Yogyakarta, September 21, 2026 — The Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has once again achieved national recognition through one of its students, who won second place at the 2026 Chemistry National Olympiad Event (CYANIDE). CYANIDE 2026 was a national-level competition organized by the Chemistry Student Association (HIMAKI) of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Udayana. The competition was open to individual participants from public and private universities across Indonesia, with an essay-writing category. This year’s competition carried the theme “Synthesizing Solutions: Chemistry for a Sustainable and Innovative Future,” featuring six subthemes: Renewable Energy, Environmental Restoration, Traditional Medicine, Food and Agricultural Industries, Waste Management, and Nanotechnology.
Mauritza Helga Wardhana, an undergraduate Pharmacy student at UGM, participated in the essay competition under the Nanotechnology subtheme. She presented her work entitled “NEUROBETA: An Intranasal SNEDDS Innovation Using Syzygium myrtifolium Extract for Anxiety Management Through a Nose-to-Brain Approach.” Mauritza successfully advanced through the online preliminary round by submitting an abstract and the full paper of her essay. The five finalists represented Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Padjadjaran, Universitas Sriwijaya, Universitas Udayana, and Universitas Jenderal Soedirman.
The NEUROBETA concept explores the use of Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS) technology through the intranasal route, incorporating Syzygium myrtifolium extract as a potential innovation for anxiety management. The proposed nose-to-brain approach focuses on delivering active compounds through the nasal cavity to the central nervous system, offering a potential alternative for further investigation in therapeutic development. By combining natural ingredients with nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, the project demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach to addressing healthcare challenges, particularly in anxiety management.
At the end of the competition, Mauritza secured second place after presenting her work and participating in an online question-and-answer session via Zoom Meeting. This achievement represents one of the contributions made by UGM Faculty of Pharmacy students toward developing innovative ideas in pharmaceutical sciences. It also highlights students’ roles in communicating scientific ideas and exploring the potential of pharmaceutical technology to address healthcare challenges.
This achievement aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) through the exploration of innovative ideas with potential applications in anxiety management, and SDG 4 (Quality Education) through student participation in scientific competitions and the development of research skills. Furthermore, the application of nanotechnology in drug delivery system development is relevant to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), which promotes science- and technology-based innovation. Through this achievement, UGM Pharmacy students demonstrate the potential of the younger generation to contribute to the advancement of research and innovation in healthcare.
