MANILA, Philippines—Two Filipino graduate students will be among some 95 participants in the Novartis International Biotechnology Leadership Camp (BioCamp) to be held Oct. 24-27 at the Hong Kong Science Park in Hong Kong.

Joining the annual event organized by Novartis, a leading research-based pharmaceutical company, are Jun Ryan C. Orbina, a BS in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman who is taking his masters in Public Health at UP Manila and is a science research specialist of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; and Christina Lora M. Leyson, a summa cum laude graduate of BS Molecular Biology & Biotechnology of UP Diliman who is taking her MS Molecular Biology & Biotechnology also at UP Diliman and is a research associate of the university’s Plant Molecular Biology and Plant Virology Laboratory.

The three-day Hong Kong event brings together graduate and post-graduate students from around the world who are interested in pursuing careers in biotechnology and have leadership and management potentials.

The global program “aims to support the development of the biotechnology industry by providing high-level education to young talents … Participants acquire in-depth knowledge of the latest developments in the global biotech industry, acquire cross-culture and disciplinary experience, as well as cutting-edge expertise and management skills essential for success in the biotechnology business.”

The future
At the recent Novartis Philippines Biotechnology Leadership Camp that chose the two participants, speakers said “biotechnology is the future” and stressed its importance in dealing with existing and future problems.

Biotechnology, dubbed “the science of the future,” is defined as the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to provide goods and services.

It is often associated with the manipulation of living organisms or their components, through genetic engineering, to produce useful commercial products like disease-resistant and/or high-yielding crops, new pharmaceutical preparations, etc.

Peter Goldschmidt, Novartis Philippines president and chief executive officer, said, “Biotechnology has been pivotal in advances made in the life sciences, medicine, agriculture and food manufacturing.”

Novartis believed, he said, that biotechnology would also have an important role in promoting the growth of the national economy.

Global careers
The Hong Kong BioCamp, he added, was in pursuit of the company’s mission “to help young researchers and scientists find ways to develop their global careers … Just being with people of the same interest (would already be useful).”

In a message read by Dr. Jaime Montoya, Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro said BioCamp participants represented the next generation of scientists and researchers. She stressed biotechnology’s “limitless possibilities” as it was useful in the production of drugs, synthesis of hormones and the development of consumer goods.

“The Philippines can benefit a lot from the application of biotechnology in food production, drug manufacturing, agriculture…” Alabastro said.

Other speakers stressed the potential for success in business and industry, academe and other fields of those who pursued careers in biotechnology.

Goldschmidt said BioCamp was part of Novartis’ commitment to corporate citizenship. Through the annual program, the company “aims to enhance the global competitiveness of future Filipino scientists and managers and, ultimately, contribute to nation-building.”