DOST’s nuclear agency’s utility model bags first place in NCR invention tilt
The utility model called Propolis Alginate Dressing recently won first place in the Unlad category of the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits-National Capital Region (RICE-NCR).
Developed by researchers from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI), the technology offers several advantages over its commercial counterparts such as faster and complete wound healing, non-sticky, non-toxic, non-irritating, non-scabbing, among others. Further, once commercialized, the all-natural wound dressing is expected to be of much lower cost than existing popular wound dressings.
The team also pitched the technology’s potential contribution to the country, such as improvement in wound care management and economic opportunity for the stingless bee industry.
The winning team is composed of Davison Baldos, Zenaida De Guzman, Joseph Puno, Celia Asaad, Gilberto Diano, Levelyn Mitos Tolentino, and Djowel Rector Montefalcon, all of the DOST-PNRI’s Biomedical Research Section. Gregory Ciocson of the Business Development Section served as their adviser and mentor in the competition.
PNRI researches have consistently bagged awards in both regional and national levels of invention contests. In 2020, the Grafted Fiber research led by Dr Jordan Madrid won in both levels. In 2022, the Hemostat technology research led by Charito Aranilla likewise clinched both levels while the Technetium-99m technology research led by Adelina Bulos pocketed the second prize in the regional level.
The Unlad Award category recognizes outstanding new utility models or any industrial product which does not possess the quality of an invention but has practical utility by reason through form, configuration, construction, or composition.
The RICE, established by the DOST- Technology Application and Promotion Institute, is the science department’s way of recognizing the contributions of inventions and research in national development through a form of a friendly competition with humble prizes to be won. Winners in the RICE will represent their regions in the national level.
(Framelia V. Anonas | Photos by Gregory Ciocson | DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute)
