MIF UNAIR Students Sent to National Chiayi University for Research
The Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Airlangga (FF UNAIR) and National Chiayi University (NCYU) have frequently collaborated in the fields of education and research. Student outbound activities are also among the key initiatives that highlight the strong partnership between the two institutions.
FF UNAIR, through Prof. apt. Rr. Retno Widyowati, M.Pharm, Ph.D., has established a research collaboration with Prof. Hsin-I Chang from National Chiayi University (NCYU), Taiwan. In recent years, FF UNAIR has regularly sent students to conduct research at the Department of Biochemical Science and Technology at NCYU. This research initiative is fully supported through FF UNAIR’s Student Outbound Program and the Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) by the Taiwan Ministry of Education (MOE).
One of the students recently sent abroad for research is Ave Rahman, a student from the Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences program, batch 2023. He carried out research for three months at NCYU, from October 21, 2024, to January 15, 2025. Ave’s research focused on the development of natural Indonesian materials as anti-aging and whitening agents. He was joined by Nurul Fathin Athirah binti Md Noor, an undergraduate student from batch 2021, in this research.
The research was conducted using in vitro methods, specifically with fibroblast skin cell culture and melanoma cell culture. The fibroblast cell culture was used as a model for anti-aging research, aiming at repairing cells damaged by both internal and external factors. Meanwhile, the melanoma cell culture served as a model for whitening agent research, exploring the inhibition of melanogenesis reactions in the skin. This research will eventually contribute to Ave’s thesis.
Through this research collaboration, FF UNAIR supports the achievement of SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals. Not only does it broaden students’ knowledge, but this research is also expected to have a wide impact on scientific progress, particularly in the exploration of natural materials in the field of healthcare.
