Saint Louis University (SLU), through the University Research and Innovation Center (UnRIC), hosted the Brain and Mental Health Research & Development (R&D) Clinic of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST – PCHRD) at the SLU Incubator for Research, Innovation, and Business (SIRIB) Center on 25 September 2024.
UnRIC Director Richel L. Lamadrid, PhD and Professor Rainier Moreno-Lacalle, PhD, RN facilitated the R&D clinic. Alongside Dr. Lamadrid and Dr. Moreno-Lacalle were Research Services Officer Laarni B. Natividad, PhD, and Institutional Studies & Research Methods Support Officer Gwendolyn S. Tadeo, PhD. In attendance for the clinic were faculty from the SONAHBS nursing and medical technology departments who were interested in brain and mental health research.
The program started with opening remarks from Ann P. Opiña, RMT, PhD, Dean of the School of Nursing, Allied Health, and Biological Sciences (SONAHBS), who mentioned that research and development is needed to understand how the brain and mental health affects us as individuals and how it affects us when we understand other people. Jules Carl R. Celebrado, Program Head of the Brain & Mental Health R&D Program, also gave a brief introduction of DOST-PCHRD.
Project Manager of the Brain & Mental Health R&D Program Ma. Hannah Isabel A. Tuballa provided the technicalities of the agency’s research programs, specifically the Brain & Mental Health R&D Program. Afterwards, she discussed the current call for R&D proposals headed by their program with respective priority outcomes, namely: Mental Health and Wellbeing for Special Populations, Nationwide Mental Health Literacy Studies, Molecular Research for Neurological Conditions, Diseases Models for Various Neurological Conditions with Special Attention to Brain Infections, Neuroimmune Interactions and Pathways, Neuroimaging & Biobanking, Advanced and Emerging Technologies for Neuroimaging (Radiomics), Advanced Technologies for Rehabilitation, and Ethics & Data Governance in AI in the Context of Health. Ms. Tuballa also discussed the documentary requirements for submission of proposals, as well as the evaluation and approval processes.
“The research that we really want to conduct and support are the research that would really be translated to projects and programs that can be used by the community,” emphasized Sarah Jane A. Jimenez, MD, DPPS, S&T Fellow. Despite the given research processes, she encouraged researchers to be dedicated and submit their proposals. She lauded Dr. Rainier of SLU, who persevered despite the numerous cycles of resubmissions and landed an accepted proposal on Social and Economic Determinants of Mental Health including textual analysis among people with depression and suicidal ideation in the Cordillera Adminsitrative Region.
A question-and-answer portion ensued to promote productive discussions among the researchers. Copies of published research by DOST – PCHRD were distributed and ongoing projects were presented to the attendees.
In collaborating with DOST-PCHRD’s Brain & Mental Health R&D Program, SLU reaffirms its commitment to excellence in research and development through programs and partnerships that would contribute to welfare of the academe and the community. This is in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Good Health and Well-being (3), Quality Education (4), Gender Equality (5), Reduced Inequalities (10), and Partnerships for the Goals (17). (Article by Katrina Garcia, UIO Intern | Photos by Arnmari Dela Cruz, UIO Intern)
