UP Diliman Institute of Chemistry
Coordinates: 14°39′10″N 121°4′7″E / 14.65278°N 121.06861°E
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| Type | Academic (Degree-granting) and Research Institute |
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| Established |
1910 (as Department) 1987 (as Institute) |
| Director | Flerida A. Cariño, Ph.D |
| Deputy directors |
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| Location | National Science Complex, UP Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines |
| Website |
www |
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The Institute of Chemistry (IC-UPD or IC) is one of seven research and academic institutes of the University of the Philippines - College of Science. It is located in the National Science Complex of UP Diliman, which is the flagship campus of the University of the Philippines System. The Institute offers five degree programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Chemistry, Diploma in Chemistry, Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemistry, M.S. in Chemical Education and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemistry.
Research Areas
Core Research Areas
The IC dabbles in the following core research areas:
A. Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry
- Goal: To develop chemical sensors for various applications and analytical methods for the determination of chemical contaminants and environmental pollutants.
- Areas of research: Methods Development and Separation Science, Bioanalytical and Electrochemistry, Chemical Instrumentation, Development of Biosensors, Environmental Remediation.
- Current research programs include fabrication of sensors using electropolymerized molecularly-imprinted polymers and nanomaterials for the determination of chemical contaminants. Extensive studies are also directed towards method development for the analysis of organic pollutants in different matrices and methods for environmental remediation and workplace safety. State-of-the art analytical chemistry methodologies are also developed to contribute to the solution of important clinical and environmental problems.
B. Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Goal: To understand the structure, properties and reactivity of natural and synthetic organic products to be utilized in diverse industrial and research applications.
- Areas of research: Natural Products Chemistry, Organic Synthesis and Analysis, Polymer Chemistry, NMR Spectroscopic Methods and Biological Mass Spectrometry, Toxicology and Biosafety.
- Current extensive research programs include isolation and structure elucidation of bioactive natural compounds. The Philippines offers a great biodiversity providing wide selections of plants and marine organisms which the researchers tapped as sources of future pharmaceutical products. Novel organic synthetic methods, including research in alternative green chemistry processes and polymer chemistry, are also developed with applications for environmental, drugs/drug-delivery systems and energy industries. Syntheses of synthetic polymer or polymer-biomolecular hybrids will be undertaken for applications in cancer-/disease- diagnosis and treatment, microbiology and neuroscience research.
C. Physical Chemistry
- Goal: To develop a fundamental understanding at the molecular and atomic level of various chemical phenomena and the behavior of materials.
- Areas of research: Theoretical and Computational chemistry, Materials Analysis, Chemical Kinetics, Catalysis, Spectroscopy and Dynamics.
- Physical chemistry applies physics and mathematics to understand chemical processes and properties. The IC researchers study a wide range of problems in theoretical, experimental and materials chemistry. They work closely with scientists from other disciplines to address issues such as environmental pollution, alternative energy sources and greener processes. For experimental research, the IC faculty are studying nanomaterials and chemical processes occurring on the surface or interfaces of materials. Future plans include development of high-resolution laser and optical based probes to study various surface chemical phenomena. Theoretical research studies include structure and dynamics of hydration of gases, relationships between electronic structure and chemical behavior, and biophysical phenomena.
D. Inorganic Chemistry and Materials Chemistry
- Goal: To develop synthetic strategies for fabrication of inorganic materials or composites for various applications.
- Areas of research: Bioinorganic chemistry, Inorganic Materials Synthesis, Nanomaterials, Photocatalysis.
- Inorganic chemistry encompasses basic studies of properties and reactivities of nearly all elements. It directly impacts a variety of technologies, ranging from creation of novel compounds, drug design, catalysis, and materials for energy applications. In the nanotechnology research, IC researchers are making new types of thin films and polymer-nanomaterial composites for use in the semiconductor/microelectronics, sensors, catalysis, and separation industries. Researchers are also doing syntheses and characterization of crystalline solid materials with novel structure or tunable electronic, optical and superconducting properties; examples include organic-inorganic hybrids and intermetallics. For biomedical applications, the IC faculty are designing synthetic strategies for molecular probes, such as polyheterometallic lanthanide chelates, as tools for in vitro assays and as contrast agents for multi-modal (MRI/optical) imaging systems. For bioinorganic research, future research plans will include delving deeper into the functions of metal complexes in biological systems to obtain new understanding of diseases and the design of innovative cures or treatments.
E. Chemical Education
- Areas of research. Active learning and use of technology in education. Integration of chemistry with other science and allied fields.
- IC regularly reviews the chemistry courses it offers in order to improve them and make more effective and attuned to current technological advances. In parallel to the growing interdisciplinary trend in doing research, the institute had just revised its B.S. Chemistry curriculum with an integrated laboratory courses scheme instead of offering them as the traditionally separate chemistry subjects. For these integrated courses, the faculty members have committed themselves in the research and development and the monitoring-improvement work for the experiments and instructional materials and methods. Other educational research plans include studies in use of clicker-technology and other creative learning tools for enhanced student learning.
Courses (subjects)
The division described above (Academic Groups) leads to an interesting way of numbering of Chemistry (Chem) courses: a course begins with "1" for an Inorganic (or General) Chemistry course, "2" for Analytical Chem courses, "3" for Organic, "4" for Biochemistry, and "5" for Physical. A course numbered 100 above is usually a junior/senior undergraduate course, 200 for masters courses, and 300 for doctoral courses.
Here is the list of courses and their course titles:
Undergraduate courses
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Notes:
^1 N - refers to courses only taught to non-Chemistry majors, MN - for courses taught for both majors and non-majors alike, otherwise all courses are taught for majors only.
^2 ".1" refers to courses whose laboratory part is not integrated into the lecture part.
^3 Chem 145 has no laboratory component.
Students
The students of the Institute may join several other College-based recognized organizations, but presently there are two organizations recognized by the Institute itself: the UP Chemical Society (UP ChemSoc) and the UP Association of Chemistry Majors and Enthusiasts (UP ACME).
Images
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Teaching building
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Panorama
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Floral facade
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The Institute in the eyes of white flowers
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Facade
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The Institute
References
External links
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