Two UP Diliman (UPD) College of Science (CS) professors were among the 11 women who received this year’s The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) award for their remarkable achievements in their respective fields.

Pia D. Bagamasbad, PhD, of the UPD National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) and Aletta Concepcion T. Yñiguez, PhD, of the UPD Marine Science Institute (MSI) were among the 11 women chosen from over 70 nominations and 21 finalists.

Bagamasbad, a professor of molecular biology, and Yñiguez, an associate professor of marine biology, were honored in the fields of molecular biology and marine science, respectively.

Bagamasbad is the NIMBB director and principal investigator of the Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory. Her research interests are hormone action and neural development, hormone-related and hormone-driven cancers, and long-term and epigenetic effects of stress on the brain.

In 2020, Bagamasbad was among those who trained over a hundred medical technologists on the qRT-PCR assay that is used for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The training was a joint project of the NIMBB and the Philippine Genome Center.

In 2019, Bagamasbad received the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) award (molecular endocrinology) for her valuable research in the molecular mechanisms of hormone action, including those related to cancer.

Yñiguez, on the other hand, is a known advocate of sustainable fishing practices and collaborates with small-scale fishers, and government agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for proper management of the Philippines seas and its resources.

Yñiguez and three other MSI researchers developed ARAICoBeH (A Rapid Assessment Instrument for Coastal Benthic Habitats). This is an inexpensive tool for taking underwater photos of endangered areas such as coral reefs without needing to dive.

In 2017, she received from NAST the OYS award (marine biology and fisheries) for her work that led to the development of the first integrated biophysical models for sardine fisheries and algal bloom management.

The TOWNS award is conferred every three years by TOWNS Foundation Inc. to Filipino women who have contributed significantly to society and have shown outstanding dedication and exceptional talent.

Bagamasbad and Yñiguez along with nine others will be honored at the 2022 TOWNS Awards Night scheduled on Oct. 25.