PCASTRD grants P.45M for upgrade of UP Institute of Biology Lab

PCASTRD grants P.45M for upgrade
of UP Institute of Biology lab

By JANET ROSALIE ANNE H. POLITA
MediaCore, PCASTRD

The Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development released P.45M in grant to the University of the Philippines' Institute of Biology in Diliman for the upgrade of laboratory facilities. The fund support will be used to acquire research equipment such as laminar flow and thermocycler.

A laminar flow hood provides clean air to the working area, and a constant flow of air out of the work area. Thermocycler, on the other hand, is an instrument that repeatedly beats through various temperatures required for an iterative, temperature-dependent chemical process such as polymerase chain reaction.

The equipment will be used in genetic, pharmacological, biochemical, and microbiological researches conducted in the IB laboratory.

"The new equipment will help the Institute to effectively conduct its research projects. It will uphold the Institute's tradition of providing enabling technologies that will drive the nation's growth and competitiveness," IB Director Roberto C. Pagulayan said.

The Institute of Biology, declared "center of excellence" by the Commission of Higher Education in 1988 particularly in the field of biodiversity, currently undertakes projects on the biodiversity of flora and fauna of central Sierra Madre, Subic Bay forest reserve faunal diversity, and biodiversity of useful and pathogenic microorganisms associated with rice, fish, and other economically important resources, among others.

PCASTRD support is part of the P4.89 M fund it released 2003 for laboratory upgrade of its network institutions. The support program is in recognition of the importance of modern and efficient physical infrastructure in the conduct of important scientific researches.

It is part of PCASTRD's institutional development program to help build the national R&D capabilities in biotechnology, information and communications technology, electronics, instrumentation and controls, materials science, photonics technology, and space technology application.

PCASTRD is one of the sectoral councils of DOST mandated to develop, integrate and coordinate the national research systems for advanced science and technology and related fields.