The Tropical Biopharmaca Research Center (TropBRC) LRI-PGK IPB University successfully held Webinar TropBRC #3 on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, from 09.00 to 11.00 WIB, conducted online via Zoom Meeting. The webinar carried the theme “Metabolomics as a Compass for Herbal Drug Innovation”, highlighting the crucial role of metabolomics in the development of modern herbal medicines based on scientific evidence.
The webinar featured Prof. Dr. Mohamad Rafi, S.Si., M.Si., a researcher at TropBRC LRI-PGK IPB University and a lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), IPB University, as the main speaker. The session was moderated by Dr. Wulan Tri Wahyuni, S.Si., M.Si., from the same unit and department.
In his presentation, Prof. Mohamad Rafi explained that metabolomics serves as a “compass” capable of comprehensively guiding the herbal drug innovation process, ranging from the identification of metabolites and bioactive compounds, standardization of raw materials, to the improvement of quality, safety, and efficacy of herbal products. This approach was also highlighted for its ability to bridge various scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, bioinformatics, and computational sciences, within an integrated research ecosystem.
The webinar was conducted in an interactive manner, featuring active and constructive question-and-answer sessions. Participants expressed positive feedback regarding both the quality of the materials and the overall organization of the event. The content was considered informative, up to date, easy to understand, and delivered through clear and communicative presentation techniques. In addition, participants appreciated the prompt responses, the friendliness of the organizing team, the ease of registration, and the fast access to webinar information via email and WhatsApp.
The event was attended by participants from diverse institutional backgrounds, including universities, national research institutions (BRIN), government ministries, hospitals, polytechnic institutions, industry representatives, and the general public from various regions across Indonesia. This high level of participation reflects the strong interest in metabolomics research and the science-based development of herbal medicines.
Through Webinar TropBRC #3, TropBRC not only served as a platform for the dissemination of scientific knowledge, but also as a hub for interdisciplinary research networking. The event opened opportunities for collaboration, training, workshops, analytical services, and internship programs in the fields of metabolomics and tropical biopharmaca.
As the closing of this year’s webinar series, TropBRC extends its sincere gratitude and highest appreciation to all participants, speakers, and supporting parties for their participation and trust throughout 2025. Looking ahead to 2026, TropBRC hopes to continue delivering innovative scientific activities, expanding collaborative networks, and making increasingly tangible contributions to research, education, and herbal drug innovation based on Indonesia’s tropical biodiversity.
