VOLUME 5 NUMBER 1 (January to June 2012)

by Roberta N. Garcia

Crop Science Cluster-Institute of Plant Breeding (CSC, IPB),
College of Agriculture,
University of the Philippines Los Baños

Dr. Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza is one of theleading biochemists in the Philippines. In 1976,she was invited to head the BiochemistryLaboratory of the Institute of Plant Breeding,College of Agriculture, University of thePhilippines Los Baños, by its founding director, Dr. Emil Q.Javier. Since then, Dr. Tecson-Mendoza has remained at theforefront in advancing the fields of plant biochemistry andmodern biotechnology in the Philippines. She pioneered andcontributed significantly to the discovery of new scientificknowledge, and the development of technologies andmethodologies in the following areas: physicochemical andbiochemical studies of important Philippine agricultural crops;biochemical mechanisms of plant resistance against selectedpests and diseases; basic studies on coconut oil and proteinsincluding the biochemical basis for the makapuno coconutphenotype; development and use of biochemical and moleculartools in studying genetic diversity of plants and pests;physicochemical, functional, molecular studies and engineeringof mungbean proteins; and development of papaya with delayedripening trait by genetic engineering.