A webinar hosted by the Program on Biodiversity, Ethnicity, and Forensics of the Philippine Genome Center and the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman Focusing on Philippine Biodiversity: The Philippine BioGenome Project The Philippine BioGenome Project (PBGP) is a research initiative headed by the PGC Program on Biodiversity, Ethnicity, and Forensics (PBEF). The […]

Methods used in microbial forensics and epidemiological investigations for stronger health systems
Establishing and maintaining a national microbial forensic system to strengthen capacities in conducting forensic and epidemiological investigations should be prioritised by all countries, accompanied by a national policy that sets the legislative framework and provides for the system’s financial requirements.

Response to the 09 June 2021 statement of Dr. Maximilian Larena and Prof. Mattias Jakobson on the conduct of their Genomic Study on the Filipino Past
Since the Philippine Genome Center is mentioned and we have received numerous queries from colleagues in the country and the region, we are compelled to issue this Statement to address the following:
– the possible inference (from the way the Statement is written) that the head of the Philippine Genome Center’s (PGC) Program on Forensics and Ethnicity connived with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and Philippine Health Ethics Research Board (PHREB) against Dr. Larena and Prof. Jakobsson’s research or is responsible for their actions; and
– the imputation that the ethical issues raised by these agencies and PGC aim to discredit “good research” because the head of PGC’s Program on Forensics and Ethnicity is pursuing similar genetic research.

Incorporating animal forensics in routine meat inspection in the Philippines
Developing mini-barcode primer sets to enhance the utility of conventional techniques is critical in adopting DNA barcoding technology as a robust tool for routine inspections of meat sold
commercially, including those intended for the halal meat industry.

Who is the Filipino, genomically speaking?
On human genetics, Dr. Maria Corazon De Ungria and Jazelyn Salvador briefly described their research on the genetics of Mangyans in Mindoro and of Philippine Negritos, respectively. They are both from the DNA Analysis Laboratory (DAL), Natural Sciences Research Institute, College of Science, UPD. Meanwhile, Prof. Jae Joseph Russell Rodriguez of the Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, UP Los Baños, also in collaboration with DAL, discussed his investigation into the human genetic history of the Sulu Archipelago.

PGC Fora: The Story of the Filipinos Through the Genomics Lens
The forum will be held on January 31, 2020 from 08:30 am – 04:00 pm at the Institute of Biology Auditorium, National Science Complex, UP Diliman, Quezon City, 1101.

Gayvelline C. Calacal, RMT, MSc
Certificate course in Forensic Genetics & DNA
Database Technology, University of North Texas
Health Science Center at Fort Worth, Texas, USA
MSc Microbiology, University of the Philippines, Diliman
Areas of Current Research: Forensic DNA technology, human population genetics

Frederick C. Delfin, MSc
PhD Candidate, Evolutionary Genetics / Human Genetics
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, The Netherlands
MSc Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
University of the Philippines, Diliman
Areas of Current Research: molecular anthropology, evolutionary genetics,
population genetics, forensic genetics

Maria Corazon A. De Ungria, PhD
Dr. Maria Corazon A. De Ungria had spent more than 10 years of her life in Australia training to be a research scientist in the life sciences. Her work on the plasmid biology of Helicobacter spp. used in animal models of infection introduced her into the exciting field of molecular biology.