Meet Maria Corazon (Cora) De Ungria, molecular biologist and forensic geneticist
I am a molecular biologist who has chosen to focus on studying genetic variations across human populations. I apply this knowledge in forensics to assist criminal investigations, aid in the identification of disaster victims, and help resolve issues of parentage and kinship.
In addition, I am interested in studying the genetic variations that exist across different Philippine populations, including indigenous people/indigenous cultural communities (IP/ICCs) in order to contribute to the discourse regarding our origin/s as a people, as well as the process of evolution of our DNA over time as a response to the rapid changes in our environment and way of living.
I am the head of the DNA Analysis Laboratory, UP Diliman Natural Sciences Research Institute (www.dnaforensic.org). This laboratory continues to promote the development of forensic DNA technology in the country.
I hold the rank of University Researcher V which means that I devote most of my time planning/conducting research and extension services for the community.
Research projects include the generation of the database of the Filipino population across the regional centers and indigenous communities, validation of methodology for collection and analysis of forensic samples and involvement in actual forensic cases as requested by the university, government agencies and private clients.
In addition, I have volunteered to work with UP Faculty in the College of Science towards the development of relevant forensic subjects to cater to the ever growing interest in different fields of forensic sciences, particularly forensic genetics.
3) Tell us about the photos.
[Left:] Here I am with a typical set-up for DNA extraction in a molecular biology laboratory. This process involves using chemical reagents to release the DNA contained in the cells obtained from single source samples, or as part of the repertoire of evidence that were submitted for analysis. The DNA product/s are subsequently used for downstream analysis such as DNA profiling and/or Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS).
[Right:] This is a group photo with the participants and resource persons of the 4th Forensic Science Symposium held in Baguio City, Benguet this year. Talks on forensic DNA technology, wildlife forensics, sexual assault investigations, law enforcement, forensic pathology, and human rights investigations revolved around the central theme of how forensic science can strengthen the rule of law in the Philippines, which was consistent with the conference title - “Forensic Science at the Frontier of National Issues”.
4) Tell us about your academic career path so far.
I was born into a middle class family living in Metro Manila. My father, Remigio De Ungria, was a chemical engineer who worked for Meralco, the nation's lead energy and power distribution company. My mother, Segundina Abogado, was a dentist who had given up her career to become a full-time housewife. Starting from a young age studying in the UP Integrated School, my parents repeatedly reminded me of the value of education that should be an integral part of the foundation of my future life.
At the age of 11 years old, my application to study in the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) was accepted and I transferred to a new school, leaving my comfort zone in UPIS in order to start again. PSHS or “Pisay” students as we call ourselves then, were referred to as 'scholars of the state'. The diversity of students that the school took in every year represented a microcosm of Philippine society – a celebration of the country’s demographic diversity and limitless potential as embodied in its youthful population.
Upon graduation, I enrolled at the University of Philippines, where I expected to major in Zoology as a pathway to becoming a medical doctor. Studying zoology was then viewed as a prerequisite for applying to medical school. But after two years of study, I realized that my true ambition was to become a research scientist. Doctors, of course, belong to one of the world’s most noble professions. But I knew that laboratory research, not patient care, was my calling. I also believed that my chances to have a broader and more lasting impact on a society through my work would be enhanced if I pursued a career in research where I would be at the forefront of exciting discoveries that could potentially help improve the lives of the Filipino people. I was 17 at the time, and already the sight of children begging in the streets, the poor person without a home and helpless faces amidst the injustices brought about by the increasing gap between the learned rich and the uneducated poor was pushing me to find meaning in my life.
So I left the Philippines to study in Australia in 1988. I didn’t anticipate then that I would be gone from home for more than a decade – first to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with Honors from Macquarie University in 1993 and then to earn a doctorate degree in Microbiology from the University of New South Wales in 1999.
Upon completing my degree, I was tempted to remain abroad. However, I ultimately chose to return home. The reasons for this decision were simple and non-negotiable. I profoundly missed my parents whom I had visited only a couple of times since leaving for Australia because the cost of travel was high. I also felt a responsibility to give something back to my country. Taxpayers had covered large portions of my education since secondary school. Government funding that paid for my education for four years, monthly stipends and study fellowships – all gifts, in essence, given by strangers – had enabled me to obtain a very good education in the Philippines and abroad. My degrees would undoubtedly serve me well throughout my life as tickets to a rewarding career. I was thankful to be the recipient of such generosity, and I strongly believed that I had a duty to apply my knowledge and skills to address critical problems within my own country in the hope of improving the lives of all Filipinos.
I also believe that chance plays an important role in a person's life. A clear factor in a person's success is therefore one's ability to maximize the opportunities that chance brings in order to achieve one's dreams. Upon my return to the Philippines, I met Dr. Saturnina C. Halos, the founding head of the DNA Analysis Laboratory, who offered me her former position. Within a month, my appointment papers were ready and I assumed the role of the head of the DNA Analysis Laboratory on 19 February 1999, which would later pioneer the development of forensic DNA technology in the Philippines and would be one of the driving forces behind the drafting and subsequent promulgation of the Rule on DNA Evidence. This judicial rule now governs the presentation and use of DNA evidence in Philippine courts. And everything else is history.
5) Anything you’d like us to share.
In a plenary talk which I was asked to deliver recently on the challenges of doing forensic science in the Philippines today, I reported three major challenges which include the 1) lack of recognition on the vital role of forensic DNA science in disaster victim identification (DVI) and criminal investigations; 2) over reliance on testimonial evidence compounded by lapses in investigations in some cases; and 3) the eroding Rule of Law.
I ended on a reflective mode and stated a very important challenge in doing forensic science in the Philippines, which I would like to share here. It is the need for scientists of all agencies--universities, private agencies and law enforcement--to recognize and to value the social impact of our work. We need to remain apolitical and to stick to the core values of a true scientist--objectivity, ingenuity and excellence--leaving no stone unturned because we recognize that underneath the science that we do are the lives of real people, many of whom are desperately calling to us for help.
Scientists need to share our knowledge and our passion to find order where there is none, to find creative solutions to seemingly hopeless situations, and to discover the common and shared humanity, across individual diversities manifested in different cultures, languages, spiritual beliefs and social status. Only in doing so can we say that we truly made use of science in order to serve the Filipino people.
