User:SarahCosgriff/sandbox

Clara Y. Lim-Sylianco (18th August 1925-) is a Filipino scientist. She was named National Scientist of the Philippines in 1994 by then President Fidel V. Ramos. Her expertise is in Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Environmental mutagenesis, Antimutagenesis and Antiteratogenesis. Dr. Sylianco has done a lot of work on mutagens, antimutagens, and bio-organic mechanisms where she has more than 50 scientific articles, 7 books and 5 monographs to her name. Her books are used as textbooks in college chemistry courses in many schools throughout the country.

Early Education
Clara Lim-Sylianco took her Pre-Medicine in Siliman University, graduating with an AA with highest honors in 1947. She worked for a BS in the same university and graduated magna cum laude in 1948. She obtained her BS Chemistry in 1949, also magna cum laude. She enrolled at the University of the Philippines for an MS in Chemistry from 1949-1953. Immediately after graduation, NS Sylianco left as a Fulbright scholar for the United States to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1957. Her PhD research elucidated the mechanism of action of the B vitamins on the metabolism of tryptophan by liver and kidney tissue. For her postdoctoral work, she studied the effect of the structure of histidine on its metabolism.

Career (temporary name)
On her return to the country, she focused on the studies of Philippine plants ability to protect plants against mutagens. She joined the UP Department of Chemistry as an Assistant Professor from 1957 to 1963 and worked her way up to Associate Professor in 1965, and eventually became full professor in 1970. With her many students at the UP Diliman’s Department of Chemistry, Dr. Sylianco found that the extract of some 50 Philippine plants like ampalaya (bitter gourd, Momordica charantia), malunggay (Moringa olifeira) can protect the cells against effects of certain mutagens found in some antibiotics. NS Sylianco with her students showed that refined coconut oil, more than soybean oil, protect the body against some chemical carcinogens found in food and the environment. A study on street soils obtained from commercial, residential and industrial areas in Manila showed their mutagenic activity which was related to the levels of benzopyrene, a potent carcinogen from diesel exhaust adsorbed by the soils. Her numerous discoveries of environmental mutagens culminated in the designation of her laboratory at the University of the Philippines as an international training center for the detection of chemical mutagens by the Research Planning in Biological Sciences, Washington, D.C., USA in 1986 and in her appointment as a member of the International Advisory Committee on Antimutagens in 1989. Recognized as an outstanding educator, Dr. Sylianco introduced the teaching of organic chemistry at the molecular level at UP in the early 1960s. Her students who were also teachers in schools from different parts of the Philippines appreciated the new way of learning organic chemistry and asked Dr. Sylianco to continue teaching them as well as other teachers during summers, thus was born the Organic Chemistry Teachers Association (OCTA) in 1973. With biochemistry teachers and researchers, Dr. Sylianco established the Philippine Biochemical Society (now Philippine Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) in 1973 and held summer workshops on teaching techniques and laboratory experiments. NS Lim-Sylianco has published more than 50 scientific articles, seven (7) books and five (5) monographs on organic chemistry, biochemistry, genetic toxicology, and molecular nutrition. Her books are used as textbooks in college chemistry courses in many schools throughout the country. Among her distinguished awards include the Gregorio Y. Zara Award by the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science, Inc. (PHILAAS) in 1979, Outstanding Scientist by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) VII in 1987, and the Lingkod Bayan Presidential Award in 1988. NS Clara Lim-Sylianco was recognized for her outstanding scientific contributions by professional organizations and the Philippine government. In 1980, she was elected to the National Academy of Science and Technology as Academician. In 1994, Academician Clara Y. Lim-Sylianco was conferred the rank and title of National Scientist by then President Fidel V. Ramos.

Sylianco is well known in his book. She is the author of Principles of Organic Chemistry which is now used as a standard textbook in colleges and universities. She has also authored the books Modern Biochemistry, Structure and Functions of Bio-molecules, Biochemical Mechanisms, Genetic Toxicology, Molecular Nutrition, Molecular Bio-chemistry, and Bioorganic and Bio-inorganic Mechanisms.

Awards
She has won multiple awards, including:
 * Elected Academician, NAST, 1980
 * Conferred as National Scientist, NAST, 1994
 * Gregorio Y. Zara Award, PHILAAS, 1979
 * Outstanding Faculty, UP, 1985
 * CASAA Award of Distinction in Biochemistry,, 1985
 * Outstanding Scientist, DOST, Region 7, 1987
 * Fellow, The Royal Society of Chemistry, London
 * Fellow, New York Academy of Sciences
 * D.J. Professorial Chair in Chemistry,
 * UP Endowment Professorial Chair in Chemistry,
 * Achievement Award (Pharmaceutical Sciences), NRCP-DOST, 1988
 * Magna Cum Laude, B. S., Silliman University, 1948
 * Magna Cum Laude, B. S. Chemistry, Silliman University, 1949
 * Travel Grant, Fulbright, 1953
 * NSF Summer Fellowship for First Chemistry Institute, National Science Foundation, July 1954
 * Iota Sigma Pi awaed, University of Iowa (Iridiun Chapter), 1956
 * Bose Sudhindra award, International Club, University of Iowa, 1956