Honorary Members
Honorary Members
Dr. Rita Laude
Genetics Research and Education
Professor Emeritus (Institute of Biological Sciences, UP Los Baños)
BSA Botany '70, MS Genetics '76, PhD Genetics '84 (UPLB)
Dr. Rita Laude is a professor (Genetics) at the Genetics and Molecular Biology Division of the Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), UPLB. She held various administrative positions such as being the Deputy Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences (1990-93), Graduate School Secretary (92-94), Director of Instruction ('94-97), Director of Institutional Linkages ('97-98), and Dean of the Graduate School, UPLB ('98-2003) and Vice-Chancellor for Instruction of UPLB (2005-2011). At present, she is the Program Director for Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock of the Philippine Genome Center. She has written/co-authored several papers on the Genetics of various species in the Philippines such as man, rodents, honeybees, insects and coconut.
Dr. Adelina Barrion
Genetics Research and Education (Sept. 9,1951 - July 10, 2010†)
BS Entomology '74, MS Entomology '78, PhD Entomology '85 (UPLB)
Dr. Adelina Barrion is a Professor (Genetics and Evolutionary Biology) at the Genetics and Molecular Biology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, CAS, UPLB. She was recognized as the 2002 Most Outstanding Entomologist. She is a renowned researcher and scientist in the field of Insect Genetics and Systematics. Her extensive contribution to the study of Philippine spiders earned her the moniker, "Asia's Spider Woman". She is also a former head of the Genetics and Molecular Biology Division (IBS), curator of the Museum of Natural History - UPLB, and former senior adviser of The UPLB Genetics Society.
Dr. Merlyn Mendioro
Genetics Research and Education
9th Director, Institute of Biological Sciences, UP Los Baños (2015-present)
BSA Agronomy '78cl, MS Agronomy '84, PhD Genetics '93 (UPLB)
Dr. Mendioro started to teach in UPLB in 1985. She was awarded as 2006 CAS and UPLB’s Most Outstanding Teacher in the Biological Sciences, which she first received in 1992. She is also one of the Ten Outstanding Young Scientist in 1995. She is greatly known for her discipline, diligence and love for work. She handles the Genetics course (BIO 30) and other advance Genetics courses in UPLB. In 2011, she was appointed UP Scientist 1 (2011-2013). In 2015, Dr. Mendioro was selected as the 9th Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences. She is also a former head of the Genetics and Molecular Biology Division (IBS).
She is the current senior adviser of The UPLB Genetics Society and faculty adviser of the Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health - Philippines Los Baños.
Dr. Raquel Del Rosario-Fortun, FPSP
Forensic Pathology
First Filipina Forensic Pathologist
BS Psychology '83 (UPD), Doctor of Medicine (UERM) '87
After completing her residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology in 1992 at UP-PGH, Dr. Raquel Fortun had her training in forensic pathology abroad with a specialization in Forensic Pathology in Seattle, Washington at the King County Medical Examiner's Office; and as an exchange scientist in Legal Medicine at Kobe University School of Medicine. Dr. Fortun also attended various courses in Forensic and Legal Medicine abroad. After her international training, Dr. Fortun opted to stay in the Philippines. She is currently a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and continuously imparts her expertise in general pathology and legal medicine. Some of the more high-profile cases Fortun has worked on in the Philippines include the Payatas disaster in 2000, the Asian Spirit air crash in 1999, and the Asosacion de Damas Filipinas fire in 1998. She has also done forensic work and training in several countries like the Netherlands, Cyprus, Japan, Sierra Leone, Cambodia and East Timor. With her expertise and dedication to the field, she has been awarded with the 2002 Philippines TOYM and 2006 Metrobank Outstanding Teacher Award. Because of these, she is fondly referred as the Mother of Forensic Pathology in the Philippines.
Dr. Carmencita David-Padilla, MAHPS
Medical Genetics
Chief Proponent of the Newborn Screening Act of the Philippines
Founding Executive Director of the Philippine Genome Center
9th Chancellor, University of the Philippines Manila
BS PreMed '76cl (UPD), Doctor of Medicine '81, MA Health Policy Studies '05 (UPM)
Dr. Carmencita Padilla is a Professor in Pediatrics at the College of Medicine, UP Manila. She is the former director of the Institute of Human Genetics and the current director of the Newborn Screening Reference Center of the National Institutes of Health, UP Manila. Dr. Padilla is also the new chair of the Department of Pediatrics of the Philippine General Hospital. Dr. Padilla finished her medical degree at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine in 1981, after which she undertook Fellowship in Clinical Genetics at the Royal Alexandria Hospital for Children, Sydney, Australia. After receiving her specialty training in Genetics in Australia, Dr. Padilla returned and established the country's first Medical Genetics Unit at UPCM-PGH and later established a cytogenetics laboratory for research and diagnosis. In 1998, the unit developed into the Institute of Human Genetics which became a significant part of the National Institutes of Health-UP Manila. Under her leadership as director, IHG has made significant contributions in the development of genetic technology and research in the country. One of her landmark achievements is the institutionalization of newborn screening services in the country which she introduced in 1996 through the formation of the Newborn Screening Study Group which was initially participated by 24 Metro Manila Hospitals. In 2003, Dr. Padilla drafted the bill on Newborn Screening which was passed into law in 2004. Included in the NBS Act of 2004 (RA 9288) is the creation of a national advisory committee, fee standardization, inclusion to the requirements for hospital accreditation and inclusion to the benefits under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC, PhilHealth). The bill reflected her determination to make NBS available to every newborn Filipino but also her will to save babies from death and mental retardation.With this accomplishment, Dr. Padilla also served as expert reviewer of NBS programs abroad. Her contributions to Genetics has been recognized by the University of the Philippines as the 2000 Most Oustanding Research Group for the NBS Project which she lead and 2005 Most Outstanding Researcher. She was also recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) for Medicine and given the Medal for Leadership of the Gerry Roxas Foundation for the field of Medince , both in 1994. Dr. Padilla is also the founding president of the Newborn Screening Society of the Philippine and founding chairperson of the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders, Inc. Other than newborn screening and orphan disorders support, Dr. Padilla is also an active proponent of other novel health campaigns such as Folic Acid Supplementation for the prevention of Neural Tube Defects which made her envision the Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health-Philippines.
Inducted: January 2008
Institute of Human Genetics
National Institutes of Health
UP Manila
Dr. Rhodora Aldemita
Agricultural Biotechnology
Senior Program Officer, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications
BSA Plant Pathology '80, MS Agronomy '88 (UPLB)
PhD Botany '96 (Purdue University)
Dr. Aldemita is one of the leading scientist-lecturer on Agricultural Biotechnology in the Philippines. Dr. Aldemita graduated with a Bachelors degree in Agriculture and a Master's degree in Agronomy at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in 1980 and 1988, respectively. She then received her Ph.D. in Botany in Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA in 1996 under a Rockefeller Foundation Scholarship. In 1997, Dr. Aldemita received the Outstanding Young Scientist Award in recognition of her significant contributions to rice genetic engineering using Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a vector transformation. This technology is an important instrument in the efficient development of transgenic indica rice plants. Dr. Aldemita had her postdoctoral fellowship at the Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg, Germany, from June 2003 to December 2005. She is an affiliate faculty of the Central Luzon State University, University of the Philippines Diliman and UP Los Baños. She is also affiliated to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) where she served as Chief Research Specialist, Biotechnology Coordinator and Biotechnology Consultant. She is also one of the lead scientists in the Philippine Golden Rice Project which aims to produce rice fortified with Vitamin A. She is also a member of the Science and Technology Review Panel of Bureau of Plant Industry Biotechnology Core Team. At present, Dr. Aldemita is a Senior Program Officer of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
Inducted: May 2008
Dr. Gabriel O. Romero
Agricultural Biotechnology
BS Biology '83, MS Genetics '89 (UPLB)
MPhil Plant Breeding , University of Cambridge
PhD Genetics '96, University of California Davis
Prior to joining Monsanto, he held several positions in the Philippine Rice Research Institute from 1989 to 2010. He has experience in rice gene banking and molecular genetics of tungro resistance. He was also responsible for the development of risk-management procedures for international public gene banks of major crops of the world.
Dr. Romero authored numerous publications about rice genetics and crop biotechnology. He earned his degree in Bachelor of Science in Biology and M.S. in Genetics from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, M.Phil. in Plant Breeding With Distinction from University of Cambridge, England, and Ph.D. in Genetics from University of California, Davis.He also received several awards in the span of his career, namely: The Outstanding Young Men and Women (TOYM), Philippines, 2002; Outstanding Young Scientist, National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines, 2002; National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST)-Third World Academy of Sciences, Italy (TWAS) Science Prize in Biology, 2002; Scientist I Rank, Department of Science and Technology, 2002.
As the Regulatory Affairs Lead of Monsanto Philippines, Inc., he is responsible for securing licenses and permits that allow the company to conduct business in the country and Monsanto products to enter the country from overseas.
Inducted: December 2013
Dr. Ma. Corazon A. de Ungria
Forensic Genetics
Head, DNA Analysis Laboratory, Natural Sciences Research Institute, UP Diliman
BSc (Honors) Biology, Macquarie University, Australia '93
PhD Molecular Microbiology, University of New South Wales, Australia '99
Dr. Maria Corazon A. De Ungria currently heads the DNA Analysis Laboratory of the Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, QC. This laboratory conducts research, training and actual casework on enhancing the country’s capacity to conduct DNA analysis for forensic applications. In addition, Dr. De Ungria and her team also conduct research on the genetics of different Philippine ethno-linguistic groups in order to better understand the genetic history of the Filipino people.
She finished her Bachelor of Science with Honors in Biology degree at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and subsequently her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Microbiology at the University of New South Wales also in Sydney, Australia. After finishing her degree, Dr. De Ungria returned to the Philippines and worked at the DNA Analysis Laboratory in 1999. As Head, she was entrusted to lead a team of young researchers in developing forensic DNA technology in the Philippines at the time that the technology was fairly new. She advocated for the use of forensic DNA technology at the service of society, especially in assisting the more vulnerable members of our community such as abused women and children as well as those who have been wrongfully convicted, in their struggle for justice. For her efforts, Dr. De Ungria had been awarded several prestigious scientific awards such as the Outstanding Young Scientist awarded by the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2003, the UP Gawad Hall of Fame for Best REPS in Research in 2005, the Outstanding Young Scientist award by the Third World Academy of Science in 2006 as well as being named as one of the regional fellow affiliates of the Academy of Science in the Developing World from 2007-2012. Dr. De Ungria’s type of leadership was also recognized by different sectors that awarded her with The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award in 2005, the Gerry Roxas Leadership Award also in 2005, Asia Society Young Leader Award in 2006, The Outstanding Women in the Nation Service (TOWNS) in 2007 and the one of the Philippine Graphics Young Leaders in 2008. In 2009, Dr. De Ungria won the search for the Outstanding Woman Researcher in the Life Sciences organized by the Third World Organization of Women Scientists and Elsevier in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She is currently the Philippine representative to the DNA working group of the Asia Forensic Science Network (AFSN).
Inducted: January 2014