UPCD SHINES AT THE IADR-APR Conference in New Delhi, India
September 18-21, 2025
A UPCD Alumna and soon-to-be faculty member, and a faculty member presented their original research at the International Association of Dental Research - Asia Pacific Region Annual Scientific Meeting in New Delhi last September 18-21, 2025.
Dr. Nica Georgia Salazar, master student of Oral Biology Program (Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Program) at the Faculty of Dentistry Chulalongkorn University (FDCU) won first prize award at IADR-SEA Hatton research competition in Senior Category for the study entitled “BDNF-loaded OA hydrogel enhanced neurogenic differentiation in 2D/3D DPSCs culture”. Her research advisor is Assoc. Prof. Chalida Limjeerajarus and co-advisors are Assoc. Prof. Joao Nuno Andrade Requicha Ferreira and Assoc.Prof.Nuttapol Limjeerajarus. Dr. Nica will be the representative of IADR SEA division to compete at the IADR General session Hatton research competition in Senior Category, San Diego, USA 2026. Dr. Salazar will be joining the teaching staff of the UP College of Dentistry.
Dr. Christian Noel Paghubasan also had a poster presentation on his research, "A Pilot Study on the Effect of Lauric Acid on Soft Tissue Wound Healing".
Dr. Salazar and Dr. Paghubasan are among the few Filipinos who have presented at the recently concluded research conference, showing that the culture of research in UPCD is alive and well.
In February 2023, the UP College of Dentistry led by Dean Michelle Segarra, and the Faculty of Dentistry Chulalongkorn University led by Dean Pornchai Jansisyanont, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding which includes academic, faculty and student exchange. Dr. Nica Salazar, one of the best when she was a student, entered the Oral Biology Program in August 2023 under scholarship. Since 2023, there have been twenty (20) UPCD students who have joined the various academic exchange programs of FDCU. At present two of our faculty members are taking their masters programs at FDCU: Dr. Ezekiel Majan in the Oral Implantology and Esthetic Dentistry Program, and Dr. Jannyl Gonzales, in the Special Care Needs Program. Dr. Majan and Dr. Gonzales are also under scholarship thru FDCU. They began their programs in July this year. These academic exchanges are proof of the strong relationship between UPCD and FDCU forged through our MOU.
Our faculty members are doing well at FDCU. Professor Noom, Associate Dean for Research Affairs at FDCU wrote to Dean Segarra thanking her for sending great faculty members as masters students to FDCU and mentioned that "they shine among the group in terms of discussion and participation in class."
*Special thanks to Prof. Noom Osathanon of FDCU for providing some of the photos.
SDG 3,4,17
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