TACLOBAN CITY– After walking the halls of Harvard, Dr. Ea Kristine Clarisse Tulin-Escueta has returned to her roots—bringing home world-class expertise in biochemistry, glycobiology, and biomedical sciences to the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City.
Now 29, the VSU alumna recently completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, where she worked on anti-glycan antibodies for diagnostics and treatment. She trained under top global scientists Dr. Richard Cummings in the U.S. and Dr. Atsushi Nishikawa in Japan.
“I’ve always dreamed of returning to the Philippines to do cutting-edge research in the beautiful island of Leyte—to create our version of a science island where industry, government, and academia work together,” she said.
Tulin-Escueta, who now teaches at VSU’s Department of Biotechnology, said coming home was inspired by Filipino scientists like her parents—former VSU president Edgardo Tulin and soil scientist Dr. Anabella Tulin—who chose to serve locally despite global opportunities.
“I was educated to serve as a bridge between the Philippines and the world,” she said, noting her continuing collaborations with institutions in Asia and the U.S.
VSU hailed her as the first “Proud Viscan” to complete a Harvard research fellowship. Her work, the university said, may serve as a key milestone as VSU prepares to open its own College of Medicine.
A magna cum laude and valedictorian at VSU, Tulin-Escueta earned her MS and PhD in Agricultural Sciences from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.
Now back where her journey began, she hopes to mentor young scientists and help shape a thriving research culture in Eastern Visayas.
(RONALD O. REYES)
