UNS – A team from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta secured a podium finish in the Indonesian Palm Oil Research Week (PERISAI) 2024, an event organized by the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) under the Ministry of Finance. Representing UNS, the team comprised Ryan Fauzy, Zaizafun Faiha, Vania Maharani, and Fatimah Aqilah—all students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) Pharmacy Program. The team was guided by their mentor, Apt. Syaiful Choiri, S.Farm., M.Pharm. Sci.
The UNS team claimed second place with their research titled “Modification of Stearin and Olein Combinations as Targeted Smart Delivery Based on Nanostructured Lipid Carrier for Melanoma Cancer Prevention and Treatment in Hydrogel Patch Form”, presented during the PERISAI 2024 finals held in Nusa Dua, Bali, from Thursday (3/10/2024) to Friday (4/10/2024).
“Our research focuses on utilizing stearin and olein derived from crude palm oil (CPO) as a targeted drug delivery system in hydrogel patch form for preventing and treating melanoma cancer,” Zaizafun, one of the team members, explained on Thursday (10/10/2024).
Zaizafun shared that their preparation began with drafting a research proposal based on literature related to CPO derivative products. As second-semester students, the team found it challenging to grasp advanced pharmaceutical and research concepts typically covered in later semesters.
“We encountered a lot of trial and error in developing the formula. We worked hard to complete each stage, including testing and results analysis, and reached out to palm oil producers for collaboration to achieve the best possible results. The research took approximately one year,” she added.
According to the official Ministry of Finance website, PERISAI 2024 carried the theme “Green Gold: Transforming Palm Oil Industry through Cutting-Edge Technologies”. The event aimed to foster collaboration between the government, researchers, and the palm oil industry. Through this competition, researchers shared their findings with industry players, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and cooperatives, with hopes that research results would benefit and advance the Indonesian palm oil industry toward greater empowerment and sustainability.
“We are incredibly grateful to return with a second-place win. This experience has inspired and reassured us that hard work and dedication truly yield sweet rewards,” Zaizafun said.
HUMAS UNS
Reporter: Annisa Fakhira
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
