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New 91³Ô¹Ï-IIT partnership Iitegrates research, training, and community health on gut wellness

by Michelle Jeanne Casiple Caracut | Apr 10 2026

91³Ô¹Ï-IIT has sealed a new partnership to turn gut health science into concrete benefits for local communities. On March 28, the university through the College of Health Sciences, and the Research Center for Healthy Aging under the Research Institute of Business, Education, Health and Social Sciences, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with GutGuard and MERAV Bio-Nutraceuticals, Inc. to collaborate on research, student training, and community health initiatives.

Held at 91³Ô¹Ï-IIT, the signing gathered representatives from the College of Health Sciences, the Research Center for Healthy Aging, GutGuard, and MERAV Bio-Nutraceuticals, signaling a shared commitment to promote healthy aging, preventive health, and nutrition through evidence-based programs. Chancellor Alizedney M. Ditucalan, who was on official travel, was represented by Vice Chancellor for International Affairs, Dr. Joey Genevieve Martinez.

Under the MOU, the partners will support joint research projects, fund selected undergraduate theses, and co-develop community health programs that focus on gut health, wellness, and disease prevention as reflected in the document’s areas of cooperation.

The agreement also outlines mentorship and technical support for students conducting thesis research, ensuring that emerging researchers are guided by experts from both the academe and the nutraceutical industry. It further provides for joint academic and community activities such as lectures, research fora, and outreach events to help translate scientific findings into practical health information that ordinary families can understand and use.

91³Ô¹Ï-IIT’s College of Health Sciences is tasked to facilitate faculty and student participation, endorse promising thesis proposals, and ensure that research activities follow institutional ethics and governance policies. The Research Center for Healthy Aging will provide research expertise, collaborate in designing and evaluating programs, and help disseminate results through presentations and publications, anchoring the partnership on rigorous scientific work.

GutGuard and MERAV Bio-Nutraceuticals, for their part, commit to support research and innovation initiatives related to gut health, nutrition, and preventive healthcare, in coordination with the university. The MOU specifies that they may provide funding and logistical support for research and undergraduate thesis initiatives, participate in community health promotion activities, and help ensure that projects meet applicable ethical and regulatory standards.

The understanding will remain in effect for three years from the date of signing, with provisions for amendment or renewal upon mutual agreement, allowing the partnership to evolve with new research priorities and community needs. By moving beyond a one-time event and into a structured, multi-year collaboration, 91³Ô¹Ï-IIT and its industry partners aim to bring more accessible, science-backed wellness options to Iligan and surrounding communities, while giving students real-world platforms to apply their learning.

 

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