The Philippine winner from the shortlist of Pinoy scientists for the prestigious Newton Prize 2019 award will be announced on January 28, 2020, in Manila.
Tackling pressing issues of health and development issues of malaria, antimicrobial resistance, water energy, and poultry infection, the Newton Prize comes home with the Philippines’ share of the one million pounds (£1 million) grant. The prize is shared between the winners of Indonesia, China, and the Philippines, and an additional prize for the Chair’s Award.
Newton Prize was established in 2016 as an annual fund awarded for the best research or innovation that promotes the economic development and social welfare of Newton Fund partner countries like the Philippines.
UK Science Minister Jo Johnson said, “These international collaborations are uniting our world-leading universities with researchers across the globe to transform lives, now and for generations to come.
“I set up the Newton Prize to celebrate the best partnerships between the UK and countries across the world to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The shortlist announced today is a testament to that aim with global development priorities firmly on the agenda, including the elimination of malaria, and clean energy.”
The British Council in the Philippines is working in partnership with the Government of the Philippines to deliver programs under the Newton Agham Programme that benefit Filipino researchers.
Following is the list of 5 Filipino scientists in the shortlist for the Newton Prize:
Water-Energy-Nutrient Nexus in the Cities of the Future
Project leads: Dr Devendra Saroj, University of Surrey and Professor Michael Angelo Promentilla, De La Salle University
Delivery partners: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Department of Science and Technology, Philippines
Low-cost Portable Molecular Diagnostic Platform for Rapid Detection of Poultry Infectious Pathogens (LMDP)
Project leads: Professor Wamadeva Balachandran, Brunel University London, and Dr. Dennis Umali, University of Philippines Los Banos
Delivery partners: Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council and the Department of Agriculture, Philippines
Using genomics to trace Salmonella transmission and antimicrobial resistance in the poultry and swine food chains in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines
Project leads: Professor Taane Clark, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Professor Windell Rivera, Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman
Delivery partners: Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council and the Department of Agriculture, Philippines
ENSURE: Enhanced surveillance for control and elimination of malaria in the Philippines
Project leads: Professor Chris Drakeley, The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Dr Fe Espino, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
Delivery partners: Medical Research Council and Department of Science and Technology, Philippines
Chair’s Award
Tissue engineering of bronchi in health and sickness: assessing the effect of matrix stiffening on cellular changes in the airways
Project leads: Professor Felicity Rose, University of Nottingham and Mr. Jopeth Ramis, Technological Institute of the Philippines
Delivery partners: British Council and the Department of Science and Technology, Philippines.
Filipinos have been acknowledged among Asia’s Best Scientists, and together with the DOST, have pushed forward with science research such as in the fields of Space technology, better mining practices, and using local plants to develop medicine, among many other innovations.
WATCH the Newton Prize video here and SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to the Filipino scientists in the shortlist!
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