#GoingGlobal: First #ProudViscan to train at Harvard, now back at VSU to serve

Details: Written by Victor S. Neri; Published: 03 August 2025

Most people would opt to stay when we have made it to one of the most prestigious universities in the world. But for #ProudViscan Dr. Ea Kristine Clarisse Tulin-Escueta, a biotechnology faculty at Visayas State University (VSU), made a clear decision to return to Leyte and serve the country through science.

Just this year, Dr. Tulin-Escueta finished her postdoctoral fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School (HMS) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, where she worked alongside top scientists in the US and in the development of antibodies towards glycan targets that are found in blood and cancer cells for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Now officially back at VSU, where her journey in science began, Dr. Tulin-Escueta is excited to give back to the institution where she made flower-based soap in her elementary years, coached by her father, and now a place where she hopes to teach and train the next generation of Filipino scientists.

“It just feels like coming home,” she said. “VSU is where I started. My family’s here. My roots are here. I never really disconnected, even when I was abroad.”

Dr. Tulin-Escueta is both a scientist and an advocate for promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in the Philippines.

Beyond the laboratory, she is also an artist, a passion that she now brings into her scientific work through a personal initiative called Experiments in Art. In this project, she creatively presents microscope images of mouse brains, stained with various chemicals, and transforms them into an art.

By blending science with visual storytelling, Dr. Tulin-Escueta makes complex scientific concepts more relatable and less intimidating, especially for the general public and young learners. Her work is a unique approach to science communication which turns data into something people can feel and connect with.

From Early Science at VSU to Advanced Studies in Japan

Dr. Tulin-Escueta grew up in VSU, where her connection runs deep. She is the daughter of VSU’s two academic leaders, Dr. Edgardo E. Tulin, 6th VSU President and a respected scientist, and Dr. Anabella B. Tulin, a soil science expert and professor emeritus.

Surrounded by laboratories and classrooms growing up, she did not just see science in textbooks. She lived it.

“My dad is a scientist. During elementary, our bonding moments were doing science experiments”, she recalled.

As a young student at ViSCA Foundation Elementary School (VFES), she was already immersed in science through hands-on projects with her classmates and under the guidance of her father. One of their earliest experiments involved extracting antibacterial properties from campus-grown flowers and using them to make soap, which they later presented at the school’s science fair.

By high school, she was already diving into more advanced research, this time on Alzheimer’s disease, closely working with her father and using plant extracts for her experiments.

At just 15, she entered college with the goal of studying molecular biology, a field introduced to her by her high school teacher. However, since the program is not offered by VSU, she chose to pursue Chemistry instead, a decision that would later open up more opportunities.

“Since VSU did not offer molecular biology, I pursued chemistry since it encompasses all subjects. I am particularly interested in studying human health or medical research. I was still not ready to study in Manila or Cebu, and my parents wanted me to study in VSU first. But I was hoping that soon when I grow mature and confident enough with my skills, I will have the opportunities to study abroad to pursue my dreams”, she said.

In her time as a college student, she studied the enzyme activity of certain Philippine medicinal plants.

During her third year in college, what she hoped to pursue became a reality. She became an exchange student at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) in Japan, where she was assigned to a laboratory working on enzymes that she had previously worked on at VSU.

When Dr. Tulin-Escueta entered the lab, her professor was working on a broader topic called glycobiology, a topic she had never heard of but quickly grew passionate about.

“I really did not know about glycobiology that time, but I was very interested in that topic, whatever that means, and then later pursued it,” she said.

Then, this opportunity led her to the field of glycobiology, a study that focuses on sugar chains (glycans), which can be found in blood and are essential in understanding diseases like cancer.

After completing her exchange student program, she returned to VSU and graduated with her bachelor’s degree with flying colors as the valedictorian of the VSU Class of 2016.

Later on, her professor and doctoral adviser, Dr. Atsushi Nishikawa, offered her a slot in the same lab to pursue her master’s and PhD studies. In other words, she was a university-recommended MEXT (Japanese government) scholar by TUAT.

She began her academic and research journey under the Agricultural Sciences program, specializing in Biological Chemistry, already a licensed chemist after passing the boards exam in 2016.

She completed her graduate studies in Japan from 2017 to 2022.

The first #ProudViscan’s journey at Harvard

Dr. Tulin-Escueta is the first #ProudViscan to study at Harvard. It was through a tweet that she was interviewed and received an offer at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of Harvard Medical School’s teaching hospitals.

At Harvard, she worked directly with Dr. Richard Cumming, a leader, expert, and scientist in the field of glycobiology, one of her most-loved science authors.

They worked on developing antibodies that detect glycans, which can be used to study diseases or create new diagnostic tools.

Working at Harvard, she learned many things about scientific research techniques, especially in glycobiology. But one of the humbling lessons she got was knowing her purpose in everything she does.

“It’s not all about career, I don’t work just for myself. The community is more important, and the relationship with my family is more important. Also, I seek work that has an impact on other people’s lives and in the community”, Dr. Tulin-Escueta shared.

Why She Came Back

Despite building a strong foundation and connections in the world’s prestigious institutions, Dr. Tulin-Escueta always made it clear that she would return home to serve her country.

“Just like other Filipino scientists, they studied abroad and came back to serve,” she said.

“When you go abroad, you will study rare diseases of Europeans and those of Americans, but we also have diseases of the Filipinos and health problems, and it is nice to apply our expertise in our very own country.”

However, what really brought her back was her parents.

“My parents used to say ‘Train where you want to train, expand your network, expand your expertise but always come back.’ That's the kind of environment I grew up in. Both of my parents also pursued their graduate studies abroad, but they chose to return and serve VSU,” she shared.

She believes her postdoctoral background can build a connection between VSU and Harvard.

She also plans to work with Local Government Units (LGU) to explore community health issues through establishing her own lab.

Still a #ProudViscan

Throughout her academic journey, from a simple schoolgirl to becoming a research fellow at Harvard, Dr. Tulin-Escueta has consistently demonstrated what it truly means to be a #ProudViscan. Even studying abroad, she remained connected with VSU through virtual talks and mentoring.

“VSU instilled in me the values of staying focused. It is such a very conducive learning environment, where there are no distractions. It is a great place to hone and develop yourself. This experience at VSU prepared me to go abroad, as I am now more prepared and self-aware. At VSU, I also acknowledged my weaknesses and insecurities, and I became more self-aware.”

Today, Dr. Tulin-Escueta teaches biotechnology at VSU and wishes to mentor another generation of #ProudViscan scientists.

Her story is not all about Harvard, Japan, and glycobiology. It is about coming back home to serve her country. She is back to build and help the university build others.

To young learners who want to follow a similar path, or forge their own, she offers this reminder: “Do not self-reject. You never know what is waiting for you unless you try.”

This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals No. 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and; SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals).