At University of the Philippines Diliman, she taught graduate courses and led the Marine Natural Products Laboratory (MNPL) with research programs on marine biodiversity, natural products, drug discovery, and related biomedical research. Together with local and foreign collaborators, she discovered numerous new bioactive marine compounds with significant anti-cancer, anti-infective, anti-pain, and other neuroactive properties, several of which are being pursued as drug leads. She has produced numerous publications in international scientific literature and generated many patents, patent applications, and other intellectual property assets for UP. The MNPL Legacy Collection includes a well-curated biobank of >6000 microbial symbiont isolates accumulated through the years through various research programs.
Dr. Concepcion traces her scientific lineage to her mentors National Scientist Lourdes J. Cruz and Distinguished Professor of Biology Baldomero M. Olivera. She has likewise mentored dozens of young faculty and researchers, and BS, MS, and PhD students, throughout her academic career, and through her mentorship, the work at MNPL continues under the very able leadership of young research leaders who serve as her successors. She built the necessary laboratory infrastructure and capability at UPMSI and the Institute of Chemistry in UP Diliman required to perform advanced, cutting-edge experimentation in the chemical, biomolecular and neurochemical sciences.