The Team
Aurelio A. de los Reyes V, Dr. rer. nat.
Research interest:
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modeling infectious diseases, physiological systems
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optimal control theory
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chemical reaction network theory (CRNT)
Aurelio is an associate professor at the Institute of Mathematics, UP Diliman. He completed his Dr. rer. nat. degree at Karl-Franzens Universität Graz, Austria, under the guidance of Prof. Em. Franz Kappel. Following that, he pursued postdoctoral training at several institutions such as the Renal Research Institute in New York, Konkuk University in South Korea, the University of Zurich, and the Biozentrum in Switzerland. He also held position as a senior researcher at the Biomedical Mathematics group within the Institute for Basic Science in Daejeon, South Korea. His research encompasses a wide range of interests, including modeling biological systems at various scales, from molecular to population levels. He applies optimal control theory and chemical reaction network theory to investigate these systems. Notably, his modeling efforts encompass studying the dynamics of the cardiovascular-respiratory system, developing intervention measures to combat infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, and devising therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. He pioneered the inaugural International Workshop on Mathematical Biology (IWOMB 2018) in Cebu, bringing together local and international researchers and students. This event laid the foundation for establishing the Philippine Society for Mathematical Biology (PSMB) in 2024, where he serves as the founding president.
Gervy Marie Angeles, Dr. rer. nat.
Research interest:
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PDE models for biological applications
Gervy is an assistant professor at the Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines Diliman. She earned her doctoral degree in 2023 from the University of Vienna (Austria), where she was supported from 2019 to 2022 by the OeAD Ernst Mach Grant - ASEA-UNINET. Her research interests include partial differential equations applied to biology, particularly focusing on mathematical modeling of cell cytoskeleton dynamics.
Bryan S. Hernandez, Ph.D.
Research interests:
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chemical reaction network theory (CRNT)
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dynamical systems
Bryan is currently an assistant professor at the Institute of Mathematics in the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP Diliman). He obtained his BS Mathematics and MS Mathematics degrees from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and PhD Mathematics from UP Diliman under the DOST-ASTHRDP Scholarship with specialization Chemical Reaction Network Theory (CRNT). Bryan's works include multistationarity algorithms for different classes of kinetics and the use of decomposition theory in CRNT to analyze properties of equilibria of chemical reaction networks and kinetic systems.
Nheil Ignacio
Research interests:
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probability theory
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actuarial mathematics
Nheil is currently a lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman and a Ph.D. Mathematics student at the University of the Philippines Baguio. He obtained his BS Applied Mathematics major in Actuarial Science degree in 2016 at the University of Santo Tomas and MS Mathematics degree in 2018 at the Ateneo de Manila University. His recent work is on spatiotemporal analysis of typhoid cases in Baguio City. His research interests include probability theory, game theory and related fields such as stochastic calculus, differential games and mean field theory.
Victoria May P. Mendoza, Dr. rer. nat.
Research interests:
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disease modeling
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neglected tropical diseases
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optimization
Vicki is an associate professor at the Institute of Mathematics, UP Diliman. She finished MS Applied Math at UP Diliman in 2011 and Doctor of Natural Sciences (Math) at Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Austria in 2016. Her research are on mathematical models of the cardiovascular-respiratory systems, infectious diseases, and population models involving neutral DDEs, utilizing tools such as sensitivity analysis, parameter estimation, and optimal control theory. She is also interested on topological data analysis and optimization.
Carlene P.C. Pilar-Arceo, Ph.D.
Research interest:
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chemical reaction network theory
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modeling infectious diseases
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nature-inspired optimization
Cayen obtained her BS Mathematics, MS Applied Mathematics, and PhD Mathematics degrees from the University of the Philippines Diliman. For her MS Applied Mathematics degree, she majored in Operations Research. Her PhD dissertation was on Partial Differential Equations, research for which was done under a Monbusho scholarship at Waseda University. Cayen has been recognized twice as an outstanding teacher, Gawad Tsanselor Natatanging Guro 1993 and 2004, and a publication she co-authored, Chemical Reaction Networks: Filipino contributions to their theory and its applications, was recognized as a 2020 NAST Outstanding Scientific Paper. She is very active in the teaching and promotion of GE Mathematics and has several projects and publications in Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Modeling, and Optimization. She is also involved in teacher training locally and in the ASEAN region.
Cayen is currently the director of the Office of International Linkages Diliman, Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of the Philippines Diliman. She served as the director of the Institute of Mathematics in 2018-2021.
Michelle N. Raza
Research interests:
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disease modeling
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optimal control theory
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differential equations
Michelle is currently an Instructor and a Ph.D. student at the Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines Diliman. She received her B.S. Mathematics and M.S Mathematics degrees from Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology in 2017 and 2019, respectively. She was a recipient of Department of Science and Technology scholarships for her BS and MS studies. Her research interests are on Disease Modeling particularly on infectious diseases and cancer. She is currently on her dissertation stage in her PhD studies and is currently working on the function of adaptive immune system against cancer.
Fatima Lois E. Suarez
Research interests:
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infectious disease modeling
Ima is an instructor and a PhD student at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She finished her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mathematics and Master of Science (M.S.) Applied Mathematics from the same institution in 2016 and 2019, respectively. She was part of the UP Teaching Assistantship Program from 2016 to 2019. Her master’s thesis tackles the spread of of avian influenza (HPAI) among domestic geese in Taiwan.
Polly W. Sy, Ph.D.
Research interests:
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differential equations
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dynamical systems
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mathematical biology
Polly is a professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines. She holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Ph.D. from the University of the Philippines and a Doctor of Science (D. Sc.) from the Nagoya University, Japan. She was a recipient of the 1988 Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines (NAST) and 1992 Science Prize (in mathematics) from NAST and Third World Academy of Science (TWAS). For her contributions to mathematics in the Philippines, she was given an Achievement Award by the National Research Council of the Philippines.
Christian Matthew P. Tandingan
Research interests:
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optimal control theory
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functional analysis
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differential equations
Matthew is currently an Instructor and a Ph.D. student at the Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines Diliman. He obtained his BS Mathematics and MS Mathematics degrees from the University of the Philippines Baguio in 2019 and 2023, respectively. His research interest is on optimal control problem with differential equations that involve the suprema of the state.
Affiliates
Empower
Growth
Olive R. Cawiding
Research interest:
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population dynamics
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modeling epidemics
Olive is an instructor and a PhD student at the Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines Diliman. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree in 2015 and her Master of Science in Mathematics degree in 2020 from the University of the Philippines Baguio. Her research interests include population dynamics and mathematical modelling of epidemics. In particular, her master's thesis on modelling TB involved discussing the model's conditions for stability, exploring possible bifurcations, and using local data available to illustrate the results numerically.
Rey Audie S. Escosio
Research interests:
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complex systems
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mathematical biology
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numerical optimization
Presently, Rey is a lecturer and research associate at the Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines Diliman. He finished his MS Applied Mathematics from the same institute working on gradient-based optimization and local searches. He took his undergraduate studies at the National Institute of Physics, UP Diliman studying single-neuron models and their dynamics. Since 2013, he has received two DOST scholarships – the DOST‐SEI RA 7687 program, and the DOST‐ASTHRDP. His research interests include complex systems, mathematical biology, and numerical optimization. Specifically, he is currently working with the team on COVID-19 mathematical modeling projects.
Pamela Kim N. Salonga
Research interests:
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infectious disease modeling
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optimal control theory
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numerical optimization
Pamela is an instructor and a PhD student at the Institute of Mathematics, UP Diliman. She obtained her BS Mathematics degree in 2017 and her MS Applied Mathematics degree in 2019 from the same institution. Her most recent work is on the mathematical modelling of the transmission and control of lymphatic filariasis in the Philippines.