UPLABS Holds Annual National Biotechnology Summit 2018

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To continue its mission to raise awareness about biotechnology, the UP League of Agricultural Biotechnology Students (UPLABS), holds its annual National Biotechnology Summit (NBS), a four-day biotechnology awareness program, on March 5-9, 2018 at the University of the Philippines Los Banos.

This 2018, the National Biotechnology Summit, with the theme Turbulence: Treading the Water of Biotechnology, caters college students from different universities offering agriculture related courses to have the opportunity of strengthening their awareness and communication skills about the status of biotechnology in the country. The program will advance the delegates through different sets of activities such as seminars and workshops for better communication skills, community visit, and lab tours.

Seven universities all over the country, consisting of 25 delegates, participated in the program. To clearly introduce the delegates and their roles in the summit, at the same time, establish good relations among the participants, the event will start with two symposia, at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium, discussing “Biotechnology in the Context of the Philippines” and the “Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms”. Before the day ends, the delegates will present their case studies related to the issues on biotechnology in the Philippines.

Different laboratory tours and activities will be presented to the participants the next day, including: artificial insemination in the Animal Science Cluster; wine-making and kimchi making in the Food Science Cluster; and, tour and simple hands-on laboratory experiments facilitated by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) and the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC); to broaden the delegates’ knowledge on the various fields of agriculture.

The last day will cover the Biotech Communications Training, at the IRRI auditorium, which is expected to enhance the participants’ creative approach on tackling ideologies and perspectives about biotechnology, through series of talks and interactive lectures. This will then be followed by a Community Visit, wherein the delegates will be introduced to Trace College, to apply and develop the techniques they acquired from the Biotech Communications Training.

Concluding the program will be the Social’s Night at the Makiling Botanical Garden intended to develop the bonds between the delegates, partner institutions, and the host organization (UPLABS) as to strengthen shared visions and principles towards a national alliance formation.

Having its first successful installment of National Biotechnology Summit last August 2016, this year’s event is expected to keep up with the organization’s mission to further raise awareness about biotechnology, starting with college students, in the most efficient and intimate way possible.

The event is made possible with the help of several institutions namely Biotech Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), Department of Agriculture- Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO), Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCCAARRD), ISAAA, Philippine Seed Industry Association Inc. (PSIA), Universal Robina Corp. (URC), Dupont Pioneer, Fisheries Biotech Center, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources- National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center (BFAR-NFFTC), Monsanto Philippines, PhilChema Inc., International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture- Biotechnology Information Center (SEARCA-BIC).

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