Gerard Lee L. See, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Healthcare Professions (SHCP), has been recognized as one of the 2023 Outstanding Professionals of the Year awardees by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

The Outstanding Professional of the Year Award is the highest award given by PRC to a professional who is recommended by his peers for demonstrating professional competence of the highest degree. 

A proud Carolinian pharmacist, Dr. See is an alumnus of the USC Department of Pharmacy graduating as class valedictorian and magna cum laude (B.S. Pharmacy, 2011; M.S. Pharmacy, 2014).

He has been cited for his distinguished contribution to the field of Pharmacy as a Pharmaceutical Scientist in the development of a breakthrough method for drug delivery systems, utilizing the lower-eyelid skin to sustainably deliver drugs to the ophthalmic tissues. 

Dr. See’s method allows the application of ophthalmic medicines even during sleep with reduced side effects. He also led the development of nano-sized liquid crystal formulations for the delivery of an anti-Alzheimer’s drug and a clinically significant method to monitor drug distribution in the brain. 

Currently, he leads the efforts of pharmaceutical scientists in the region in the pre-clinical drug development of natural products sourced from the local flora, the first kind of research to recognize the value of Visayan biodiversity in the development of indigenous pharmaceuticals. 

Dr. See’s dedication to advancing the field of Pharmacy in the Philippines not only distinguishes him as a trailblazer and an exemplary professional but also sets a standard for aspiring pharmacists and healthcare professionals in the country to go above and beyond in the pursuit of excellence. 

His receipt of this prestigious award is a testament to his outstanding competence in Pharmacy inside and outside the University. 

by Catherine A. Ortega, Department of Pharmacy