Filipino Biologists

Lourdes J. Cruz. Her researches have contributed to the understanding of the biochemistry of toxic peptides from the venom of fish-hunting Conus marine snails. The characterization of over fifty biologically active peptides from the snails’ venom had been made possible, in part, by her studies. Also, her work led to the development of conotoxins used as tools for examining the activity of the human brain. For instance, w-Conotoxin is widely used for studying neural calcium channels and m-Conotoxins is used when muscular activity must be controlled to examine events at the synapse.


Clare R. Baltazar is the author of Philippine Insects, the first authoritative text on Philippine insects. Her numerous works on insects, especially on the Philippine Hymenoptera, are significant in laying down the framework of insect control in the future. She also discovered one subgenus of Hymenoptera and one hundred eight new species of the Philippine parasitic wasp.


Magdalena C. Cantoria. Dr. Cantoria’s researches focused particularly on the morphology, physiology, and biochemistry of drug plants. She has also done basic study on the pharmacognosy (or the study of the therapeutic substances) of agar, raulfia, datura, mint, and piper species.


Filomena F. Campos is recognized for her work on cotton research in the Philippines. Her contribution led to the development of a package of technology on cotton production achieved in relatively short period of three years. She was also deeply involved in the research on sunflower, which is a potential source of edible oil and livestock feed.


Benjamin D. Cabrera. Most of Dr. Cabrera’s works are on medical parasitology and public health. Parasitology is concerned with parasitism and the parasites, like intestinal parasites, its causes and possible prevention.

Because of his work on epidemiology and life cycle of filarial parasites, preventive measures through the development of drugs, can now be implemented on humans especially against mosquito carriers. With the model he proposed, ascariasis or soiltransmitted helminthes can now be reduced.


Eduardo A. Quisumbing is widely known in botany, especially for his work on taxonomy, systematics and morphology. His researches on Philippine medicinal plants and orchids are pioneering. He is the author of Medicinal Plants of the Philippines, which is considered a forerunner on the subject in our country today. He has also written one hundred twenty-nine scientific articles.


Francisco M. Fronda. Dr. Fronda’s most significant contribution is the development of poultry industry in the Philippines as well as in the Asian region. His title as the “Father of Poultry Science in the Philippines” is but fitting to his share in the development of the poultry and livestock industry. He spent over six decades – virtually a lifetime – teaching, doing researches and extension work, and he truly deserves the honor.


Emerita V. de Guzman. The outstanding contribution of Dr. de Guzman is the development of the makapuno embryo inside a test tube (in vitro development). This discovery has dramatically changed the ratio of the makapuno-bearing nuts in the tropics which ranges only three to five makapuno nuts in every raceme or cluster of fourteen to nineteen nuts. Dr. de Guzman successfully produced one hundred per cent all makapunobearing nuts in a cluster.



Emil Q. Javier. Dr.Javier has been known for his practical and realistic approaches to the problems confronting the small farmers, especially in a tropical and developing country like the Philippines. Keenly aware of the limited resources of the small farmers, Dr. Javier directed his researches towards developing practical methods to improve crop production using cheap, indigenous materials.


Jovenito D. Soriano. Some of Dr. Soriano’s studies on plant cytogenetics (or the study dealing with the cells and their processes) and researches on mutations have been published in international journals. He shed light on the understanding of the mutation process (mutation is the process of cell transformation or cell change).