Associate Professor Maria Rhona Gatpandan Bergantin, MD, MSc, FPCP, FPSMID is an  Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the UST Faculty of Medicine & Surgery. She is a member of  the Health Technology and Assessment Council of the Department of Science and Technology and co-chair of the Curriculum Committee at the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. She is also the current section chief of Infectious Diseases at the UST FMS and the Training Officer of the Adult Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training Program at UST Hospital.  and a member of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee at UST RCNAS. Her scholarly pursuits focus on Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with a highlight on Virology, encompassing basic, clinical, and translational research. She completed her education and training at the UST FMS and UST Hospital and completed her Masters of Science in Virology from Liverpool John Moores University. She has received updated training in Good Clinical Practice and  introductory training Data Safety Monitoring Committee. She has received national awards being a member of the COVID-19 Laboratory Experts Panel. She has also held past positions in national committees and presently affiliated with the UST Hospital, being a board certified Internist and Infectious Diseases specialist.