[unsoed.ac.id, Wed, 04/12/24] The delegation from the Faculty of Biology at Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (UNSOED) received three awards at the national level during the National Student Scientific Writing Competition. This event was held as part of the anniversary celebration of the Faculty of Biology at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta on Sunday, November 24, 2024.
Syzygium team of Faculty of Biology Unsoed, consisting of Elda Zaelita Nurul Raizma (Biology 2022), Devia Angelina Sopian (Biology 2022), Handika Maulana Alifianto (B1A023038) with supervisors Yuriza Eshananda, S.Si., M.Si, Prof. Dr. Dra. Sorta Basar Ida Simanjuntak, M.Si, and Sri Lestari, S.Si., M.Si.
Elda mentioned that the competition is a scientific event organized by the Faculty of Biology at UGM. It features five subthemes: Molecular and Biotechnology, Environment and Biodiversity, Functional and Development, Renewable Energy, and Agrocomplex. The competition consists of two stages of evaluation: the submission of full papers and the Grand Final.
Elda’s team has successfully advanced to the Grand Final stage, where they will present their research on molecular science. Their project is titled “Exploration of the Potential of Secondary Metabolites in Local Plants of the Syzygium Genus as Target Therapy for Atherosclerosis Disease Based on In Silico Studies.” They are focusing on Lox-1 as a therapeutic target.
At the Grand Final stage, the team received three awards: the 1st General Champion of LKTI, Best Presentation, and Best Poster.
“We would like to express our gratitude to our supervisors and everyone who has supported us throughout our three-month research period, which began in August and culminated on the peak day of the competition, November 24, 2024. Our goal in participating in this competition is to inspire our fellow students at Unsoed to enhance their competitive spirit. Additionally, we encourage our friends in the Faculty of Biology Unsoed community to remain enthusiastic about continuing their In Silico research, which can provide solutions to various challenges, particularly in finding cures for diseases that are still difficult to treat. We hope to bring recognition to our beloved Faculty of Biology at Unsoed”, she said.
The inspiration for this research stemmed from the high mortality rate associated with atherosclerosis, both globally and in Indonesia. Elda, Devia, and Handika aimed to investigate the potential of local Syzygium plants, which are known to be rich in secondary metabolites, as candidates for atherosclerosis therapy. They focused on how these metabolites interact with the LOX-1 receptor, a key factor in the progression of the disease, using the In Silico method.
Elda concluded, “We hope that molecular research using the In Silico method can provide a safer and more optimal solution for treating atherosclerosis, without side effects. This approach takes advantage of the potential of local Syzygium plants, which have not been extensively explored.”
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