Young and creative students of UPLB’s graduate program in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (MBB) enthusiastically discussed the findings of their research in a symposium held at SEARCA on August 4, 2006. ‘This is an avenue where our students can share information on their research with the public and also further their interaction with the scientific community,’ says Dr. Evelyn Mae T. Mendoza, research professor and acting chair, molecular biology and biotechnology management committee.

The diversity of research presented reflects the commitment of the young scholars in contributing science-based tools in improving food production and genetic diversity. Molecular studies, gene cloning and analysis are conducted for important commodities like rice, coconut, peanut, sweet potato, papaya, and beef cattle. For instance, the improvement of protein content of rice by exploiting the lysine biochemical pathway can potentially address the protein insufficiency in our diet. In another research, a student explained how he designed and assembled a novel, fused double gene construct of a gene for delayed ripening trait and a gene that confers resistance to papaya ringspot virus. To view the abstracts of the researches, please see http://www.bic.searca.org/events/MBB_program&abstracts.pdf

The symposium highlighted the lecture of Dr. John Bennett, senior scientist of IRRI and adjunct professor of UPLB. In his discussion on improving the drought responsiveness in rice, he showed how the combination of microscopy and molecular biology has successfully pinpointed the morphological, biochemical and molecular characteristics of a rice that respond fairly well under water-limiting conditions.

The Second UPLB MBB Symposium was sponsored by Monsanto Philippines, SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center and the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines. (Sonny P. Tababa, SEARCA BIC)