The Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) awarded a thesis grant worth 50,000 pesos to Joshua M. Cambronero, a Bachelor of Science in Food Technology student from UP Mindanao for his research on the antioxidant and anticancer properties of Malunggay (Moringa oleifera).

Cambronero said that despite the Malunggay being widely studied for its health benefits, his research would further investigate the plant for its antioxidant and anticancer properties through various extraction methods. 

The research grant funding was provided by DOST-PCHRD to sustain the research culture in natural products and increase the number of researchers specializing in the field. The grant supports the Tuklas Lunas Program (Drug Discovery and Development Program) of the DOST-PCHRD, which aims to develop safe, effective, and affordable alternative drugs from the country's natural resources.

Cambronero stated that he is grateful for the research grant as it will help him pursue a more complex research design and expose him to more prominent platforms. 

"The funding will allow me to contribute to this body of knowledge that seeks to better people's lives, specifically in the field of drug discovery from natural products,” he added. 

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