Biography of the Dean

Dr. Ramon S. del Fierro is Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Chemistry at the University of San Carlos. His field of specialization is Biochemistry.

He received his baccalaureate degree in Chemistry from the University of San Carlos, his Master of Science in Biochemistry degree from the College of Medicine, University of the Philippines – Manila and his doctoral degree from the Department of Biomedical Chemistry, School of International Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo.

He was a research fellow in Molecular Genetics at the Department of Life Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology and in Pediatric Oncology at the Department of Pediatrics, Yamanashi Medical University in Japan.

Dr. del Fierro joined the Department of Chemistry after graduation from college and became Chair of the Department (1998-2004); Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2002-2004 and the first lay dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 2004. After two years as dean, he went on sabbatical leave in 2006 and joined the Department of Chemistry, College of Science of De La Salle University – Manila as Visiting Professor (2006-2008).

He is actively involved in several groups. He has served as President of the Cebu Chemical Society, Integrated Chemists of the Philippines – Cebu Chapter and Philippine Association of Japanese Monbusho Scholars (PHILAJAMES) - Cebu Chapter. He is a Fellow of the Philippine Association of Academic Biochemists, and a member of numerous professional organizations. Among his affiliations are: American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Carolinians, Inc., Japanese Biochemical Society, and Philippine Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Dr. del Fierro has also served in various capacities as speaker/resource person/evaluator/ discussant in science fairs/quizzes/symposia/seminars/congresses/technical committees as well as theses adviser/critic/evaluator/reviewer. As a Registered Chemist, he is also involved in consultancy work in the chemical sciences.

His research interests are on mutagenicity, carcinogenicity and antimutagenicity of selected Philippine medicinal plants, hypoglycemic activities of certain natural products and its toxicology, perturbations in neurotransmitter release, nutritional biochemistry, and chemical education.

He has extensively traveled in several cities in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East attending conferences, educational visits, and pleasure trips.