Vanessa is a Graduate Fellow supported by the Career Incentive Program of the Department of Science and Technology- Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), currently serving as a Senior Science Research Specialist at the Center for Natural Products and Drug Development (CNPDD), Premier Research Institute of Science and Mathematics, Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology. Under the supervision of Prof. Mylene M. Uy, D.Sc., I contribute to research on natural products with potential applications in drug discovery and development, with a particular focus on the exploration of marine sponges for anticancer studies.