TO improve health studies in the field of molecular biology, the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) gave the UST Research Center for the Health Sciences (RCHS) P1 million-worth of laboratory equipment last month.
Pursuant to the Ched policy on financial grants, the RCHS, the research arm of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (FMS)—a Center of Excellence—is entitled to request for financial assistance.
“Kung kasama ‘yun sa request ng FMS for equipment and facility (improvement), kasama ‘yun sa popondohan ng Ched,” said Chat Barrera, Ched project development officer.
Ched has funded some of RCHS’s equipment purchases since September.
“(The financial assistance) is very important because the funds we get (from the University) are just enough to cover operational expenses,” said Dr. Alex Erasmo, RCHS director. “‘Yung procurement of equipment, usually through donations.”
Erasmo added that the Center needs high-tech microscopes and other molecular-level equipment to understand health sciences in the basic levels “more effectively.”
Moreover, the FMS alumni are expected to donate about $50,000 to the RCHS on Dec. 21 during their grand alumni homecoming celebrations.
FMS Dean Dr. Rolando Lopez said the money will be used as “honoraria” for researchers as well.
“Konti lang naman ang budget ng research center (because) some of the money will be used for funding the researchers, (not just the equipment),” Lopez said. “Para rin naman ma-enganyo ‘yung ibang (hindi pa nagre-research).”
Among RCHS’s newly acquired devices are the Laboratory autoclave and the high-temperature oven, which are used for sterilization, along with the Bio-Rad Gel Electrophoresis, which extracts DNA samples from specimens. Reagan D. Tan
