On June 14, 2025 (Saturday), tucked within an array of colored academic hoods was an unmistakable mix of purple and yellow–the colors of Medical Technology. However, the cap bore the characteristic tassels of a doctoral degree holder–the first time in both UST’s and the country’s history that a doctorate degree in medical technology is conferred by a Philippine university.
Dr. Mariejim Diane Payot of the Department of Medical Technology of the Faculty of Pharmacy marched onstage as the first recipient of the degree, first offered in January 2017. With an awarded study that helped differentiate the expressions of five candidate genes to detect gestational diabetes mellitus (GLM) early, Marie completed her doctoral journey.
In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Diane said that the PhD program taught her so much, “both in terms of professional growth and personal transformation.” With the doctoral degree as providing a solid preparation for a research-focused career, Diane recalls the formation she received on developing capstone projects and proposals grounded in laboratory science, along with sharing the fruits of these endeavors in conferences and publications. Her foray into the laboratories eventually led her to the field of molecular research, “a field [she] only once dreamed of exploring.”
As she donned the cap, she tipped her hat to “the mentors and peers who believed in [me], who [pushed me] forward when [my] own strength felt low.” Addressing the prospective students, she said that the program may be challenging, but it is understandable to not have everything figured out from the start “because what matters is your willingness to learn and keep going.”
The 50-credit units program is a major of the Doctor of Philosophy program of the Graduate School. It includes courses on advanced clinical toxicology, advanced endocrinology, immunohematology, biomedical engineering, microbial genetics, and medical forensics, among others. Full details may be found here: http://graduateschool.ust.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/PHD-Medical-Technology.pdf.
