DOST-PCHRD scholars to share academic journey in Italy at Talakayang HeaRT Beat
On February 23, 2023, scholars of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), Doctors Loraine Kay Cabral and Noel Salvoza, will share their experiences and give insights as foreign scholars in Italy at the second session of Talakayang HeaRT Beat.
Cabral and Salvoza are the first two Filipino scholars under the PhD in Molecular Biomedicine Scholarship Program that was created through an agreement between the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), the University of Trieste (UNITS), and Fondazione Italiana Fegato (FIF).
The scholars have been able to publish research papers and present their works in international conferences since they started in 2019. Recently, Dr. Salvoza and his co-authors Dr. Pablo Giraudi, Dr. Claudio Tiribelli, and Dr. Natalia Rosso were given the "Highly Cited Paper Award of 2022" for their review paper titled, “Sex differences in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: hints for future management of the disease” published at the Exploration of Medicine journal in 2020.
The three-year PhD program is focused on molecular hepatology within the PhD Program in Molecular Biomedicine of UNITS that integrates basic research and clinics focusing on the study of molecular approaches to cancer biology, genetics, jaundice, and metabolic disease.
DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya highlighted the objectives of the program and its significance in developing a pool of high-quality human resources in molecular biomedicine.
“We want to open opportunities to deserving Filipino students to study and obtain their PhD degrees in a reputable institution abroad and we are confident in them that they will be able to contribute to the country’s global competitiveness and economic development, come up with health research, and boost technological innovation capabilities through training on biomedical research in the future,” he said. It is also expected that the scholars will be able to liaise with the FIF in creating a basis for Liver Network integrating basic and clinical research.
FIlipino scholars under this program will receive benefits such as school fees, living allowance, book allowance, outright dissertation grant, travel/health and accident insurance, one round-trip fare from the Philippines to Italy, and the scholars’ pre-departure expenses.
Also joining the scholars and Dr. Montoya in the session are DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Leah J. Buendia, and Institution Development Division OIC Paula Jane De Leon.
Started in 2019, Talakayang HeaRT Beat is a monthly press conference that introduces and provides the latest updates on the DOST-PCHRD’s programs and services to the public. (30)
