College of Arts and Sciences

At the 1367th UP Board of Regents’ Meeting last 27th of January 2022, the department’s very own Professor Maria Constancia Carrillo was appointed as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) for a period of three years.

Professor Carrillo completed her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman and earned a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has been with the Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics since 1995, teaching courses in biochemistry, molecular biology, and special graduate courses in bioinformatics. She also served as the Laboratory Head of the Newborn Screening Center – NIH from 2003-2011, where she supervised both laboratory and administrative operations in the conduct of newborn screening tests.

With 16 scientific publications that have been cited more than 205 times, Professor Carrillo has been actively involved in research which focuses on molecular genetics and computational drug discovery. She has also been a recipient of multiple research grants, including a UP System EIDR grant on computer-aided discovery of compounds for the treatment of tuberculosis in the Philippines (2013 – 2016) and an NIH grant for the computer-aided drug discovery of compounds against carbapenem – resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. In addition, Professor Carrillo is currently involved in a COVID-19 drug discovery project in collaboration with experts from UP Manila, DLSU, and UP Mindanao.

Prior to being appointed as the Dean, Professor Carrillo served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, where she initiated curricular revisions for K-12 transition preparedness and organized workshops for the development of new graduate courses. Professor Carrillo has also led faculty conferences on topics such as quality assurance, intellectual property considerations, mental health awareness, and ethics in the academe. Moreover, Professor Carrillo has been vital in aiding the college prepare for remote instruction through the assembly of the CAS Committee on Online Instruction, which produced learning materials and resources that helped the faculty transition to online teaching, as well as the organization of conferences that focused on online class management and usage of technology for remote teaching. Since 2016, she has also been the representative of UP Manila to the UP System GE Council.

As the incoming CAS dean, Professor Carrillo will begin her term guided by her strategic plan SIGLO, in honor and celebration of the 100^th year of CAS’s oldest building, Rizal Hall. Professor Carrillo aims and commits to 1) Sustain academic excellence by strengthening current CAS programs, promoting the development of new graduate programs, establishing local and international linkages, and maximizing tools for teaching and learning; 2) Increase research capacity and development by forging multidisciplinary collaborations/partnerships between CAS faculty and experts from other institutions, enhancing the research skills of the faculty through workshops, developing a culture of research dissemination, and maximizing acquisition and utilization of grants for research infrastructure; 3) build a Globally competitive CAS community by professionalizing CAS faculty and staff through competency upgrading programs, as well as right-sizing administrative staff complement and work assignments; 4) Lead with transparency and consistency by establishing a Quality Management Office and developing online portals for data collection and analysis; and 5) promote Outstanding public service initiatives such as offering short certificate courses, tapping the alumni network for sponsorships and outreach activities, as well as rebuilding the sense of community within the members of the CAS by initiating mental health support, recognizing outstanding college faculty and administrative staff, and conducting student-centered activities.

Written by Judee Anne Cagay and Jamie Bernadette Sy