UNAIR NEWS – Great news came from the Faculty of Pharmacy Universitas Airlangga (FF UNAIR). One of FF UNAIR researchers, Dr apt Aty Widyawaruyanti MSi, made the Top 100 Medical and Health Sciences Scientist 2022 list. It was ranked by AD Scientific Index Institution (Alper-Doger Scientific Index).
Aty has been focusing on discovering the active compounds of plants as a cure for infectious diseases. Her research includes anti-malarial and other drugs for contagious diseases such as Anti-Hepatitis C, anti-amoeba, and anti-dengue. The most memorable research for Aty was the discovery of active anti-hepatitis C Virus (HCV) from plants.
Anti-HCV research
Anti-HCV research is an international collaboration between the Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) UNAIR and Kobe University. The research funding was supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency/ Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (JICA/ SATREPS).
From the research done since 2010-2014, UNAIR received equipment essential for researchers. The instruments have been continuous infrastructure facilities even when the research project is over.
“The result from the research, other than publication, it also became a pioneer of the Center for Natural Product Medicine Research and Development’s establishment that keeps existing until today,” explained Aty.
Experience from the Anti HCV research opened an opportunity to gain research program collaboration with JICA SATREPS for the second time. Research on the discovery of anti amoeba active ingredients from microbes in cooperation with Tokyo University and the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT).
Anti-malarial drug development research
Another memorable research to Aty was the development of an antimalaria drug from a plant. The research is a collaborative research with Industrial Partners of PT Kimia Farma Tbk.
“From this research, we obtained prototypes of sambiloto herbal medicine that can be used complementary in the treatment of malaria,” she mentioned.
Now Aty and teams are researching anti-malarial active compound isolation of the plant genus Artocarpus. In the future, there will be several research carried out by Aty.
Research motivation
Every year, Aty and the research team group always propose research funding in UNAIR internal and Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud). She will also conduct research regarding international collaboration with UiTM Malaysia. The study is related to finding a preventive drug for malaria disease that will later collaborate with the Army.
Various benefits will be gained from research. Research can be useful to develop science and gain new findings beneficial for students, faculty, UNAIR, and the community.
Moreover, research and drug development from natural sources are interesting and should be maintained. Especially for the search of malaria or other infectious diseases’ drugs as there are more paracytes or microbes resistent to current medication.
“Indonesia has abundant plants or marine biota, but only a few are explored to be used as drug material,” she added.
Aty upholds the values written in Higher Education Tri Dharma. In her opinion, other than education values and community services, research is one important thing done by lecturers. “A lecturer without research is like a soldier without a weapon,” she added. (*)
Author: Sandi Prabowo
Editor : Binti Q Masruroh
