Newsletter: Ateneo researchers ask: Can AI help bridge the public health gap?

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Danika Geronimo, Ateneo Research Communications

An AI-assisted chest x-ray highlighting areas for further review. Ateneo medical experts are looking into whether new imaging technologies could offer a cost-effective approach to TB screening for patients. The findings have significant implications on broader public healthcare delivery, particularly with regard to the accessibility and cost-efficiency of similar AI-assisted healthcare solutions.

PHOTO: Chiu et al., 2026

In the Philippines, public healthcare remains inaccessible to many due to a variety of factors, including the high cost and limited availability of medical experts.

Newsletter: Your friendly 7 Evelyn sari-sari store as invisible community pharmacy

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Danika Geronimo, Ateneo Research Communications

Medicine should never feel out of reach. Yet for many Filipinos, a trip to the pharmacy can mean literally crossing mountains and streams for a handful of tablets. So sometimes, they go to the sari-sari store near them. And sometimes still, they can only afford one or two tablets.

Newsletter: Ateneo card game Herbularyo blends Filipino traditions and organic chemistry

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Danika Geronimo, Ateneo Research Communications

Herbularyo gets players acquainted with both organic chemistry and traditional Filipino medicine in as little as five to ten minutes of gameplay. The scientifically-grounded traditional Filipino remedies found in the game are based on real research from the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC). PHOTO: OAVP-RCWI

Medicinal plants have long been a cornerstone of Philippine traditional medicine, dating back generations. Tawa-tawa, a low-growing herb that thrives in open grasslands, is a valued supplementary treatment for dengue; the gel of the succulent aloe vera can help soothe a scraped knee; boiled guava leaves help disinfect wounds; tea from the yerba buena helps relieve minor aches and pains; and ampalaya helps with managing diabetes.

Newsletter: Out of the Lab, Into the World: An Atenean’s Mission to Make Research Matter

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Danika Geronimo, Ateneo Research Communications

Science doesn’t change the world by staying inside a laboratory.

For generations, scientists have been taught how to conduct research; far fewer have been taught how to tell the world why it matters.

For Dr. David Peralta, Editor-in-Chief at Wiley-VCH GmbH, one of the world’s leading publishers, helping researchers bridge that gap has become both his driving purpose and advocacy.

Newsletter: New Study Finds Alarmingly Low Genetic Diversity in Philippine Eagle

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

This figure illustrates the exceptionally low genetic diversity of the Philippine eagle across threatened species (Panel A), compared with other raptors (Panel B), and at the individual level (Panel C). (Photo credit: Perdon et al., 2026)

The Philippine eagle, the country’s national bird, is one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world. Susceptible to habitat destruction and fragmentation, it is currently listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, making it one of the most threatened birds globally. To help ensure its survival, scientists have carried out a captive breeding program in protected facilities for over 30 years as part of conservation efforts.

Newsletter: How Land Use Shapes the Viruses Mosquitoes Carry, UP Study Finds

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

Virome sequencing performed on Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus used in the study in 2018 revealed

sequences belonging to vertebrate-associated and insect-specific viruses (Asin et al,. 2025).

Mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which are known to transmit diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, may carry more than just viruses that affect humans. They also host insect-specific viruses that do not infect people, some of which may even inhibit the multiplication of disease-causing viruses. This implies that mosquitoes can serve as valuable tools for detecting both known and emerging viruses that may impact public health.

Newsletter: Ateneo de Manila research journals now available at Quezon City Public Library

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Continuing its earlier effort to bring academic work into public spaces, Ateneo de Manila University has carried out a second journal donation–this time placing its materials at the Quezon City Public Library.

Ateneo de Manila University Journals Support Supervisor Ramil Balubal and Journals Assistant Alexandra Jill Dela Cruz present selected research journals to Quezon City Public Library representatives during the turnover ceremony, highlighting the University’s publications and their expanded access for public readers, as Head of Technical Services Division Ms. Manica M. Cortes look on. PHOTO: OAVP-RCWI, 2026.

Through this initiative, selected journals are introduced into a public setting, allowing a broader audience to access research that explores themes in Philippine society, culture, history, and interdisciplinary studies—subjects that are typically housed within university spaces. Nearly a hundred copies were turned over, drawn from Ateneo’s renowned publications, including Perspective in the Arts and Humanities, Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture, Social Transformations: Journal of the Global South, Journal of Management for Global Sustainability, and Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints.

Newsletter: UP Scientists Study the Contributions of Katipunero Physician Francisco Tongio Liongson, MD

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By: Dr. Benjamin Vallejo Jr.

Figures such as Dr José Rizal, General Antonio Luna, Juan Luna, and Marcelo H. del Pilar are familiar to many Filipinos. However, the career of Dr. Francisco Tongio Liongson is less so.

Newsletter: Study Proposes Framework Integrating Architectural Design Standards into Urban Microbiome Research

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

Plate Count Agar (PCA) exposure plates showing microbial growth under natural ventilation with different window sizes (low, medium and high). (Photo credit: Ma. Beatrice Villoria)

Human-built environments, such as the spaces we live in, can influence our health through microbiomes—communities of microbes like bacteria and viruses. People have long been unconsciously influencing microbes through the way we design our built environments. With the right knowledge, we can intentionally shape these microbial communities to support better health—an idea currently explored by Filipino researchers in a recent study.

Newsletter: UP Physicists Visualize Evolution of Global Values Over Four Decades

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

Scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP) have generated culture maps using data from the Integrated Values Survey (IVS).

Newsletter: Survey reveals bleak job prospects for Pinoy nursing, MD graduates

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Ateneo de Manila University researchers warn that young Filipinos graduating with a degree in nursing or medicine face an uphill battle for stable employment, fair pay, and meaningful roles in the local public health system.

Newsletter: UP Study Reveals Insights on the Probiotic and Antifungal Benefits of Bacteria in Burong Isda

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By Harvey Sapigao

Limosilactobacillus fermentum colonies on agar, derived from burong isda. (Photo credit: Joshua Veluz)

Filipino fermented foods have long been known to contain bacteria that offer health benefits, also known as probiotics. Burong isda, a traditional fermented fish from Pampanga, contains a bacterium called Limosilactobacillus fermentum (L. fermentum), which is closely related to the well-known Lactobacillus probiotics.

Newsletter: The Hidden Crisis - Groundwater Quality in the Philippines and Why It Matters

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By: John Kenneth R. Fraga

PGHI Project staff measuring onsite groundwater quality using a multimeter in one of the forested sites in Ilocos Sur. (Photo credit: Jacquilyn L. Estrada)

Groundwater—water trapped beneath the Earth's surface—is a resource that may be out of sight, but it is certainly not out of mind for many Filipinos. This invisible resource is vital for everyday life, especially in agriculture, where it provides the lifeblood for irrigation. However, as our demand for food grows and technology allows us to tap deeper into the Earth, groundwater faces an urgent crisis of over-extraction and contamination that demands immediate attention.

Newsletter: Ateneo study highlights workforce hurdles to Universal Health Care in the Philippines

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Despite being a top exporter of healthcare professionals, the Philippines faces a chronic shortage of nurses and physicians. Also, many health graduates in the country are unprepared for real-world public health work. Government primary care facilities and hospitals struggle to hire sufficient staff due to budget and policy barriers, while private hospitals struggle to keep their staff due to fiscal constraints.

These findings, published recently in the international journal Human Resources for Health by Ateneo de Manila University researchers, are major hurdles to the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the country.

Newsletter: Tenable Warns that Open-Source AI Tools Widen Cybersecurity Gaps as Adoption Outpaces Cloud Security Readiness

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As businesses rush to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for competitive advantage, Tenable®, the exposure management company, warns that organisations may be overlooking the mounting risks embedded in the open-source tools and cloud services powering their AI development. New research from Tenable’s Cloud AI Risk Report 2025 finds that the pace of AI adoption is far outstripping security preparedness, with vulnerabilities, cloud misconfigurations and exposed data quietly accumulating across cloud environments.

Newsletter: Tenable Research finds that DeepSeek R1 can be tricked into developing malware

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When new technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) emerge, cybercriminals inevitably look for ways to exploit its capabilities for malicious purposes. While most mainstream GenAI models have built-in safeguards to prevent misuse, Tenable Research has found that DeepSeek R1 can be tricked into generating malware, raising concerns about the security risks posed by AI-powered cybercrime.

Newsletter: Taal volcanic ash can be used for radiation shielding, Filipino researchers find

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Researchers from the Ateneo de Manila University and from National University- Mall of Asia Campus have found a surprising new use for the copious amounts of volcanic ash scattered across the Philippines: it can be used to shield against harmful radiation. 

Blocks of geopolymer mortar made from Taal volcanic ash (TVA) freshly removed from their molds after being left to cure for 24 hours. It was found that the natural presence of iron-rich minerals in TVA give it strong radiation attenuation properties. CREDIT: Myris V. Supnad

Radiation shielding is essential for hospitals, industrial sites, and nuclear facilities. These places use ionizing radiation for beneficial purposes such as in helping doctors treat sick organs and broken bones; looking for structural weaknesses in buildings; or helping sterilize food for longer shelf life. Though useful, exposure to ionizing radiation can be harmful for prolonged periods—hence the need for shielding. However, currently available materials like concrete and lead can be expensive and environmentally hazardous. Construction materials made from volcanic ash offer a potential sustainable and lightweight alternative.

Newsletter: Acronis Data Privacy Survey Reveals 64% of Global Consumers Cite Data Breaches as Top Privacy Concern

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Acronis, a global leader in cybersecurity and data protection, has unveiled the findings of its inaugural report, Data Privacy in 2025: A survey to explore consumer views on cyber protection. Released in alignment with Data Privacy Day on January 28, the report provides insights into global consumer attitudes and behaviors regarding cybersecurity and data protection. The report is based on a wide range of survey questions posed to consumers about their top privacy concerns, awareness of cyber risks, and the security measures used to safeguard personal data. 

Newsletter: UPD Experts Determine the Optimal Model for Predicting Algal Blooms

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By Harvey Sapigao

Graphical abstract of the study (Photo credit: Pilario et. al. 2024).

Algal blooms, which occur when algae overgrow in bodies of water, can not only turn the water green but also kill fish and contaminate the water supply of nearby communities. Laguna Lake, one of Metro Manila’s major sources of bangus and tilapia, as well as drinking water, is particularly prone to algal blooms, especially during El Niño.

Newsletter: Ateneo scientists investigate bangus milkfish skin for treating severe burns

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Pioneering research from the Ateneo de Manila University could turn bangus fish skin—a common byproduct of the Philippine fishing industry, often discarded as waste—into an invaluable medical resource.

Skin samples from tilapia (top) and bangus (bottom) immersed in silver nanoparticle (AgNP) solution for sterilization in the laboratory. CREDIT: Bianca Patrice Go

The Ateneo scientists found that milkfish (Chanos chanos, better known as “bangus” in the Philippines) could give doctors an economical way to treat patients with massive burns and other major injuries.