Harvard-trained Pinay scientist returns to VSU

Dr. Ea Kristine Clarissa Turin-Escueta walked the halls of Harvard with the world ahead of her, but it was the familiar classrooms at the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte that pulled her back.

“I’ve always dreamed of working in the Philippines, to do cutting edge research in the beautiful island of Leyte–to create our version of a science island where industry, government, and academia work together to make discoveries and enrich people’s lives,” said the 29-year-old early-career scientist in biochemistry, glycobiology, and biomedical sciences.

Tulin-Escueta, who recently completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the prestigious Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, said that returning to the Philippines, where she can pursue the science she dreamed of and lived for while being close to home, “is the best-case scenario.”

In her journey as a scientist and researcher abroad, she was mentored by world-renowned biochemist Dr. Richard Cummings during her post-doctoral training in the United States, and by Dr. Atsushi Nishikawa, her doctoral adviser in Japan, who is also a globally respected figure in the field of glycobiology.

As a postdoctoral research fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Harvard Medical School, she advanced her expertise in Glycoscience and Immunology, working on the development of anti-glycan antibodies for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

“I was inspired by my parents and other Filipino scientists who came back to serve and continue their work here. Through their lives, I saw how much impact a Filipino scientist can make to the community -to inspire, transform, and heal,” she said.

“This is something that I want to contribute to because the Philippines needs more scientists, and we, as international scholars, were educated to serve as a bridge between the Philippines and the world,” added Tulin-Escueta, who is now a faculty member of the Department of Biotechnology.

Back home in the Philippines, she was guided by her father, former VSU President Dr. Edgardo Tulin, a multi-awarded scientist and academician; her mother, Dr. Anabella Tulin, a VSU Professor Emeritus and respected soil scientist; and Dr. Ma. Theresa Loreto, the outgoing Director of the Advanced Research and Innovation Center.

VSU identified her as the first “Proud Viscan” to complete a research fellowship at Harvard, working on the development of anti-glycan monoclonal antibodies to study the brain, blood group antigens, and cancer.

At present, Tulin-Escueta maintains active collaborations with institutions in Asia and the U.S., with the goal of establishing her own lab and developing sustainable solutions for local health challenges.

Her goal at VSU is to teach biotechnology classes “to mentor young minds and develop a rich science culture in the Eastern Visayas region.”

According to the university, Tulin-Escueta’s research work at Harvard can be a “pivotal point” for VSU as the university is now gearing up for the opening of a College of Medicine.

Tulin-Escueta completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at VSU as a magna cum laude and class Valedictorian, followed by Master of Science (MS) and PhD degrees in Agricultural Sciences (specializing in Biological Chemistry) at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Japan.

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