Photo by Doreen Sy via Arianwen Roland’s Facebook profile- Young Cebuana scientist received award for her anti-tumor research that uses malunggay seeds
- Arian Rollan says her exposure with cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy inspired her to seek other alternative
- She hopes that the Philippines would support her and other young researchers and scientists
CEBU- A young scientist from Cebu was recently credited by the Qatar Foundation for her research to combat tumor. This time, she used Moringa oleifera or locally known as the malunggay.
Arianwen Rollan, 17, was the only Filipino awarded during the 2016 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (IISEF) for her research on the anti-tumor properties of malunggay. IISEF is a global high school science research competition. Rollan competed with the other 1,700 participants from over 77 countries this May, as written by Tricia Aquino on InterAksyon. Rollan was one of the 8 students from the Philippines who participated in the international event. The top honor went to Han Jie Wang from Canada for developing microbial fuel cells.
Rollan, who hails from Cebu City, will receive $ 1,000 as her award. Six hundred finalists have received awards and prizes for their innovative ideas, according to a published article of Inquirer.
Rollan is a Grade 11 student and is currently enrolled at Cebu City National High School. She is the second child of a doctor and a businessman. In an interview with the Sun Star Cebu, she said her research is a project initiated by her sister.
Rollan explained that her exposure to the experience of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy prompted her to work towards less harmful and cheap alternative. She added that a lot of people die of cancer saying that one of those was her own grandmother. Her own sister, Rollan said, was also diagnosed with a tumor.
In an interview with InterAksyon, Rollan said her research focused on the prevention of the growth and spread of a tumor by stopping the development of blood vessels using malunggay seed extract administered on a chick embryo. She explained that angiogenesis cause tumor development. Angiogenesis is the development of new blood vessels in pre-existing vessels. Rollan also said that she decided to use malunggay because it is commonly found in every backyard of Filipino households.
Arian, as she is commonly called, said she hopes that the Philippines would support young researchers and scientists to discover more in science and technology.
Rollan plans to continue her research to come up with the anti-tumor cure through her findings.
SunStar, Inquirer, InterAksyon
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