The EVHRDC Awards is presented to researchers in Region 8 to recognize significant contributions to knowledge related to health. The awards will have two (2) categories: the Distinguished Health Researcher Award and the EVHRDC Outstanding Novice Researcher Award.  Up to three awards may be given annually under the two award categories. The selection committee may not confer any of the awards once no one meets the qualifications.

Eligibility for Distinguished Health Researcher Award

The Distinguished Health Researcher Award is open to all Filipino Citizen researchers of Region 8-Eastern Visayas (whether individual or group/institutional categories) of the affiliated members of the Eastern Visayas Health Research Development Consortium (EVHRDC) and other interested colleges, universities, and agencies not affiliated with EVHRDC. The award shall have no age restrictions and can be granted posthumously.

Eligibility for EVHRDC Outstanding Novice Researcher Award

This aims to encourage young researchers to undertake work in all fields of health research. The award will be granted to researchers within Eastern Visayas region that are employed by the member institutions of the consortium. This award shall be conferred to young researchers not exceeding the age of 40 at the time of nomination.

Selection Criteria

The Distinguished Health Researcher Award may be conferred to an individual or a group while the EVHRDC Outstanding Novice Researcher Award is conferred to individuals who have made a significant contribution to health. This contribution could be a long-term, cumulative contribution or a single, particularly insightful idea, experiment, application, or interpretation.

The selection committee shall consider the following criteria in selecting the recipient:

1. Demonstrated excellence in research, scholarly, and/or artistic work;
2. Recognition by professional societies, community organizations, or other external bodies;
3. Contributions to the research environment both locally, nationally, and internationally. This can include the development of major research installations (e.g. a research centre), participation in the deliberations of a major research granting agency (e.g. member and/or chair of a grant selection committee), or other prestigious forms of service to the field;
4. Contributions to the training and education of highly qualified personnel (e.g., undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and technical staff);
5. The selection committee reserves the right to make fewer than three awards or none at all in any year if there are no suitable candidates;
6. The institution of the individual or group researcher/s shall also be recognized;
7. The selection committee shall determine the award category of a candidate/nominee. Distinguished Health Researcher nominee should have a minimum of five (5) completed health researches conducted, and the EVHRDC Outstanding Novice Researcher nominee should have one or a maximum of four (4) researche/s.

The Distinguished Health Researcher Awardees and EVHRDC Outstanding Novice Researcher Awardees shall be chosen by the Board of Judges. Decisions of the Board of Judges shall be final and unappealable. The Board of Judges has the right not to declare any winner. The Board of Judges shall formulate their own guidelines of judging based on the suggested criteria:

Nomination Procedures

1.Candidates may be nominated by a colleague, any individual, any agency, or self-nomination may be allowed. The nominator should be of someone in higher stature than the nominee. It could be someone the nominee had worked with, i.e., mentor, consultant, or workmate.

2. The nomination package must include:

2.1. A letter from the nominator summarizing the candidate’s research achievements and outlining the national or international significance of the candidate’s scholarly work. (The nomination letter should not exceed 300 words);

2.2.  Current curriculum vitae of the candidate;

2.3.  Three letters of support from scholars in the candidate’s main or cognate fields, commenting on the impact of the candidates’ work regionally, nationally, and internationally. At least two of these letters must be from scholars outside the workplace.

Submit your nominations here: https://forms.gle/kSdg8UtBZJX1m9D66

==>EVHRDC Awards Nomination Form

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF NOMINATIONS: JUNE 25, 2021

The 3-Minute Pitch to Policymakers Competition is one of the highlights of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development's (PCHRD) 39th-anniversary celebration with the theme "Strategic R&D Partnership for Global Health." The said competition will focus on the presentation of successfully completed health research studies with aims of exercising and cultivating researchers’ presentation, and research communication skills as a way of sharing evidence to stakeholders and policymakers.

For this year's event, we were able to witness 12 policy pitches of competitors who were nominated by their respective regional health research and development consortia. Competitors will present their completed research in a three-minute, one-slide presentation for a non-specialist audience based on set criteria.

Winners of the competition has received Php 10,000 for the 3^rd place, Php 20,000 for the 2^nd place, and Php 30,000 for the 1^st place.

Prizes for audience votes will also be given as People’s Choice Award worth Php 5,000.

The Zamboanga Consortium for Health Research and Development (ZCHRD) in partnership with the Ateneo de Zamboanga University held the 4th session of the Research Utilization Webinar Series last 28 May 2021. The session was titled 'Practical Research in the Service of Public Health and had Dr. Bernadette C. Macrohon, Medical Specialist III at Zamboanga City Medical Center as resource speaker.

Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/DOSTRegion9/videos/262675418879843/

The tiny ruby-red cherries known scientifically as Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng (Bignay) underwent extensive laboratory studies in Natural Product Research & Innovation Center (NPRIC)-CSU for months that led to coming out with a clean breast of reports confirming the numerous anecdotal health and folkloric claims by the local Filipinos where it is grown.

Using an animal model of respiratory diseases, Bignay has proven to be a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and effective against lung disorders like airway inflammation, asthma, allergy, and cough/colds. Bignay extract was also tested to be potent against chemically-induced rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and joint pains in rat and LPS- induced acute lung injury in mice in vivo. 

 It has an anti-oxidant property, anti-inflammatory activity, a cholesterol buster, and an immune system booster.

 Balik Scientist Prof. Maria Nilda M. Muñoz, Inventor and Principal Investigator of the Bignay project, said that “the local scientific community that has put bioavailability-based studies as among its priorities gave the Bignay study result a one big leap.”

 Bignay is grown in Cagayan Valley and until the study, was just among the popular plant-based medicines employed by herbal doctors to their patients. 

 The long tradition of testimonials can now be said to possess with a seal of scientific and medicine merits after the conclusion of the CSU study and placing the fruit as a good source of beneficial human health supplements.

 This Bignay study was supported by CSU President Urdujah Gaerlan Alvarado, and Department of Science and Technology Regional Director Sancho A. Mabborang. (by: Manila Standard)

Reposted from: http://region2.healthresearch.ph/
Source: https://manilastandard.net/index.php/lgu/luzon/344364/csu-study-proves-bignay-wonders.html