The SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center (BIC) and the University of the Philippines Cell Biological Society (UP Cells) sponsored the First SIHAY Biology Congress on 23-28 January 2006 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). With the theme “Looking at Our Own: The Coconut Biotechnology,” the week-long congress was participated in by at least 32 schools from Luzon.

The annual event included highly interactive activities like the educational visit to biotech institutions and laboratory facilities, a biotech seminar-workshop, a research competition, and the Inter-High School Quiz Contest. During the last day of the congress, seminars were conducted by coconut scientists and science competitions were held among students. Seminar speakers included Dr. Evelyn Mae-Mendoza and Dr. Rita Laude of UPLB, and Dr. Erlinda Rillo of the Philippine Coconut Authority-Albay.

To better educate the participants, biotechnology workshops were held in the afternoon to reinforce their learning from the seminars. Students were allowed to experience extraction of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) and polysaccharide. They were also given the rare opportunity to take home samples of DNAs they extracted at the laboratory.

The congress aimed to disseminate information regarding advances in science and technology as well as develop the academic potentials of today’s youth in the field of modern biology and biotechnology. SEARCA BIC recognizes SIHAY 2006 as one of the venues for objective discussions on biotechnology. By supporting SIHAY 2006, it fulfills its objective of sharing science-based information on biotechnology among key stakeholders. (DCABaracol)

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View article at SEARCA Diary, March 2006 issue