Widya Kartika University (Uwika) and the International Research Institute PharmaMar, Spain, planned to extend the research collaboration contract for another five years. The first contract between Uwika and the largest biopharma companies in Spain will expire in March 2013.
“We offered to extend the contract with the University of Widya Kartika. Dr. Carmen Cuevas plans to come to Surabaya next March (2013), “said Sebastiono Gulinello, Expeditions Department Logistic Coordinator PharmaMar, during a visit to Uwika, Monday, December 3, 2012.
Research conducted by PharmaMar and Uwika is to collect data base and sample marine invertebrates of several phylum and identify the existing samples taxonomically. The study took place in a number of water spots in eastern Indonesia. The results of this study were to discover anti-cancer drugs in the future.
Uwika’s Rector, Dr. Ir. Gembong Baskoro, M.Sc., gladly accepted the offer of PharmaMar. Accompanied by Vice Rector, Dra. Felicia O. Dien Koesawanto and a number of faculty members who had been involved in research with PharmaMar, Rector expressed Uwika’s readiness to welcome the arrival of Dr. Carmen Cuevas, Director of PharmaMar. Rector even planned to hold an international conference on the arrival of Dr. Carmen in March.
“This will be the second conference, and is part of a college assignment in order to disseminate the results of research findings to the community,” he said.
in that occasion, the Rector would also like to thank PharmaMar because due to this cooperation contract, nine lecturers of Uwika could continue their study to the levels of S-2 and S-3 through scholarship from PharmaMar. “It’s part of the university’s efforts to improve the competitiveness of human resources, especially lecturers,” he said.
Sebastiano Gulinello also thanked the Rector and the entire academic community, especially the lecturers who could utilize scholarship from PharmaMar maximally. He wished that there would be many more Uwika’s lecturers who could continue for further studies.
This contract extension for future studies offer, he added, is also part of an effort to increase the number of Uwika’s members to study for higher level. Sebastiano also mentioned a number of spots for future studies, including the area of ??Alor and Wetar, Ambon, Sumbawa and the Arafura.
In previous research, a number of spots have been investigated by a team from PharmaMar and Uwika. Areas investigated including Wakatobi, Sangalaki (Borneo), Sangir Talaud, Togian, Halmahera and North Maluku. “Indonesia has the most number of species and it has very good quality. Indeed, in other parts of the world, there are species that we have studied but it is not as complete as what we found in Indonesia,” said Sebastiano. (Yvn)