. Aquacultural Engineering 41:28-34.

Dr. Barry is a Senior Scientist in the Dept. of Animal Sciences and Director of the Laboratory ofFish Endocrinology and Aquaculture. He managed a USAID-funded aquaculture research anddevelopment project in Iloilo from 1986-88. He is co-founder and President of AquaMost, LLC,a Madison-based clean technology start-up that developed a unique purification device thatdestroys harmful pathogens and a wide variety of toxic, harmful pollutants in water.


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Session 1 Multidisciplinary Approaches to Environmental StudiesChair: Dr. Leah M. TolosaCo-Chair: Dr. Francis L. de los Reyes III

Optical Sensors for Biotechnology, Biomedicine and the Environment

Leah Tolosa*, Yordan Kostov, Govind RaoCenter for Advanced Sensor TechnologyUniversity of Maryland Baltimore County


Our research group at the Center for AdvancedSensor Technology (CAST) is developing low-costfluorescence based sensors for a wide range ofapplications. These sensors generally involve achemo- or bio-sensing agent that is intrinsicallyfluorescent or labeled with a fluorescent probeinteracting with an analyte. Sensors for dissolvedoxygen, pH, CO2, and the metabolites glucose andglutamine determine the parameters of fermentationand cell culture. The oxygen, pH, CO2, and turbiditysensors are built under a small buoy for sea watermonitoring for the Navy and NOAA. The sensors forglucose, glutamine, lactate and fatty acids are beingdeveloped for biomedical diagnostics, particularly for

diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Recently, wepartnered with GE Healthcare in designing a wirelesstemperature sensor for neonates in incubators. Themain philosophy in designing these sensors issimplicity, low-cost, minimally invasive or non-invasive, through space read-out, miniaturizable andwith low-power requirements. The research at CASTinvolves a multi-disciplinary team of chemists,biologists and engineers with collaborators in bothindustry and academe. Here, we describe our effortsin building these sensors from the sensing agents tothe stand-alone fluorometers for the variousapplications.

Dr. Leah Tolosa is currently Assistant Director for the Center for Advanced Sensor Technologyand Research Associate Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at UMBC. Shereceived her BS and MS in Chemistry from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila and her PhD inChemistry from the University of Connecticut. She is an active member of PAASE and a formerPAASE Secretary, Member of the Board and President.

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Fate and Transport of Emerging Contaminants and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals inthe Environment

Diana S. AgaChemistry Department, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

Buffalo, NY 14260Email: [email protected]

This presentation will focus on current researchactivities on the environmental chemistry and fate ofEmerging Contaminants, broadly defined as: (1)previously neglected contaminants, (2) recently usedcompounds, and (3) up-coming industrial chemicalsthat may eventually end up as environmentalpollutants. Our ability to detect and quantify specificchemicals at trace levels in complex matrices enablesus to investigate the fate of pharmaceuticals in theenvironment even at very low levels. Pharmaceuticalsare introduced into the environment at near constantrates via municipal wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs), or through the land application of manurefrom antibiotic-treated animals. Questions regardingpersistence and long-term adverse effects ofpharmaceuticals in the environment have been raisedbecause some drugs have been detected in drinkingwater. It has been reported that even at very lowconcentrations of drugs undesirable ecological andpotentially human health effects can occur. TheWWTP effluents are also major point-sources ofendocrine disrupting chemicals such as the natural

and synthetic estrogens (17 β -estradiol, 17 α-ethinylestradiol, estriol, and estrone). A significanteffort in our research group has been directedtowards the identification of metabolites formedduring biodegradation in the activated sludge processof WWTPs. To date, we have found that thestructures of metabolites formed during microbialdegradation of pharmaceuticals differ only slightlyfrom the structures of their parent compounds.Structural similarity raises the question that risk maybe derived from the metabolites as well as the parentcompound. In addition to pharmaceuticalcompounds, we are also investigating the fate ofengineered nanomaterials, such as quantum dots andmetal oxides, in the environment. Nanomaterials areincreasingly used in industry, energy production, andin medicine; hence the regulatory agencies haveinitiated risk assessment studies, and in medicine;hence the regulatory agencies have initiated riskassessment studies on nanoparticles to determinepotential impacts in the environment.

References3. Batt, A.L.; Bruce, I.B.; Aga, D.S. Evaluating the vulnerability of surface waters to antibiotic contamination

from varying wastewater treatment plant discharges. Environmental Pollution, 2006, 142, 295-302.4. Celiz, M.D.; Tso, J.; Aga, D.S. Pharmaceutical Metabolites in the Environment: Analytical Challenges and

Ecological Risks, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2009, 28, 2473-2484.5. Navarro, D.A.G.; Watson, D. F.; Aga, D.S.; Banerjee, S. Natural Organic Matter-Mediated Phase Transfer of

Quantum Dots in the Aquatic Environment. Environmental Science and Technology, 2009, 43, 677-682.

Dr. Diana S. Aga is Professor of Chemistry at SUNY-Buffalo. She received her B.S. AgriculturalChemistry from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños, and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistryfrom the University of Kansas. She was a postdoctoral fellow at Swiss Federal Institute ofEnvironmental Science and Technology (Switzerland). She is recipient of the NATO Scientificand Environmental Affairs Fellowship, NSF CAREER Award, and the Alexander von HumboldtFoundation Research Fellowship.

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A Causation Framework for Environmental Molecular Microbiology and Engineering

Francis L. de los Reyes III*Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7908Email: [email protected]

Molecular biological techniques are commonly usedin biological process analysis for determining thelevels and types of different microbial populations inbioreactors. The popularity of such methods has ledto the emergence of the microbial community‘structure-function’ paradigm that is often used inresearch. Typically, lab- or full-scale systems aremonitored for the relevant parameters, and theseparameters are related to the changes in microbialpopulations. Research in activated sludgephenomena, such as filamentous bulking, filamentousfoaming, nitrogen removal, and phosphorus removal,are replete with many examples of this ‘structure-function’ paradigm, most commonly those thatinvolve 16S rRNA gene-based analysis of themicrobial populations. In many cases, such studiesassume a causative microbial population (e.g., aspecies that causes bulking or foaming), or concludein identifying a causative population. However,assigning cause to specific organisms andpopulations is problematic in a complex environmentsuch as wastewater bioreactors. Koch’s postulates,

the gold standard in evaluating causation of disease,are not as easy to apply in systems with mixedmicrobial communities with complex interactions,particularly if pure cultures are not available. Theadvent of molecular techniques that allow specificidentification and quantification of organisms hasallowed researchers to overcome the limitations ofculture-based techniques, and at the same time, raisednew questions on the applicability of Koch’spostulates in environmental systems. This talk willdiscuss some of the complicating issues in assigningcause in wastewater bioreactors. Approaches fordetermining cause-effect relationships will beillustrated using 16S rDNA-based investigations offilaments that cause bulking and foaming in activatedsludge as case studies. A more comprehensiveframework (a revised ‘Koch’s postulates’ formolecular studies) will be presented. The goal of thenew framework is to improve experimental designand analysis of data from studies using molecularbiological techniques.

Francis L. de los Reyes III is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at NorthCarolina State University. He conducts research and teaches classes in environmentalbiotechnology, biological waste treatment, and molecular microbial ecology. He is on the editorialboard of Water Research, was a 2008 Balik-Scientist of the DOST, and is a 2009 TED Fellow.

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Session 2 Understanding Health and DiseaseChair: Dr. Pedro A. JoseCo-Chair: Dr. Jean Tiong-Koehler

Understanding the Impact of Human Milk Oligosaccharides on Infants

Maria Lorna A. de Leoz*, Shuai Wu, Peggy Cheng, Mark Underwood, John S. Strum, Rudolf Grimm,David Mills, Bruce German, and Carlito B. Lebrilla

University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616 USAAgilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA 95051 USA


Premature infants are at risk for necrotizingenterocolitis, a severe intestinal disease that may leadto death or long-term complications. A possiblecause of this is an abnormal gut flora. Prebiotics,such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) frombreast milk and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) fromlactose, may help restore the infant’s gut flora bypromoting growth of beneficial bacteria.

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the health ofintestine and urinary tract by studyingoligosaccharides in premature infants’ feces andurine, respectively. Identification of HMOs remainsa formidable challenge since their heterogeneity incomposition, linkages, and branching result in variedstructures. This method uses nanoLC-Chip/TOF MSand MALDI FT-ICR MS to effectively identify andquantify oligosaccharides.

Feces and urine samples were collected from infantsalong with milk samples from their respectivemothers. Babies were fed either with human orpremature infant formula milk supplemented withincreasing doses of HMOs or GOS.

Oligosaccharides were isolated from samples througha series of liquid and solid phase extractions.Oligosaccharides were later reduced into their alditolform and profiled using nanoLC-Chip/TOF MS(Agilent 6200), effectively separating them online bynanoLC porous graphitized carbon column.Structures were obtained based on an existing in-house HMO library and software. Composition,connectivity, and branching were confirmed bytandem MS using Chip/QTOF (Agilent 6520) or

MALDI-FTICR MS (Varian ProMALDI) using CIDor IRMPD.

Free oligosaccharides from milk, feces and urinewere successfully isolated and profiled usingnanoLC-Chip/TOF MS. This instrument provideshigh sensitivity, high mass accuracy (<5ppm), andreproducible retention times for each oligosaccharide.The method effectively quantified isomeric HMOs.Fecal and urine profiles of human milk-fed babiesshowed presence of most HMOs found in theirrespective mother’s milk, albeit at differentintensities. Neutral HMOs were less abundant infeces and urine of human milk-fed babies comparedto their mother’s milk. On the other hand, babies fedwith GOS showed GOS peaks in the spectra ofbabies’ excreted samples. Fecal and urine profiles ofbabies feeding exclusively on formula milk showedno HMO and GOS peaks.

Fecal profiles changed as the human milk-fedpremature infants were given increasing doses ofHMO supplement. The HMO profile in infant fecesinitially resembled the mother’s milk, but as the babywas given increasing doses of HMO supplement, thefecal profile became increasingly similar to the HMOsupplement. For example, fucosylated HMOs werepresent in the supplement but not in the mother’smilk. As the amount of supplementation increased,more and more fucosylated HMOs appeared in thefeces. Furthermore, initial analysis by MALDI FT-ICR MS showed the difucosylated HMO with m/z1389 was low in intensity in the mother’s milk buthigh in the supplement. Over time, as the amount ofsupplementation increased, the intensity of thatspecific peak increased.

Lorna is in her fourth year working towards a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of CaliforniaDavis. Her research under Dr. Carlito Lebrilla involves discovering oligosaccharide biomarkers forcancer and analyzing human milk oligosaccharides in infants using mass spectrometric andchromatographic methods.

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Salt-sensitivity is Associated with Defective D1-likeReceptor Function in C57BL/6J Mice

Crisanto S. Escano*, Ines Armando, Xioayan Wang, Laureano Asico, AnnabellePascua, Yum-sum Lau, Pedro A. Jose

Children’s National Medical Center, Center for Molecular Physiology Research,Department of Pediatrics, George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences,

Washington DC, [email protected]

The C57BL/6J mouse strain, the genetic backgroundof many transgenic and gene knockout models, issalt-sensitive and resistant to hypertension-inducedrenal injury. To test the hypothesis that the renaldopaminergic function is defective in C57BL/6J micewe compared their responses to high salt diet withthose found in the salt-resistant SJL/J strain. Onnormal salt diet (NaCl 0.8%, 1 week) anesthetizedand conscious (telemetry) blood pressures weresimilar in the two strains. High salt (NaCl 6%, 1week) increased blood pressure about 30% inC57BL/6J mice only. This was accompanied bylower urinary absolute and fractional sodiumexcretion (FENa), and a shift to the right of thepressure-natriuresis plot. High salt diet increaseddopamine excretion 10-fold in SJL/J mice but only 2-fold in C57BL/6J. There were no differences in renalexpression of D1-like receptors (D1R and D5R) on

normal salt but D5R expression increased inC57BL/6J on high salt. GRK4 expression was loweron normal but higher on high salt in C57BL/6Jrelative to SJL/J mice. AT1 receptor expression wassimilar in the two strains on either diet. Excretion ofthe oxidative stress marker 8-isoprostane increased 4-fold in SJL/J mice but did not change in C57BL/6Jmice. Intravenous infusion of the D1-like agonistfenoldopam increased FENa and urine flow in SJL/Jmice but had no effect in C57BL/6J mice. In contrast,parathyroid hormone increased FENa and urine flowto the same extent in both mouse strains. This datashows that the salt-sensitivity in C57BL/6J mice isassociated with a defective D1-like receptor functionwhich is unrelated to renal receptor expression.

Crisanto S. Escano, Jr. is a research faculty at the Center for Molecular Physiology Research atChildren’s National Medical Center and assistant professor at the George Washington School ofMedicine and the Sciences. A licensed veterinarian, he performs microsurgery on rodents to evaluatethe function of the renal dopamine system.

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Transmission of Parvovirus B19 by Red Blood Cell Transfusion Verified by MolecularAnalysis in a Linked Donor and Recipient Prospective Study

Maria Luisa A. Virata-Theimer1, Mei-ying W. Yu1, Harvey J. Alter2, Yansheng Geng1, Li Ma1, Cathy A.Schechterly2, Camilla A. Colvin3 and Naomi L.C. Luban3

1US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Office of Blood Research andReview, Division of Hematology, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA

2National Institutes of Health, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, Department of Transfusion MedicineBethesda, MD 20892, USA

3Children’s National Medical Center, Division of Laboratory Medicine andGeorge Washington University School of Medicine and Health, Department of Pediatrics

Washington DC, USAEmail: [email protected]

Background: Extremely high viremic levels ofparvovirus B19 (B19V) can be found in acutelyinfected but asymptomatic donors. However, reportsof transmission by single-donor blood componentsare rare. In this prospective study, paired donor-recipient samples were used to investigate thetransfusion risk.Study Design and Methods: Post-transfusionplasma or blood samples from recipients were testedfor B19V DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction,generally at 4 and 8 weeks, and for anti-B19Vimmunoglobulin (Ig)G by enzyme immunoassay, at12 and 24 weeks. To rule out infection unrelated totransfusion, pre-transfusion samples and linkeddonor’s samples for each B19V DNA-positiverecipient were assayed for B19V DNA and anti-B19V IgG and IgM. To confirm transmission, DNAsequencing and phylogenetic analysis wereperformed.Results: A total of 14 of 869 (1.6%) recipients wereB19V DNA-positive, but only 1 of 869 (0.12%, 95%

confidence interval, 0.0029%-0.6409%) was negativefor B19V DNA and anti-B19V IgG beforetransfusion and seroconverted post-transfusion. Thisnewly infected patient received 5 x 1010 IU B19VDNA in one red blood cell (RBC) unit from anacutely infected anti-B19V-negative donor inaddition to RBCs from three other donors thatcumulatively contained 1320 IU of anti-B19V IgG.DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showedthat sequences from the linked donor and recipientwere identical (Genotype 1), thus establishing a truecase for transfusion transmission.C o n c l u s i o n s : The 0.12% transmission ratedocumented here, although low, could nonethelessresult in hundreds or thousands of infections annuallyin the United States based on calculated confidencelimits. Although most would be asymptomatic, somecould have severe clinical outcomes, especially inneonates and those with immunocomprised orhemolytic conditions.

Reference: Yu MW, Alter HJ, Virata-Theimer MLA, Geng Y, Ma L, Schechterly CA, Colvin CA, Luban NLC.2010. Parvovirus B19 infection transmitted by transfusion of red blood cells confirmed by molecularanalysis of linked donor and recipient samples. Transfusion. Epub Feb. 12, 2010.

Dr. Maria Luisa (Liza) Virata-Theimer received her Ph.D. degree in Tumor Cell Biology fromNorthwestern University, Chicago, IL. At present she is a Chemist/Regulatory Review Scientist atFDA CBER, specializing in the review of the viral safety of blood and blood products, as well asthe purity and antibody potency of plasma derivatives.


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Dopamine D3 receptor decreases NHE3 expression and function byinhibiting the activity of USP48 in renal proximal tubule cells

Van Anthony M. Villar, Annabelle M. Pascua, Ines Armando, Xiaoyan Wang, Larry Asico,Hewang Li, Crisanto S. Escano, Mustafa Dajani, John E. Jones, and Pedro A. Jose

Center for Molecular Physiology Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington DC 20010

[email protected]

Abnormalities in dopamine production and receptorfunction have been described in genetic hypertensionand there is evidence that the absence of afunctioning dopaminergic system results inhypertension. Disruption of the dopamine D3 receptorgene in mice (D3R

-/-) results in high blood pressure,salt sensitivity, and decreased ability to excrete anacute sodium load. We have shown that D3R

-/- micehave increased renal expression of sodium/hydrogenexchanger isoform 3 (NHE3). Stimulation of D3R inhuman renal proximal tubular cells (hRPTCs) inhibitsNHE3 activity. We discovered that human ubiquitin-specific peptidase 48 (USP48), a de-ubiquitinylatingenzyme, interacted with the 3rd intracytoplasmic loopof human D3R. In this study, we tested the hypothesisthat D3R promotes NHE3 degradation by inhibitingUSP48 activity. We found that D3R and USP48, andUSP48 and NHE3 co-localized and co-immunoprecipitated in hRPTCs and that agoniststimulation of the receptor enhanced the interactionbetween D3R and USP48. D3R stimulation (PD

128907, 1µM) resulted in a 35% reduction in thedeubiquitinating activity of USP48 in hRPTCs, butnot in vehicle-treated cells, indicating that D3Rinhibits USP48 activity. RNAi silencing of USP48 inrenal proximal tubule cells increased the spontaneousdegradation of NHE3, while over-expression ofheterologous USP48 decreased it, indicating thatUSP48 protects NHE3 from degradation viadeubiquitinylation. D3R stimulation increased NHE3ubiquitinylation, internalization of ubiquitinylatedNHE3, decreased total NHE3 expression andinhibition of intracellular sodium transport, indicatingthat D3R regulates NHE3 activity and expression. Wealso found that on normal salt (0.8% NaCl) diet D3R

-

/- mice have increased USP48 and renal NHE3expressions compared to wild-type littermates. Ourdata demonstrate that agonist activation of D3Rpromotes the degradation of NHE3 via the inhibitionof USP48 and thus provide a novel mechanism bywhich the D3R may engender natriuresis.

Van Anthony M. Villar, MD, PhD, is a research faculty at Children’s National Medical Center andassistant professor of Pediatrics at The George Washington University School of Medicine andHealth Sciences. His work is focused on elucidating the function and signal transduction pathwaysof renal D3R and D5R dopamine receptors.

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Development of Recombinant Influenza H3 Hemagglutinin as Vaccine Candidate

Jenina Chavez1, Juan Lorenzo B. Pablo1, Lisa Lamberte1, Marvin A. Altamia1, Luz P. Acosta2, FidelMalbas2, Hazel Galang2, Remigio M. Olveda2, Richard G. de la Cruz3, Acquin Lu3, Susan C. Bock3,

Ameurfina D. Santos4, Eduardo A. Padlan1, Gisela P. Concepcion1

1Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines; 2Research Institute ofTropical Medicine, Department of Health, Alabang, Muntinlupa, Philippines; 3Departments of Medicine,

Bioengeneering and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; 4National Institute ofMolecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City Philippines.

[email protected]

The influenza virus surface protein known ashemagglutinin is a homotrimer which consists of aglobular head and a stalk. The globular head isinvolved in the first binding interaction of the viruswith sialic acid residues on the surface of the hostcell. This interaction results in the entry of the virusand infection of the host cell. A hemagglutinin-basedvaccine that would generate antibodies againstimmunodominant epitopes found in the vicinity ofthe sialic acid binding site in the globular head wouldbe neutralizing, i.e., effective in preventing entry andinfection. However, these epitopes are known toconstantly mutate and this mechanism (antigenicdrift) is thought to be the virus’ strategy for immuneescape from the host and the reason that flu vaccinesmust be changed annually. In this ongoing study, thewild hemagglutinin sequence from a currently

circulating Philippine influenza strain (H3N2subtype) was bio-engineered to reduce theantigenicity of immunodominant and mutableepitopes, which are found mostly in the globularhead. “De-antigenization” is an immune refocusingtechnique - it refocuses the host’s immune responseto the less immunodominant, more conserved parts ofhemagglutinin. The “de-antigenized” H3hemagglutinin would generate antibodies to commonepitopes, be protective against a clade of H3influenza virus strains, and serve as an effectivevaccine for several seasons. In this study, the wildand de-antigenized hemagglutinin sequences wererecombinantly expressed and their antigenic andimmunogenic properties were determined.

Gisela P. Concepcion, PhD, is a professor at the UP Marine Science Institute where she teachesgraduate courses and pursues marine natural products and biomedical research. She is a memberof the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology.

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Cross-transplantation Studies Demonstrate the Role of Renal Dopamine D5 Receptors inHypertension

Laureano D. Asico*, Xiaojie Zhang2, Ji-Fu Jiang3, Crisanto S. Escano1, Ines Armando1, David Sibley4

and Pedro A. Jose1

1Center for Molecular Physiology Research, Children’s National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave., N.W.,Washington, DC 20010, 2National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda,

MD 20892, 3University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Center, London, Ontario, N6A5C1, Canada,4National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892


Hypertension is a multifactorial disorder caused by aset of genetic dysfunctions that result in a gamut ofbiochemical abnormalities. The resulting phenotypeis influenced by both environmental factors and theindividual’s lifestyle, which alter the severity ofblood pressure elevation and the timing ofhypertension onset. One major factor that isimplicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension is thedeficiency of vasodilators and dysfunction of thenatriuretic systems in the kidney, such as the renaldopaminergic system. The renal dopaminergicsystem plays a crucial role in regulating salt andwater homeostasis, primarily through its ability toinhibit ion transport in the nephron. Its effects aremediated by the dopamine receptors, including the D5

dopamine receptor (D5R) subtype. The kidney isimportant in the long-term regulation of bloodpressure and is the major organ involved in theregulation of sodium homeostasis. As such, studies

have been focused on the renal handling of sodiumchloride in the pathogenesis of essentialhypertension. The D5R is expressed in both in renal(proximal and distal tubules, thick ascending limbs ofHenle, cortical collecting ducts) and non-renal tissues(CNS, tunica media of arterioles); however, theextent by which the renal D5R (vs. non-renal D5R)controls blood pressure is unknown. In this study, weelucidated the roles of renal and non-renal D5R in theregulation of blood pressure and salt sensitivitythrough cross renal transplantation. This methodinvolves the swapping of D5R knockout or wild-typekidneys into D5R knockout or wild-type bodies, thusallowing the determination and attribution of renaland non-renal influences on the observed changes inblood pressure. Our results highlight the various rolesof renal D5R etiology of hypertension and saltsensitivity.

Laureano D. Asico graduated in 1981 from the University of the Philippines with a degree ofDoctor of Veterinary Medicine. He was an assistant professor at Georgetown University MedicalCenter at the Department of Pediatric Nephrology. He trained in 2006 at the University of WesternOntario to perform rodent cardiac and renal transplantation. He transferred in 2009, to theChildren’s National Medical Center and is also currently a research assistant professor at theGeorge Washington University Medical School. He does in vivo studies and the use of genesilencing oligonucleotides to target receptors. He is presently studying the gastro-renal reflex andthe action of other hormones on dopamine receptors.

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Session 3 Advances in Sustainable BiotechnologyChair: Dr. Ernesto Terrado

Design and testing of a low-cost mixed-mode solar dryer for microalgal biomass

Neil Lopez1, Juan Ordonez2, Alvin Culaba3, David Cartes4

1Mechanical Engineering Department, De La Salle University (DLSU), PhilippinesInstitute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability, Florida State University (FSU)

2 Mechanical Engineering Department, FSU3 Center for Engineering and Sustainable Development Research, DLSU

Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability, FSU4 Mechanical Engineering Department, FSU

Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability at the FSU

This paper covers the design and testing of a low-costmixed-mode solar dryer for microalgal biomass.Microalgal biomass is one of the growing alternativesfor traditional energy generation. Biomass slurry,typically with 85-95% moisture content, is perishableand must be processed immediately after harvest.Drying is one of the most crucial stages of microalgalbiomass production. Also, drying alone is responsiblefor 25-30% of the production cost. Typical solardryers today may range from $100 to $1200, reduces

moisture content up to less than 10%, produces140g/day-m2 of collector area and requires 3 to 5hours of drying time. This paper aims to obtainresults that improve the performance of existingdesigns with the use of cheaper materials and byoptimizing heat exchange in the dryer. Theopportunity to use local and cheaper materials makesit a viable technology for developing countries likethe Philippines.

Keywords: microalgal biomass; mixed-mode solar drying; sustainable energy

Neil Lopez is a senior student in the BS-MS Mechanical Engineering program of De La Salle University,Philippines. He was invited to be a visiting researcher at the Institute for Energy Systems, Economics andSustainability at the Florida State University from September 2009 to present. He is supervised by Academician Dr.Alvin Culaba from De La Salle University and Dr. Juan Ordonez and Dr. David Cartes from Florida StateUniversity. His research interests are renewable energy, microalgae for energy production and solar-poweredsystems.

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Point of Use Water Filtration Using Coconut Derived Activated Carbon in Nagcarlan,Philippines

James Patrick Abulencia*, Susan Gallardo

Manhattan CollegeRiverdale, NY


De La Salle UniversityManila, Philippines

Email : [email protected]

The need for potable drinking water increasesconcomitantly with rising population. However, poorenvironmental management practices coupled withdrought and climate change often prevents this needfrom being adequately addressed. This is particularlytrue in developing areas, where there is evidence ofpractices that are not well thought out. One such areais Nagcarlan, Philippines – a town in the province ofLaguna with a threat of contaminated water supply.More specifically, infiltration from local piggerybusinesses flows into the town’s drinking watersource, thus adding a wide distribution of harmfulpollutants. Aside from biological contaminants, it ispossible that the water supply in some barangays arealso contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals.Reverse osmosis, which is the prevalent means ofwater purification in this area of the Philippines, issometimes not an option for the citizens of Nagcarlanbecause of its prohibitively high cost. To this end,

two groups from Manhattan College in the UnitedStates, and De La Salle University in the Philippineshave created a service learning project to address thisproblem in Nagcarlan. Students visited the site inlate 2009 to assess the water situation, as well asmeet with the local townspeople to discuss theirpractices. The group has devised a two-prongedapproach comprised of 1) using activated carbonderived from waste coconut shells collected in thearea to create personal water filters for thetownspeople and 2) devising an education plan forthe town to promote best water managementpractices. This presentation will discuss preliminarydata obtained from the coconut derived activatedcarbon, as well as the potential for using servicelearning to help disadvantaged sectors of society.

James Patrick Abulencia received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering in 1997 fromManhattan College, and his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns HopkinsUniversity in 2003. His research interests are interdisciplinary, and include water filtration,biofuels, bacterial adhesion, tissue engineering, and engineering education.

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Session 4 Climate and Climategate IChair: Dr. Celso BarrientosCo-Chair: Dr. Josefino Comiso

The Role of Forests in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Global and PhilippineInitiatives

Gil A. MendozaDepartment of Natural Resource and Environmental Sciences

University of IllinoisUrbana, IL

Abstract:IPCC estimates indicate that deforestation accountsfor almost 20 % of greenhouse gas emissions. Forestsplay an integral role in mitigating climate change.Not only are they one of the most important carbonsink, they also constantly remove carbon from theatmosphere through photosynthesis. REDD (ReducedEmissions from Deforestation and Reforestation) isone initiative proposed to help mitigate climatechange. REDD is a mechanism that usesmarket/financial incentives to reduce the emission ofgreenhouse gases from deforestation and forestdegradation in a measurable and verifiable way. Forexample, REDD carbon credits offers the opportunity

to utilize funding from developed countries to reducedeforestation in developing countries. REDD puts avalue on forests for the services they provide bykeeping carbon out of the atmosphere. REDD offersa win-win strategy -- the sellers of REDD creditsbenefit because they are able to generate value byprotecting their forests, making them better off doingthat than finding any alternative forest use while thebuyers benefit because they are able to reduce thecost of complying to emissions regulations. Thispaper explores some of the issues, concerns, andopportunities both globally, and locally (thePhilippine setting).

Gil Mendoza is an Associate Professor at the Department of Natural Resources andEnvironmental Sciences. He also served as Assistant Professor at the University of thePhilippines at Los Banos, College of Forestry and Natural Resources. He finished his PhD at theUniversity of Washington majoring in Forest Management and Operations Research in 1980.His primary research interests include, spatial analysis, geographic information science,mathematical modeling and optimization, natural resource management and sustainabledevelopment.

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Climate Change and Geoengineering

Josefino C. ComisoNASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The increase in global surface temperature of aboutone degree since the start of the industrial revolutionhas been attributed primarily to the increasingpercentage of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.The biggest concern has been the relatively largeincrease of CO2 in the atmosphere which at currentlevel of 385 ppm is now much higher than the naturalvariability of 200 to 280 ppm observed in theprevious 600,000 years. The increase in warming hasactually accelerated to about 0.2 degrees Celsius perdecade which is amplified to around 0.6 degreesCelsius per decade in the Arctic region. Consideringthat the residence time of CO2 in the atmosphere canbe as long as a thousand years, even the successfulimplementation of mitigation strategies that are beingproposed may not be sufficient to keep the Worldfrom experiencing some of the very negative effectsof global warming.

Although it has been proposed much earlier, thestrategy of doing purposeful manipulation of theclimate system to avoid the negative impacts of

climate change has been basically ignored because offear of unknown consequences. However, thisstrategy is gaining momentum in recent years and inparticular, the American Geophysical Union, theAmerican Meteorological Society and the UK RoyalSociety started to propose that research should bedone in this direction. Congress is also consideringpassing a legislation to encourage industry and theacademia to do serious research on it. The procedurehas been called geoengineering. Because of itscooling effect, among the proposed technique is torelease thousands of tons of aerosol into theatmosphere. Another possibility is to do geneticalteration of vegetation with the purpose ofsubstantially increasing the albedo (reflectivity) ofthe leaves of plants. Some of the ideas may actuallywork on a short term but they have raised manyimportant issues associated with risk management,commercial interest and economics.

Josefino Comiso is a senior scientist at the Cryospheric Sciences Branch of the NASA GoddardSpace Flight Center. He received his Bachelor of Science from the University of thePhilippines, Masters of Science from Florida State University and Ph. D. from the University ofCalifornia in Los Angeles, all in physics. He held a post-doctoral position at the University ofVirginia in Charlottesville before joining NASA Goddard Space Flight Center where he hasbeen doing climate, polar processes and satellite remote sensing research. Among his widelyrecognized work is the detection of a rapidly declining Arctic perennial ice cover and an

accelerated warming in the Arctic region both of which have been cited as arguably the strongest evidence of humanimpacts on our climate. His research also led to enhanced understanding of the role of sensible and latent heatpolynyas on deep ocean convection and bottom water formation and the influence of sea ice on phytoplanktonblooms. He is the author or co-author of several book chapters, more than 120 refereed journal articles and fourbooks, including the “Polar Oceans from Space,” published by Springer in April 2010.

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May 29, 2010, Saturday (2nd day)

Session 5 Process Modeling/ Object Recognition/SuperconductorsChair: Dr. Romel D. Gomez

A Model of Mutually Antagonistic Signaling Pathways in Embryonic Xenopus laevis

Edwin Tecarro*, Tung Bui, Marsida Lisi, Amy Sater, Akif UzmanUniversity of Houston-Downtown Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences

One Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002Email: [email protected]

A mathematical model of mutually antagonisticsignaling pathways in the embryonic development ofXenopus laevis is presented in this talk. The modelconsists of a system of coupled, nonlinear ordinarydifferential equations. By using linear stability

analysis and bifurcation theory, the properties of themodel are described. Numerical computationsinclude bifurcation studies, which may be helpful inelucidating the interactions within the biochemicalsignaling network in embryonic Xenopus laevis.

References1. A.K. Sater, H.M. El-Hodiri, M. Goswami, T.B. Alexander, O. Al-Sheikh, L.D. Etkin and J.A. Uzman (2003),

Evidence for antagonism of BMP-4 signals by MAP kinase during Xenopus axis determination andneural specification, Differentiation, 71, 434-444.

2. E.S. Tecarro, T. Bui, M. Lisi, A.K. Sater & A.Uzman (2009), A simple model of two interacting signalingpathways in embryonic Xenopus laevis. Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems, Supplement 2009,753–760.

Edwin Tecarro is Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Houston-Downtown(UHD). He is the Principal Investigator of a 5-year NSF-funded interdisciplinary undergraduateresearch program in Biology and Mathematics at UHD. He has a Ph.D in Mathematics fromUniversity of Houston and B.S. in Mathematics from University of the Philippines-Diliman.

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New Results from Sub-1°Kelvin-Cooled Superconductors and Graphene

Roberto C. Ramos*, Steven Carabello, Joseph Lambert, Zechariah Thrailkill, Jerome Mlack andPubudu Galwaduge

Department of Physics, Drexel University3141 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104


At very low temperatures less than 1° Kelvin(-272°C ) – very close to absolute zero, thermal andelectronic noise in solid-state materials and devicesare significantly reduced. As a result, physicalphenomena normally unobservable even at liquidhelium temperatures become manifest. I will reportrecent results1 from two experimental systems: (1).The first system, known as a “Josephson junction”consists of two superconducting thin films separatedby a 10-20 nm layer of insulating oxide. At liquidhelium temperatures (4°K), passing electrical currentthrough this device makes it behave like a classicalnonlinear resonator with a characteristic plasmafrequency. At 0.020 °K (20 mK), we demonstratehow it behaves like an artificial atom by probing“atomic transitions” between distinct macroscopicquantum energy levels (ground state n=0 excitedstate n=1) using microwaves. As temperature israised through a crossover temperature Tcr = 92 mK,we observe the systematic crossover between

quantum-to-classical behavior of the device, (2). Thesecond system is also a Josephson junction but whichuses a novel superconductor, magnesium diboride(MgB2), found in 2001 to have the highestsuperconducting transition temperature (39°K)among conventional superconductors. MgB2 isunique because it is two-banded (has two energy gapscalled sigma (σ) and pi (!), resulting in two peaks inits differential conductance. In 2002, these peakswere predicted to have sub-peak structure2. I reportthe first high-resolution measurement of this sub-structure measured at 20 mK which show remarkableagreement with theory. Finally, I will report onongoing work with graphene. Graphene is a singleatomic layer of carbon in a pristine honeycomblattice. At Drexel, we are the first to systematicallyprepare and characterize single-layer graphene. I willreport on how we have induced defects and disorderin graphene using a 514.5 nm laser.

References:1. http://www.physics.drexel.edu/research/lowtemp/2. H. J. Choi et. al., Nature Vol 418, p758-760 (2002)

Roberto Ramos is an experimental condensed matter physicist working in the field of lowtemperature physics. Recent work include quantum entanglement in coupled qubits, quantum-classical crossover in Josephson junctions, Berry's phase, resonant activation and sub-structure indifferential conductance peaks in MgB2, graphene junctions and defects in graphene. He pioneeredthe use of clickers at Drexel University and is a strong advocate of physics pedagogy andundergraduate research.

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Session 6 Climate and Climategate IIChair: Dr. Josefino ComisoCo-Chair: Dr. Celso Barrientos

Practical Climate Change Mitigation: The KISS and Other Approaches

Catalino A. Blanche, PhDNational Program Leader

USDA National Institute of Food and AgricultureWashington, DC [email protected]

There is a credible and growing body ofknowledge implicating the increasing carbondioxide (a greenhouse gas) concentration in theatmosphere as major driver of climate change(global warming in particular). Such arelationship (warming effect) was firstdiscovered by Joseph Fourrier in 1924 andquantitatively linked (CO2 and temperature) byArrhenius in 1896. In 2007, theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) reported that the observed warming ofthe globe is caused by greenhouse effects. Thisreport triggered a heightened political anddiplomatic efforts in developing an acceptableglobal agreement on CO2 emission reductions.At the macro level, climate change mitigationthrough CO2 management should besystematically approached at: 1. CO2

concentration stabilization, and 2. CO2

concentration reduction. These will be brieflycovered as the big picture perspectives. Thefocus of this presentation will be on thepractical and readily implementable mitigationstrategies/actions following the philosophy of“think globally and act locally”.

The KISS Approach includes:1. “Trees are the answer”

2. “Trees and more trees”

3. “Plant a tree for me”

4. The “I” Factor, Reduce weight, eat less

5. Eat less meat

6. Drive less, drink less

7. Harvest the low hanging fruits

Other Approaches:1. Transitioning to biofuels

2. Gasoline becomes renewable, black isbeautiful

3. Carbon Cap and Trade

4. Non-carbon constraint renewable fuel

5. Renewable Power, the sun never dies, waterwill always flow and wind will always blow

Do you have anything to add?

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Using satellite data to study land subsidence, flooding and tidal incursion in Metro Manila

Kelvin S. Rodolfo*, A. Mahar Lagmay1, Fernando P. Siringan2

*Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago845 W. Taylor St., Chicago IL 60607

Email: [email protected] Laboratory, National Institute of Geological Sciences, U.P. Diliman

2Marine Geology Laboratory, Marine Science Institute, U.P. Diliman

Land subsidence resulting from excessive extractionof groundwater is particularly acute in East Asiancountries. Some Philippine government sectors havebegun to recognize that the sea-level rise of one tothree millimeters per year due to global warming is acause of worsening floods around Manila Bay, butare oblivious to, or ignore, the principal reason:excessive groundwater extraction is lowering the landsurface by several centimeters to more than adecimeter per year. Such ignorance allows thegovernment to treat flooding as a lesser problem thatcan be mitigated through large infrastructural projectsthat are both ineffective and vulnerable to corruption.The Department of Public Works and Highways isparticularly culpable. In spending a 5-billion pesoloan from Japan ostensibly to protect Manila’scoastal KAMANAVA suburbs against floods andtidal incursions, DPWH ignores, minimizes anddistorts subsidence data gathered since 1997. Toestablish beyond doubt the geographic and synopticdistribution of subsidence in Metro Manila so theproblem can be properly addressed, during thepresenting author’s latest Balik Scientist visit wegenerated a proposal to process radar data gatheredby satellites over the past 12 years, using thePermanent Scatterer Interferometric SyntheticAperture Radar (PSInSAR) technique. This methodcompares multiple acquisitions gathered repeatedlyover time over the same target area to resolve verticalground surface motions at a precision of ~0.5 cmy-1.

The satellite data will be augmented with coring andanalysis of Manila’s underlying rocks.

Metro Manila annual subsidence rates in cmy-1.Data from the National Mapping and ResourceInformation Agency.

Reference1. Siringan, F.P. and K.S. Rodolfo (2003) Relative sea level changes and worsening floods in the western Pampanga Delta: Causes and some possible mitigation measures. Science Diliman. 15. pp. 1–12.2. Rodolfo, K. S. and Siringan, F. P., 2006, Global sea-level rise is recognised, but flooding from anthropo-genic land

subsidence is ignored around northern Manila Bay, Philippines. Disasters 30 (1), 118-139.

Kelvin Rodolfo (B.S. Geology UP Diliman 1958; M.S. 1964, PhD 1967 Univ. of So. Calif.) isProfessor Emeritus with the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at UIC. In 2008and 2009 he was a DOST Balik Scientist. He works on lahars at Mayon and Pinatubo volcanoes,land subsidence, Peak Oil, alternative energy, and climate change.

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Operational Environmental Satellite Systems

Dr. Celso S. BarrientosSatellite Oceanography and Climatology Division

Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR)National Environmental Data and Information Service (NESDIS)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)Camp Springs, Maryland


Operational environmental satellite systems are thebackbone of weather forecasting for the generalpublic, aviation, commerce and recreation. Othermajor applications of satellite data are in agricultureand climate change. NOAA through its componentNESDIS operates the environmental satellite systemsand coordinates data exchange with other countriesand organizations worldwide.

This presentation will focus on the two operationalsatellite systems in the United States – the PolarOperational Environmental Satellite (POES) and theGeostationary Operational Environmental Satellite(GOES). The POES orbits from pole to polesynchronize with the earth rotation under it. It sees apart of the earth twice a day. With two POES,

morning and afternoon birds, global coverage aretaken four times a day. The POES system includesthe Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer(AVHRR) and the TIROS Operational VerticalSounder (TOVS). GOES are stationary over theequator and scanned along the longitude. There aretwo GOES covering the US – GOES East at 75oWand GOES West at 110oW longitudes respectively.GOES is very important during severe weathercondition, i.e. tornado. It can focus to an area andtake measurements every minute. I will present theevolutions of the satellite systems, the importantinstruments, and the applications.

Dr. Celso S. Barrientos is a senior physical scientist in NESDIS/NOAA a Federal agency of the USDepartment of Commerce. His present work is on remote sensing of the ocean. He has anengineering background and graduate studies in meteorology, oceanography, and fluid dynamics.He came to the US as a Fulbright/Smith-Mundt Fellow.

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Session 7 Cancer: Mechanisms, Diagnosis, Prevention and TreatmentChair: Dr. Carlito LebrillaCo-Chair: Dr. Ben de Lumen

Discovery of Marine Biomolecules from Novel Marine Microhabitats

Gisela P. ConcepcionMarine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines

[email protected]

Marine invertebrate organisms such as sponges andmollusks represent unique biological niches orhabitats that allow microorganisms to thrive in theirtissues as symbionts or epibionts. While microbial-host interactions are generally complex and stillpoorly understood, it is fairly reasonable to think thatmicroorganisms provide a biological, ecological andevolutionary advantage to the marine invertebratehost, similar to the benefits humans derive from theirnatural microbial flora. Microorganisms possess highgenetic plasticity or mutability that may confer anadaptive advantage to them and their host. Theirnatural functions in the host tissue, which mayinclude defense and protection against predators andcompetitors, feeding and nutrition enhancement, andregulation of growth, development and settlement,

serve as ecological leads for the discovery of novelmolecules that may be useful for the development ofmedicine and bioenergy. As part of two marineresearch programs (PharmaSeas and ICBG) based atUPMSI and collaborating institutions, we areinvestigating sponge- and mollusk-associatedmicroorganisms as a source of novel bioactivemolecules. Microorganisms from sponges withantimicrobial (S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, K.pneumoniae, M. tuberculosis), antiviral (influenza),anticancer and biofilm inhibition properties havebeen identified. Microorganisms from Conus tissueswith neuroactivity (in dorsal root ganglia) and fromshipworm mollusks with cellulase activity have alsobeen identified. An overview of our studies will bepresented at this talk.

Gisela P. Concepcion, PhD, is a professor at the UP Marine Science Institute where she teachesgraduate courses and pursues marine natural products and biomedical research. She is a memberof the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology.

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Cancer Diagnosis Based on Protein Glycosylation

Carlito B. LebrillaDepartment of Chemistry and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

University of California, Davis

Proteins are often modified by the attachment ofsugar units called glycans during the normal courseof protein production. It is estimated that over 70% ofall human proteins are modified in this way. Thedevelopment of new analytical methods, specificallymass spectrometry and separation science, hassignificantly increased the progress in understandingthe role of the glycome in many biological areas.Research in our group has focused on glycans asdisease markers. A new paradigm for cancerbiomarker discovery is proposed. The detection andanalysis of the glycans that decorate the underlyingpolypeptide in glycoproteins may provide morespecific detection of cancer rather than examining the

proteins themselves. There are numerous studies thatdemonstrate glycans produced in cancer cells aredifferent from those in normal cells. The aberrationin glycosylation is observed with many types ofdiseases as well. In the studies in our laboratory, weharvest glycoproteins and extract the glycans inpatient serum to determine whether the glycosylationhas changed in cancer patients compared to healthypatients. This new glycans assay is used to discoverbiomarkers for the diagnosis of gastric, breast,prostate, and ovarian cancer.

Dr. Carlito B. Lebrilla is a professor at University of California, Davis in the Department ofChemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the School of Medicine. He is currentlythe Chair of the Chemistry Department. He was born in the Philippines. He received his BSdegree from the University of California, Irvine and Ph.D. from the University of California,Berkeley. He was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and a NSF-NATO Fellow at the TechnicalUniversity in Berlin. He returned to the UC Irvine as a President’s Fellow and has been at UCDavis since 1989. His research is in Analytical Chemistry, primarily mass spectrometry with

applications to clinical glycomics and bioanalytical chemistry. He has nearly 200 publications and is Co-editor ofMass Spectrometry Reviews.

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Transcriptional Regulation of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor A5/A3/B4 Lung CancerSusceptibility Locus

Ma. Reina D. Improgo, Andrew R. Tapper, and Paul D. GardnerBrudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry,

University of Massachusetts Medical School303 Belmont St., Worcester, Massachusetts, 01604 USA

[email protected]

Tobacco use poses a huge threat to global health,causing approximately five million deaths per year.Cigarettes contain thousands of harmful chemicalsincluding the psychoactive component, nicotine.Nicotine’s addictive effects are mediated by itsmolecular target, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors(nAChRs). nAChRs are ligand-gated ion channelsmade up of varying combinations of subunits. Elevensubunits have been identified in mammals, namelya2-a10 and b2-b4. Recently, a series of large-scalegenome-wide association studies brought attention tothe a5, a3, and b4 nAChR subunits. The genesencoding these subunits lie in a genomic cluster andvariants in this region were found to be associatedwith increased risk for developing lung cancer. Asan initial approach to understanding the role thesegenes play in lung cancer, we examined theexpression of a5, a3, and b4 across different lungcancer cell lines and patient samples using

quantitative RT-PCR. Overexpression of theclustered genes was observed in small cell lungcarcinoma (SCLC), an aggressive form of lungcancer highly associated with cigarette smoking.Analysis of the promoter regions of these genesrevealed putative binding sites for achaete-scutecomplex homolog-1 (ASCL1), a transcription factorimplicated in the pathogenesis of SCLC. We foundthat knocking down ASCL1 expression via RNAinterference caused specific decreases in expressionof the clustered genes in SCLC, but not of otherhighly expressed nAChR genes. Western blotanalysis and radioligand binding assays confirmedknockdown at the protein level. Consistently,ASCL1 knockdown led to decreases in promoteractivity that was rescued by overexpressing ASCL1.Regulation of nAChR gene expression by ASCL1likely contributes to its role in SCLC tumorigenesis.

References1. Hung RJ, McKay JD, Gaborieau V, et al. 2008. A susceptibility locus for lung cancer maps to nicotinic

acetylcholine receptor subunit genes on 15q25. Nature 452:633-637.2. Jiang T, Collins BJ, Jin N, et al. 2009. Achaete-scute complex homologue 1 regulates tumor-initiating capacity

in human small cell lung cancer. Cancer Res 69:845-854.

Ma. Reina Improgo is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Shereceived her bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of thePhilippines Diliman. She was a recipent of the DOST-SEI scholarship for her undergraduate studyand a graduate of the Philippine Science High School.

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Complementary Roles in Cancer Prevention: Protease Inhibitor Makes the CancerPreventive Peptide Lunasin Bioavailable

Ben O. de Lumen1,*, Chia-Chien Hsieh1, Blanca Hernández-Ledesma1, Hyun J. Jeong2, and Jae HoPark2

Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California,Berkeley, CA 94720-3104, USA

2 Plant Resources and Environment, Andong National University,Andong, 760-749 Korea

*E-mail: [email protected]

The lower incidence of breast cancer among Asianwomen compared with Western countries has beenpartly attributed to soy in the Asian diet leading toefforts to identify the bioactive components that areresponsible. Soy Bowman Birk Inhibitor Concentrate(BBIC) is a known cancer preventive agent now inhuman clinical trials. The objectives of this work areto establish the presence and delineate the in vitroactivity of lunasin and BBI found in the BBIC andstudy their bioavailability after oral administration tomice and rats. We report that lunasin and BBI are thetwo main bioactive ingredients of BBIC based oninhibition of foci formation, lunasin being moreefficacious than BBI on equimolar basis. BBI and soyKunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (KTI) protect lunasin fromin vitro digestion with pancreatin. Oral administrationof 3H-labeled lunasin with lunasin-enriched soy(LES) results in 30% of the peptide reaching targettissues in an intact and bioactive form. In a xenograftmodel of nude mice transplanted with human breast

cancer MDA-MB-231 cells, intraperitoneal injectionsof lunasin, at 20 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg body weight,decrease tumor incidence by 49% and 33%,respectively compared with the vehicle-treated group.In contrast, injection with BBI at 20 mg/kg bodyweight shows no effect on tumor incidence. Tumorgeneration is significantly reduced with the two dosesof lunasin while BBI is ineffective. Lunasin inhibitscell proliferation and induces cell death in the breasttumor sections. We conclude that lunasin is actuallythe bioactive cancer preventive agent in BBIC andBBI simply protects lunasin from digestion whensoybean and other seed foods are eaten by humans.

We believe that our results would contribute tomaking concrete recommendations on eating plantfoods and formulation of dietary supplements forcancer prevention.

References1. Chien et al. (2010) Complementary Roles in Cancer Prevention: Protease Inhibitor Makes the Cancer Preventive

Peptide Lunasin Bioavailable. PLoS ONE (in press)2. Hernandez-Ledesma B, Hsieh CC, de Lumen BO. Lunasin, a Novel Seed Peptide for Cancer Prevention. Peptides

30: 426-430 (2009)

Ben de Lumen is a professor at the Dept of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University ofCalifornia at Berkeley. He is also Board Chairman and co-founder of FilGen BioSciences, Inc, astart-up biotech company formed to commercialize lunasin technology.

resentor’s Photo

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Biotransformation of Taxadiene in Transgenic Moss: Production of Novel Taxanes

Aldwin Anterola*1, Robert Ham1, Samuel Hughes1, Pierre-Francois Perroud2, Ralph Quatrano2

1Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 629012Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130


Paclitaxel is an antineoplastic drug used forchemotherapy. It belongs to a family of smallmolecules known as taxanes, which have thecharacteristic diterpenoid taxane ring. Paclitaxel’staxane ring is highly functionalized and multiplyesterified, resulting in a complex structure that defieslarge-scale total synthesis for commercial use.Paclitaxel can be isolated from the bark of yew trees,but the amounts obtained are not sufficient forsustainable production of the drug. Thus, Paclitaxeland its analogue Docetaxel (another anticancer drug)are manufactured semi-synthetically from anadvanced taxane precursor isolated from Yew leaves.Unfortunately, yew leaves do not produce a steadysupply of precursors due to variations in the taxanecomposition of the harvested raw material. In anattempt to provide an alternative source of Paclitaxeland Docetaxel, the moss Physcomitrella patens wasgenetically engineered with the first two enzymes in

the Paclitaxel biosynthetic pathway, namelytaxadiene synthase and taxadiene 5-hydroxylase,which resulted in the formation of taxadiene andtaxadienol, respectively. Aside from the expectedproducts, other taxadiene derived metabolites havebeen formed, which is most likely due to the de novometabolism of taxadiene by Physcomitrella patens.Production of these new taxanes by transgenicPhyscomitrella patens did not affect moss growth,which is in contrast to the developmental delaysobserved in higher plants when the same enzymeshave been introduced in them genetically. The use oftransgenic moss is therefore a promising approachnot only for the production of Paclitaxel andDocetaxel, but also for the generation of noveltaxanes, which may have useful biological (e.g.anticancer) properties, similar to other taxanes.

References1. Anterola, A.M., Shanle, E. Perroud, P.-F., Quatrano, R. 2009. Production of taxa-4(5),11(12)-diene by transgenic

Physcomitrella patens. Research 18 (4), 655-660.2. Anterola, A.M. and Shanle, E. 2008. Genomic insights in moss gibberellin biosynthesis. 111 (2), 218-230.

NIH funded Principal Investigator studies production of anticancer compounds in transgenic moss(patent pending). As a tenure-track faculty in a Research I University, he also teaches cell biologyand medical botany to undergraduates, and mentors students interested in biochemical research.

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Session 8 Science Research and EducationChair: Dr. Lourdes L. HeroldCo-Chair: Dr. Seville Detera-Wadleigh

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Tried and True. Usingthe Synthesis of Aspirin in the Application of Molecular Orbital Calculations in a General

Chemistry Lab Experiment

Lourdes L. Herold, Ph.D*, Jarod Sterrett, Wendy L. Elcesser, Ph.D. and Anne Kondo, Ph.D.Department of Chemistry, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana, PAEmail: [email protected]

The Working with Chemistry1 program has been usedin the General Chemistry laboratory sections2 forscience majors at Indiana University of Pennsylvania(IUP) for the past eight years. Real life scenarios areused to set up back to back experiments. The first ofthe two experiments is a skill building one thatintroduces the students to the technique ormethodology that will be used in the secondexperiment. In the second experiment, theapplication part, the chemical principle(s) and/ormethodology are applied to the real life scenario usedto set up the tandem experiments. Over the years, wehave added several experiment groups following thesame two-lab format. This presentation will discussan experiment that was developed to replace ouroriginal synthesis experiment that applied molecularorbital calculations in predicting which of two

possible isomers was favored to be formed due to itsstability. Concerns about the hazards of somereactants pushed us to find a substitute reaction. Ourgoal was to find a simple organic chemistry synthesisexperiment that would also apply molecular orbitalcalculations. We relied upon the tried and truepreparation of aspirin for the organic synthesis part ofthe experiment. The challenge remained: how toapply molecular orbital calculations to aspects of thesynthesis and purification of aspirin. Thispresentation will discuss which parameters we usedto illustrate the use of the Spartan molecular orbitalcalculation software on several aspects of thissynthesis and the journey taken together by the IUPGeneral Chemistry Teaching Circle3 on arriving atthese choices.

References1. Working with Chemistry, A Laboratory Inquiry Program, Donald J. Wink, Sharon Fetzer Gislason and Julie

Ellefson Kuehn. W.H. Freeman, 2005.2. This project was supported by NSF CCLI A&I Grant #0126498.3. See the IUP Reflective practice website. http://www.iup.edu/teachingexcellence/

Dr. Lourdes L. Herold is an assistant professor at the Chemistry Department of Indiana Universityof Pennsylvania. She holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry degree from Iowa State University, aM.S. in Chemistry degree from the George Washington University, a B.S. Chemistry degree fromthe University of San Carlos, Cebu City as well as a certificate for teaching high school chemistryfrom the Instruction and Learning Division of the School of Education of the University ofPittsburgh.Presentor’

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Faith in the Facts: Local Researchers’ Perspectives on Science Communication in thePhilippines

Inez Ponce de Leon* and Mark A. Tucker

Department of Youth Development and Agricultural Education, Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, Indiana


Science communication is critical to the Philippines.It can allow the lay public to make informeddecisions on science-based matters; it can also helpscientists showcase their work. But what do localscientists think about science communication? Towhat extent are they willing to participate in variousscience communication endeavors? In this research,we interviewed 20 PhD-level researchers fromvarious fields working in the Philippines on theirviews about the scientific discipline. Inductiveanalysis of the interviews revealed the participants’views on science communication. Participantsbelieved it was essential for scientists tocommunicate their science well: it was their duty torelay their findings, disseminate information, and talkto the public about risks. However, most admittedthat not all scientists had the talent to communicatetheir findings. They were also dismayed with how thelocal media hitherto handled science news andinformation. To remedy this situation, theparticipants believed that science communicators and

social scientists could help researchers meet theircommunication goals by explaining scientific work tothe public, and by finding ways to make science moresocially acceptable. The researchers put faith in facts:if scientists had facts to back them up, andsuccessfully relayed these facts to the public, thenthey felt the public would know the facts, thinkcritically, and act accordingly. These beliefs areconsistent with deficit models of communication,where scientists, the source of the communicationmessage, consider themselves as a singular andpowerful source of knowledge. These findings haveimplications for the professional development ofscientists, as they strive to engage the media and thepublic more effectively. These findings should alsoencourage discussions on science communicationamong scientists and within scientific societies.Results from this work will form the basis for futurecross-national comparisons among various scientists.

References1. Davies, S.R. (2008). Constructing communication: Talking to scientists about talking to the public. Science

Communication, 29(4), 413-434.2. Kahan, D. (2010). Fixing the communications failure. Nature, 463, 296-29

Inez Ponce de Leon is a PhD candidate at Purdue University. Her research is currently in sciencecommunication, the nature of science, and the sociology of the scientific discipline. She holds MSand BS (cum laude) degrees in molecular biology and biotechnology from the University of thePhilippines, Diliman.

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Special Report on PAASE Projects in the Philippines

A.M. AlbanoPhysics Department, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

At the 27th annual PAASE meeting held in Manila inFebruary 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyoannounced that she had authorized the release ofP200 million for MS and PhD scholarships in scienceand technology and that the following year’s budgetwould include P500 million towards the completionof the Science Complex in UP Diliman. More fundshave since been allocated for research, and for theScience Complex which now nears completion.

Led by Giselle Concepcion, PAASE members, somebased in the Philippines and some based elsewhere,had lobbied the President and members of Congressthe previous year for this increase in funding. Thiseffort is possibly the most visible of many projectswhich PAASE as a whole, or which membersindividually, have initiated for the advancement ofscience and technology research and education in thePhilippines.

Last February, Giselle (as Vice-President for 2010and President-elect for 2011) and Toby Dayrit (asPresident for 2009) signed, on behalf of PAASE, aMemorandum of Agreement (MOA) with thePhilippine Department of Science and Technology(DOST), the Department of Trade and Industry, theDepartment of Foreign Affairs, and the SiliconValley Science and Technology Advisory Council(STAC). The MOA is intended to “facilitatediscussion and cooperation on matters related toscience and technology education, and research anddevelopment that will bridge academia andbusinesses.“ Among the research-related areas ofcooperation proposed are reviewing “researchproposals, curricula in the academe and sciencebooks and materials at all educational levels.” It alsoasks the signatories to “provide inputs towardsresearch thrusts, programs and applications withimpact on society; assist in accelerating humanresources development,” and “help in promotingscience appreciation as well as advocating for moreresource support for Science and Technologyprograms such as the Balik Scientist Program.”

Even before the signing of the MOA, a Book ReviewGroup, now consisting of a score of PAASEmembers, was already in the process of reviewingsome science books currently being used inPhilippine elementary and high schools. Subsequentdiscussions with the National Book Development

Board (NBDB) have resulted in three Philippinepublishers inviting PAASE members to review theirpublications. And the NBDB is proposing thatPAASE contribute members to the jury thatadjudicates its “Golden Seal Awards” whichrecognize outstanding textbooks published in thePhilippines. More discussions with the NBDB areunderway.

Many of the efforts of individual PAASE membershave been facilitated by the Balik Scientist Program(BSP) of DOST, in which members have participatedwith considerable enthusiasm. A full list of PAASEmembers who have participated in this program maybe found a t t he PAASE webs i t e(http://paase.org/BSP_PAASE_Awardees.pdf).Others efforts were made possible by the assistanceof other DOST programs, by foreign foundations andfunding agencies, or by members’ private funds.

The following is a brief summary of some of themore recent projects. It is certainly incomplete as itrelies only on reports from members who respondedto solicitations for information in preparation for thisyear’s 30th annual meeting.

Rigoberto Advincula (Chemistry Department,University of Houston) was at the UP Department ofChemical Engineering in December 2008 inconnection with their ERDT Program, giving a oneweek workshop on Nanotechnology. He workedprimarily with Analiza Rollon. Returning in July,2009 on a one-year BSP project, Gobet spent sometime at the UP Institute of Chemistry, where he did aworkshop on UP-SCAN, (Surface Characterizationand Analysis at the Nanoscale) working primarilywith Florian del Mundo. In December 2009, still aspart of his BSP project, he led a workshop onPolymer Materials and Characterization at the USTDepartment of Chemistry where he was hosted byChristina Binag. Gobet is currently hosting severalDOST and Philippine Council for Health Researchand Development (PCHRD) sponsored scholarsworking on nanomaterials and sensors in hislaboratory.

Alfonso Albano (Physics Department, Bryn MawrCollege) has been on two short-term BSP visits. Thefirst one, hosted by Giselle Concepcion of the UP

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Marine Science Institute in January 2008, includedparticipation in an International Workshop organizedby Ma. Victoria and Christopher Bernido at theResearch Center for Theoretical Physics in Jagna,Bohol, and giving talks at UP Diliman and UP LosBaños. An invitation by Jinky Bornales of thePhysics Department, Mindanao State University –Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) led to areturn visit in September 2008 to conduct a 5-dayworkshop on Nonlinear Dynamics and Time SeriesAnalysis. The second BSP trip, in July 2009involved two workshops at MSU-IIT and visits to theUniversity of San Carlos (Cebu) and SillimanUniversity (Dumaguete). Al currently supervises,together with faculty members at MSU-IIT, five MSstudents in physics and one PhD student inmathematics.

Aldwin Anterola (Department of Plant Biology,Southern Illinois University) was on a BSP projecthosted by the Institute of Chemistry, UPLB in 2009.Aldwin addressed a whole range of topics, fromencouraging students at the Lipa City NationalScience High School and the Batangas College ofArts and Sciences to pursue careers in science, todiscussing research projects in his laboratory withstudents and faculty from UPLB and Southern LuzonState University, to suggesting solutions to theturnover problem of young faculty at the UPLBInstitute of Chemistry, to exploring the possibilitiesof bringing UPLB and UP Manila graduate studentsto do part of their dissertation work through“sandwich” programs in his laboratory. He helpedformulate research proposals for submission toDOST and signed up as a consultant on abiochemistry project of UP Manila. His visit includedlectures at UPLB, Lipa City National Science HighSchool, UP Manila, UP Diliman and the AteneoUniversity.

Ma. Victoria and Christopher Bernido (CentralVisayan Institute Foundation and Research Center forTheoretical Physics) have been running a high schoolin Jagna, Bohol while doing research in theoreticalphysics for many years. Their “Jagna InternationalWorkshops in Theoretical Physics” have attractedphysicists from the US, Japan, and Europe. Theworkshop proceedings have been published byinternational science publishers, the proceedings ofthe latest one, the 5th, held in January 2008, waspublished by the American Institute of Physics.

Reacting to the dire situation of high school physicsteaching in the Philippines, where only 27 % ofphysics teachers have an undergraduate degree in

science education or in physics, Marivic and Chrishave developed a curricular program that helps bothstudents and teachers. Their program, called“Learning Physics as one Nation (LPON),” dependson student activity rather than on traditionalclassroom lectures. It also makes use of videotapedlectures by Filipino physicists, and provides year-round in-school training for teachers. LPON is nowbeing used by over 30 high schools in the country.

Felixberto Buot (Computational Materials ScienceCenter, George Mason University) was on a three-month BSP project in 2009 at the University of SanCarlos (USC) in Cebu. While there, Felix taught agraduate course and ran some thesis seminars. Oneresult of these activities is that he is now arranging tosupervise the research work of five MS students inphysics. Felix collaborated with Roland Otadoy whowas his host at USC to draft a research proposalwhich has been submitted to the Philippine Councilfor Advanced Science and Technology Research andDevelopment (PCASTRD) program of DOST. Hesubsequently submitted another proposal to BSP toestablish a Theoretical and ComputationalNanoscience and Nanotechnology project at USC.

Josefino Comiso (NASA Greenbelt), CatalinoBlanche (USDA National Institute of Food andAgriculture) and Terry Sarigumba (Georgia Pacific,retired) went as a BSP team in 2009 to help addressthe issues of climate change and mitigation in thePhilippines. They were joined by Gil Mendoza whenthey were at UP Los Baños and by Leo Abenes whenthey were at Mariano Marcos State University. Theteam has produced a White paper which they feel willbe a very good reference material on the subject.Details of the project will be presented at a panelduring the 30th PAASE meeting in Madison. Theteam also concludes that working together with localtalents has “many advantages and should beencouraged. It is more fun and … more productive.”

Gisela Concepcion (Marine Science Institute, UPDiliman) has initiated, led, or otherwise participatedin a large number of projects dealing with variousaspects of science teaching, research, outreach, andpolicy in the Philippines. In addition to leading thelobbying effort that has increased Philippinegovernment funding for science, she wasinstrumental in having the BSP application processsimplified, was involved with the drafting of theMOA with STAC and the Philippine government,and initiated conversations with NBDB concerningthe book review project. Together with Pedro Jose(Children’s National Medical Center), she is in the

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process of establishing procedures for PAASEmembers to review research proposals submitted toDOST, and with Gobet Advincula (University ofHouston), procedures for PAASE members toparticipate in reviews of the curricula of Philippineschools. Giselle has also been active on the outreachfront. She initiated “Star Science,” a weekly sciencecolumn published by the Philippine Star to which anumber of PAASE members continue to contribute.A collection of essays that have appeared in thecolumn has been published by the UP Press, co-edited by Giselle, Ed Padlan (Marine ScienceInstitute, UP Diliman) and Cesar Saloma (College ofScience, UP Diliman). Even more ambitious has beenthe launching of Philippine Science Letters (PSL,http://www.philsciletters.org/home.htm), a peer-reviewed on-line journal which she co-founded andnow co-edits with Ed Padlan. After two years ofexistence, it is now listed (although not yet indexed)by the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI). PSLpublishes original research articles, review papers,and biographical sketches of prominent Filipinoscientists.

Angel de Dios (Chemistry Department, GeorgetownUniversity) has created computerized classrooms inPaete, Laguna based on the premise that the computerclassroom, like any classroom, is a place, first andforemost, for learning and not teaching. “When wefocus on learning,” Angel claims, “we provide anenvironment that is rich in opportunities fordiscovery and inquiry.” Each of his “Science Lessonsfor Batang Paete,” begins with a science-related newsarticle followed by questions which are answered bylinks to websites. The lesson ends with interactivegames. Angel’s project has elicited the involvementof teachers, parents, local NGO’s, and the municipalgovernment of Paete. It has also resulted insignificantly improved test scores of Paete publicschool students.

Jorge Emanuel (United Nations DevelopmentProgramme) is Chief Technical Adviser of a projectfor reducing health care waste to avoid environmentalreleases of dioxins and mercury. The project involvesseveral international agencies such as the WorldHealth Organization and Health Care Without Harmand a number of foreign universities. In thePhilippines, the project includes the Department ofHealth, the Department of Energy and NaturalResources, the National Economic DevelopmentAuthority, Ospital ng Maynila, Pangasinan ProvincialHospital, UP Manila, College of Public Health. Theproject runs from 2009 to 2012 with a total budget of

over $23 million of which over $1 million is slatedfor the Philippines.

Pedro Jose (Center for Molecular PhysiologyResearch, Children’s National Medical Center)spread out a short-term BSP project into three phasescovering most of 2008. In that time, he co-supervisedthe work of two graduate students with CynthiaSaloma (National Institute of Molecular Biology andBiotechnology, UP Diliman) and Giselle Concepcion.Both students have since graduated, and one of themholds a postdoctoral position in Pedro’s laboratory.Together with Giselle Concepcion, he is establishingprocedures for PAASE members to review researchproposals submitted to DOST.

Rozzano Locsin (Christine E. Lynn College ofNursing, Florida Atlantic University) completed hisBSP project in March 2010. He was hosted bySilliman University College of Nursing where hejoined research groups to explore and understand theencounters of persons who have experienced being inintensive care units, and persons with chronic illnessand conditions, and those persons who are 'waiting-to-know' about their situations and conditions ofhealth. The research activities were supported byvarious colleges and universities including theUniversity of the Philippines, Lyceum of thePhilippines University, Southville College,University of Santo Tomas, University of the East,Cebu Normal University, Xavier University, NotreDame University of Cotabato, St. Louis University Baguio, and national organizations such as thePhil ippine Nurses Association NationalHeadquarters, Manila. Nino taught doctoral coursesat Silliman University, St. Paul UniversityPhilippines in Tuguegarao, and San Pedro College inDavao City. He has helped one research group tocomplete a research proposal and three other groupswhich are in various stages of writing their proposals.

Eduardo Mendoza (Department of Physics, LudwigMaximillians University, Munich) started planningprojects that would contribute to the development ofscience and technology in the Philippines when hemoved from the software industry to academe in2002. His basic idea was “to establish computationalgroups, which would work very closely withexperimental (and later clinical) groups, both in thePhilippines and abroad.” After several trips to thePhilippines including three BSP short visits, Ed hasestablished a number of research groups that nowinclude a sizable number of Filipino researchers. Twoinitiatives, SMILES (Statistics, Mathematics andInformatics in the Life and Environmental Sciences)

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at UP Diliman and MBaRC (Manila Bay ResearchCorridor) at De la Salle Manila, UP Manila andMapua, which started in March 2003 and March 2008respectively, have established an early Filipino“foothold” in the now widely-acknowledged strategicfields of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology (BSB).Evidence for this “foothold” is provided by i)currently 27 papers published in internationaljournals by participants of SMILES and MBaRC, (ii)the holding of the 10th International Conference onMolecular Systems Biology at UP Diliman (Feb2008) and iii) the participation of Filipino researchersand students in significant, internationally-fundedresearch in the field .

Guillermo Mendoza (Department of NaturalResources and Environmental Sciences, University ofIllinois) has been on two short-term BSP visits, thefirst, in 2008, hosted by UP Los Baños, the second, in2009, by the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial StateUniversity (DMMMSU) in La Union. The majorthrust of Gil’s first project involved the use of GIS innatural resource planning and management,landscape approaches to agroforestry, globalwarming and climate and their impacts in naturalresource management and agricultural productivity.A significant portion of these consultations withcolleagues, scientists, and other researchers centeredon biofuel production systems, particularly landresource allocation and feedstock production andallocation. Based on these consultations, he and hishosts developed a capsule project proposal. Gil’ssecond visit focused on enhancing institutionalcapacity at DMMMSU, strengthening their researchcapability, and the development of specific projectproposals. While at UPLB during this visit, he joinedfellow Balikscientists Joey Comiso, Lino Blancheand Terry Sarigumba to run a workshop on ClimateChange and Mitigation.

Amador Muriel (Department of ChemicalEngineering, UP Diliman) has been going more orless regularly to the Philippines for a few decades,teaching, supervising graduate students, and doingresearch. Two of his former PhD students now teachat the National Institute of Physics (NIP) in UPDiliman, another teaches at a university in the CzechRepublic. He has published extensively ininternational journals together with his students andfaculty collaborators in the Philippines. Amador wason a three-month BSP visit in 2009 hosted by one ofhis former students, Perry Esguerra at the NationalInstitute of Physics, UP Diliman. He is currently aVisiting Professor at the Department of ChemicalEngineering, UP Diliman, under the Engineering

Research and Development for Technology (ERDT)Program. There, he is establishing a quantumturbulence laboratory while supervising the researchof three MS students. He is arranging to bring threepostdoctoral researchers under the auspices of ERDTto Columbia University in Fall 2010.

Eduardo Padlan (Marine Science Institute, UPDiliman) had been going regularly to the Philippinesfor teaching and research even before he retired fromthe National Institutes of Health. At the NIH, hislaboratory hosted a number of post-doctoral fellowsfrom the Philippines. An early project in thePhilippines was the Antibody and MolecularOncology Research Program (AMOR), a DOST-funded project which he helped found and to whichhe contributed time, journals, reference materials andeven reagents. He is an initiator and co-project leaderof an influenza vaccine project, a collaborator andconsultant of “PharmaSeas,” a UP Marine ScienceInstitute research initiative which has receivedconsiderable funding from the DOST. With GiselleConcepcion, Ed was co-founder and the originaleditor of Philippine Science Letters which he now co-edits with Giselle, and is by far the most prolificcontributor to Star Science. He has been on two BSPshort term visits. When he is not in the Philippines,Ed maintains a virtual presence via a “VirtualLaboratory of Biomolecular Structures” used by UPMarine Science Institute scientists involved in proteinsequence analysis. He also gives virtual lectures byemail.

Francis de los Reyes (Dept. of Civil, Construction,and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina StateUniversity) started collaborating with AsuncionRaymundo (Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB)in 2004 and with Analiza Rollon (Department ofChemical Engineering, UP Diliman) in 2007. Theseresearch connections were strengthened when Franciswent to the Philippines on a BSP project in 2008during which he participated on studies of molecularmicrobial analysis with various UPLB researchers.This project and a project on water qualitymeasurement at the UPLB College of Engineeringmake use of equipment worth $10,000 that hedonated. Francis’ BSP trip also resulted in hisbecoming a member of two UPLB graduate studentcommittees. An MOA between UPLB and NorthCarolina State University is being prepared thatwould enable him to be appointed Adjunct Professorat UPLB. As part of his collaboration with UPDiliman, he hopes to teach a class on EnvironmentalBiotechnology when he returns.

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Judy Ribaya-Mercado (Gerald J. and Dorothy R.Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy,Tufts University) collaborated with Florentino SSolon of the Nutrition Center of the Philippines onstudies of Vitamin A and Carotenoids from 1995 to2006. The studies were done among school-agedchildren and elderly adults in rural communities inBatangas, Cavite, and Bataan. The 11-year longstudies were funded by the International AtomicEnergy Agency, the Thrasher Research Fund, and theUnited States Department of Agriculture’s ForeignAgricultural Service and National Research Initiative.

Kelvin Rodolfo (Department of Earth &Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois atChicago) has been doing research in the Philippineseven before his retirement from the University ofIllinois in 1994. Funded by the NSF, he studiedlahars at Mayon in the 1980’s and at Pinatubo from1991 to 1997. His book, “Pinatubo and the Politics ofLahar” won a National Book Award from the ManilaCritics Circle in 1995, and his fundamental researchinto lahars led to his selection to write the entry on

lahars in the international Encyclopedia ofVolcanoes. Since retirement, he has been spendingseveral months a year in the Philippines. In the pastfew years, he has been studying land subsidencearound Manila Bay. Two of his recent trips wereshort-term BSP visits.

Leah Tolosa (Center for Advanced SensorTechnology, University of Maryland BaltimoreCounty) was on a short-term BSP visit hosted byUST in 2008. She has since conceived of acollaborative project with the Institute of Chemistry,UP Diliman that would identify Philippine plants thatare anti-diabetic based on bioassays for metabolitelevels, as well as provide a novel method ofquantifying efficacy of herbal medicines based onbioassay-guided responses of experimental animals.The assays are to be done in Leah’s laboratory atUMBC. She and her Philippine collaborators haveapplied for funding from FIRCA/NIH.

Alfonso M. Albano. B. S. (University of the Philippines, 1959), M.S. (University of Iowa,1964), Ph.D. (Stony Brook University, 1969). After retiring in 2005 from Bryn Mawr Collegewhere he had taught for 35 years, Dr. Albano taught for one semester at SingaporeManagement University before taking retirement really seriously. He has since been to thePhilippines on two Balik Scientist projects. One consequence of these trips is that he nowsupervises the research work of a number of graduate students at Mindanao State University –Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), via email and Skype, and with the help of MSU-IITfaculty members. He continues to do research on time series analysis of biomedical signals.

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Acknowledgement

The Organizing Committee of the 30th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering is grateful to the faculty of the Department ofMedical Physics of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and theirchairman, Dr. James Zagzebski, for co-sponsoring this event. Special appreciation and gratitudeis also extended to the department secretary, Ms. Jo-Ann Kronberg, for her untiring assistance inmaking the arrangements for this meeting.

Front cover photo credit:Photo by: Jeff MillerUW-Madison University Communications File ID 6771.

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Notes

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