Depok, June 14th 2023. According to research data conducted in Indonesia as reported by the Global Burden of Cancer Study (Globocan) of the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer was included in the top three cancer diseases with the highest sufferers in Indonesia in 2020. The mortality rate for this disease in Indonesia is quite high. In order to find various potentials for precision medicine, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) Universitas Indonesia (UI) has initiated research collaboration through an international grant funding scheme for the implementation of activities in 2022–2024.
This grant from The East Asia Science Innovation Area Joint Research Program (e-ASIA-JRP) is taking the topic of ” Promotion of Photodynamic Medicine for Cancer “, collaborated with Prof. Shun-ichiro Ogura from the School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute Technology (Tokyo Tech), Japan.
This research collaboration was followed up through a visit to the campus at the end of May 2023, by the Dean of FMIPA, Dede Djuhana, Ph.D., together with the Vice Dean for Resources, Ventures and General Administration, Dr. Tito Latif Indra, M.Si.; Head of the Mathematics Department, Prof. Alhadi Bustamam, M.Kom., Ph.D.; Head of the Biology Department, Anom Bowolaksono, Ph.D.; and several teaching staff from the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Biology.
“This cooperative research project aims to develop a new photodynamic treatment platform based on aminolevulinic acid that can be used from early-stage cancer screening, diagnosis, to total cancer treatment. Simultaneously, we will screen and develop small molecules that can increase the efficiency of photodynamic treatment,” said Anom who is an expert in the molecular field.
Through this project, research was conducted on aminolevulinic acid, the first compound in the porphyrin synthesis pathway, which is an amino acid and also a photosensitizing agent as a breakthrough in the treatment of cancer, especially lung cancer.
The UI delegation also discussed research collaboration and educational capacity building, such as student mobility by several students from the Department of Biology FMIPA UI which has been running since 2014 until now. In addition, the potential for research and education collaboration in the fields of bioinformatics, data science, and artificial intelligence was also discussed .
During this visit, the FMIPA UI delegation was received by the Dean of the School of Life Science and Technology Professor Susumu Kajiwara, Ph.D., and Prof. Shun-ichiro Ogura who is a research collaborator. The Dean of FMIPA UI, Anom Bowolaksono, Ph.D. hoped that there will be more collaboration in the research and academic fields with overseas partners.
“This is important, apart from expanding the international cooperation network, we of course also want to strengthen FMIPA UI’s vision of becoming a leading science faculty that is able to compete globally and internationally, be innovative and competitive,” said Dede.
