Maria Ruth Pineda-Cortel

Dr. Maria Ruth B. Pineda-Cortel is a full professor and laboratory coordinator at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) where she teaches at the Department of Medical Technology of the Faculty of Pharmacy. She also does research at the university's Research Center for the Natural Sciences and Applied Sciences (RCNAS). Pineda-Cortel has also done research covering many health-related issues that include the effects of climate change on infectious diseases that are prevalent in the Philippines, such as dengue and malaria.

Education Pineda-Cortel studied at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines where she received all of her degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology, Master of Science in Medical Technology, and Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Biological Sciences.

Career and research Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Pineda-Cortel focuses her research on early-detection and diagnosis of GDM in pregnant women in the Philippines. The prevalence of GDM in the Philippines is around 30%, and Pineda-Cortel aims to increase accessibility and availability of standard diagnostic and screening tests for GDM to prevent further health complications in the mother and the baby. In one of her studies, she concludes that the gene variant rs7754840 of the CDKAL1 gene (known to inhibit insulin production) does not increase susceptibility to GDM. Another one of her studies also suggests that iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women decreases the risk of developing GDM. Pineda-Cortel's research is an effort to end the cycle of transgenerational diabetes as its prevalence continues to increase all over the world.

Dengue and climate change

Pineda-Cortel also does research to determine the effects of climate change and other environmental factors on dengue incidence and number of cases per region. Her studies show a strong correlation between the incidence of dengue and temperature, rainfall and humidity. Because the Philippines lie in the tropics, these three climate variables are the main driving force of dengue fever. Warmer temperatures speed up the extrinsic incubation period of the dengue virus and the development of mosquitoes which increases disease transmission rates. In addition, her research also demonstrates that rainfall contributes to an increase in dengue cases as stagnant water provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes. With these contributing factors in mind, Pineda-Cortel developed prediction models of dengue cases in four studied regions in the Philippines.

Selected publications

Awards and recognition