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Lifelong 'lab affair': UP professors postpone retirement for science

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Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- Chemistry professor Dr. Veronica C. Sabularse was all set to harvest the fruits of her lifelong service in the academe, but she chose to delay her retirement as her lab work ripens. </p><p>The 72-year-old Sabularse was invited by the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) to join the research team of the Institute of Chemistry, in the very same lab where she spent years analyzing and testing polymers. </p><p>It was a call she couldn&#x27;t resist. &quot;There&#x27;s still so much work to be done,&quot; she quipped. </p><p>And just like that, she found herself wearing a lab gown all over again. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/gadgets-and-tech/08/02/15/pinay-scientist-creates-lamp-runs-saltwater">READ: Pinay scientist creates lamp that runs on saltwater</a></li></ul><div><strong>20 YEARS IN THE MAKING</strong></div><p>One of the more popular works of Sabularse is Fruitect, an all-natural liquid coating that delays the ripening of tropical fruits, such as carabao mango, papaya, lacatan banana, and pineapple. </p><p>The concept behind this innovation germinated in 1997, when Sabularse was conducting research with her chemistry students in UPLB. </p><p>&quot;It actually started by my looking at all the agricultural waste that we see around, also the food processing waste. So I thought, probably, there&#x27;s something that we could use these wastes for,&quot; she told ABS-CBN News. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/30/tech-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Sabularse and Hernandez. <em>Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Testing the formulation was a painstaking process, according to Sabularse. Her team relied on the trial and error method because there&#x27;s no one-size-fits all formulation for different varieties of fruits. </p><p>&quot;The coating for a fruit is tailor-made for that certain fruit. It does not necessarily mean that one coating will work for all fruits. You have to tailor-make the coating for one particular fruit,&quot; she said. </p><p>In 2010, with the help of Dr. Hidelisa P. Hernandez, the director of the UPLB Institute of Chemistry, Sabularse was able to acquire support from the Department of Science and Technology. This funding kick-started the development of coating for certain varieties of mango, banana, papaya, and pineapple. </p><div><strong>FRUITFUL YEARS SPENT IN THE LAB</strong></div><p>The countless trials and errors -- and stained lab gowns -- proved to be fruitful when Sabularse and Hernandez came up with a coating for lacatan banana that can delay its ripening by up to six days when stored at 28°C. </p><p>Meanwhile, the coating they developed for carabao mangoes can delay the ripening by 18 days when stored at 13°C, the suggested export storage condition. They tested this by shipping two boxes of carabao mangoes -- coated and uncoated -- to South Korea. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/30/fruitect-02_carabao-mango-experiment.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Photo by Dr. Hidelisa P. Hernandez</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>According to Hernandez, the coating minimized moisture loss, shriveling, and abrasion during the transport. It could even be edible, she said, but it may require further studies to test that. </p><p>&quot;If you think of the sources, it is actually edible. But we are scientists, we cannot say it&#x27;s edible unless we have tested it. We have to have evidence first,&quot; she said. </p><p>Most importantly, despite the delayed ripening, the fruits were as sweet as they should be. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/regions/04/13/09/rp-scientists-develop-termiticide-cashew-extract">READ: RP scientists develop termiticide from cashew extract</a></li></ul><div><strong>HARD WORK IS SWEET WHEN IT&#x27;S RIPE</strong></div><p>Despite their initial success, Hernandez believes that more lab work needs to be done to improve their formulation -- and this means more expenses, too.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/30/tech-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Hernandez presents Fruitect in front of the spectators at Tech Plan Demo Day. <em>Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>That&#x27;s why in spite of their many duties in the university, Sabularse and Hernandez decided to present their project at the Tech Plan Demo Day last Saturday. This, without the slightest hope that Fruitect will outshine 11 other entries from different universities.</p><p>Leave a Nest, the organizer of the Tech Plan Demo Day in the Philippines, awarded ¥300,000 (P144,000) cash grant to Fruitect, as well as round-trip tickets and accommodation for Sabularse and Hernandez when they present their project at the Tech Plan Demo Day in Singapore this July.</p><p>&quot;We will use it to do more research to further develop our products and make other formulations,&quot; said Sabularse, when asked about their plan for the cash grant. </p><p>Aside from Fruitect, two other Pinoy-made innovations were also awarded cash grants during the Tech Plan Demo Day. </p><p>Ralph Vincent Regalado&#x27;s &quot;Senti,&quot; a localized text analytics platform, also received a cash grant from Japan Tobacco Inc. amounting to ¥200,000 (P96,000).</p><p>Regalado, a Computer Science graduate from De La Salle University, said Senti offers culture-aware social media insights by looking at cultural trends like jejemon and bekimon (gayspeak), as well as eight Philippine languages: Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Bicolano, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, and Waray. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/30/tech-4.jpg"/><figcaption>(L-R) Regalado of Senti, Sabularse and Hernandez of Fruitect, and Zarate of MykoPlus. <em>Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>He also hopes that Senti, which has 500 million words in its database, can be helpful in preserving local langues and trends. &quot;It is a Herculean task, but it needs to be done because it&#x27;s what keeps us Filipino. It&#x27;s what keeps the culture alive,&quot; he told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>Another awardee is the MykoPlus, a multi-strain and multi-species biofertilizer developed by Dr. Jocelyn T. Zarate of the UPLB National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. It received a cash grant of S$2,500 (P97,800) from Mitsui Chemicals. </p><p>Aside from promoting plant growth, MykoPlus brings back a chemically damaged soil to life by introducing beneficial microbes. It tested well with rice, cassava, and a number of vegetables. </p><div><strong>A NEST WHERE INNOVATIONS THRIVE</strong></div><p>Leave a Nest founder Dr. Yukihiro Maru is confident the Philippines will never run short of innovative minds. </p><p>Leave a Nest provides technological, financial, and marketing support to passionate innovators so they can fast-track manufacturing and distribution. </p><p>&quot;As a Japanese company, we can provide the technology. The Philippines bring entrepreneurs and young, passionate innovators. When you combine these two, I think some chemistry happen,&quot; he told ABS-CBN News. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/30/tech-5.jpg"/><figcaption>(L-R) Dr. Kihoko Tokue, Dr. Yukihiro Maru, and Mr. Shohei Michael Maekawa of Leave a Nest. <em>Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In 2019, Maru said they are eyeing to establish an actual office in the Philippines, which will serve as a hub for passion-based startups. </p><p>&quot;We hope to become the catalyst to accelerate this chemical reactions among researchers, entrepreneurs. So we can bring technology to the people, and people can benefit from it,&quot; Dr. Kihoko Tokue, director of Leave a Nest Singapore, added.</p><p>Founded in 2002, Leave a Nest has headquarters in Asia, Europe, and North America. Last year, it awarded a grant to Ube Tech, a Pinoy-made powdering technology for ube (puple yam). </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/life/08/04/17/pinoy-made-powdered-ube-bags-tech-award-in-singapore">READ: Pinoy-made powdered ube bags tech award in Singapore</a></li></ul><div><strong>FROM SCIENTISTS TO ENTREPRENEURS</strong></div><p>With the support they receive from colleagues and institutions for their work, Sabularse and Hernandez are optimistic that they can bring Fruitect to greater heights. </p><p>&quot;This gives us more confidence to move forward. And since we are scientists, it&#x27;s very difficult for us to think of the business side and the promotion of the technology. I hope that this will really convince us to go into business,&quot; the 62-year-old Hernandez said.</p><p>&quot;We need a lot of help on the business side, on the manufacturing side. There are just so many concerns,&quot; she said. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/05/30/tech-1.jpg"/><figcaption>(L-R) Dr. Veronica C. Sabularse, Dr. Hidelisa P. Hernandez, and their business partner Mr. Rodel Anunciado. <em>Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>And with the belief that their product can lessen post-harvest losses of farmers and local businessmen, there&#x27;s no stopping them from formulating more coatings for other local produce, such as cucumbers, strawberries, and tomatoes.</p><p>&quot;It will be our retirement activity,&quot; said Sabularse, who plans to fast-track the renewal of her passport so she can join Hernandez in Singapore. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/02/05/16/why-this-retired-professor-continues-to-teach">READ: Why this retired professor continues to teach</a></li></ul><p>Just like Fruitect, going into business may delay their retirement plans. &quot;There are many things going on now. We have many products in the pipeline,&quot; Sabularse said. </p><p>But in the end, they&#x27;re hopeful that the fruits of their hard work will be nothing but sweet. </p>

<p>Chemistry professor Dr. Veronica C. Sabularse was all set to harvest the fruits of her lifelong service in the academe, but she chose to delay her retirement as her work in the lab ripens. </p>

Chemistry professor Dr. Veronica C. Sabularse was all set to harvest the fruits of her lifelong service in the academe, but she chose to delay her retirement as her work in the lab ripens.

Lifelong 'lab affair': UP professors postpone retirement for science

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Lifelong 'lab affair': UP professors postpone retirement for science

Rhys Buccat,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 30, 2018 05:51 AM PHT

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Updated May 30, 2018 06:45 PM PHT

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University of the Philippines

Institute of Chemistry

Tech Plan Demo Day

Leave a Nest

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