UST confers first Ph.D. in Medical Technology in the Philippines
By MBrand
Mariejim Diane Payot receives her Doctor of Philosophy major in Medical Technology during the UST Graduate School Solemn Investitures
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, Dr. Mariejim Diane Payot of the Department of Medical Technology under the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Pharmacy marched onstage as the first recipient of the degree Doctor of Philosophy major in Medical Technology, first offered in January 2017. Such degree is the first in both UST’s and the country’s history conferred by a Philippine university.
With an awarded study that helped differentiate the expressions of five candidate genes to detect gestational diabetes mellitus (GLM) early, Diane completed her doctoral journey.
In an interview, Diane said that the Ph.D. program taught her so much, “both in terms of professional growth and personal transformation.” With the doctoral degree 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.”
Dr. Payot presents her study on biomarkers for diabetes mellitus at an international conference
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 not to have everything figured out from the start, “because what matters is your willingness to learn and keep going.”
The 50-unit program is one of the majors 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.