The Department of Science and Technology (DOST)in Region III is now accepting health research project proposals in line with the priorities set by the Central Luzon Health Research and Development Consortium (CHLRDC) for the year 2012.
This was announced by Dr. Victor B. Mariano, regional director of DOST3 and chairperson of CLHRDC. He said that the research proposals must conform with the identified priority areas which include development of diagnostic kits for priority diseases, drug discovery and development, hospital equipment and biomedical equipment, genomic and molecular technology and chronobiology, functional foods and use of information and communication technology in health management. The CLHRDC is an association of government, private and state colleges and universities organized to strengthen the system of collaboration among health-related institutions in Central Luzon to develop and enhance their capacity to undertake health research projects for the benefit of the local population.It is currently composed of 18 member-agencies.
A total of eight research proposals have been submitted by member-institutions of CLHRDC.Two proposals aim to address the recurrent problem of dengue fever in Central Luzon. The first deal with the determination of the active components of the tawa-tawa plant as potential inhibitor of NS3 Protease helicase for the dengue virus was submitted by the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) and the second seeks to create a geo-spatial profile of dengue in Central Luzon as a means of building an effective surveillance system that can track the incidence of cases, risks factors and medical consequences of dengue as well as establishing and evaluating prevention intervention which was submitted by Angeles University Foundation (AUF). Another research proposal also submitted by NEUST aims to study the waste management practices of government and private hospitals in Region III in light of heightened awareness about solid waste disposal and their effect on the environment. A research proposal that aims to stop the emergence of superbugs by studying the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) antagonists from coconut-based nutraceuticals was submitted by the Tarlac State University. If successful, the project will provide affordable alternative to the treatment of MRSA.
All research proposals will undergo panel evaluation by the Phil. Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), an attached agency of DOST. Projects that pass the required criteria will be eligible for funding. Other research institutions may still submit research proposals at the DOST3 regional office located at the Regional Government Center, Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
