Philippine Genome Center

[IN PHOTOS] WHO delegation visits PGC🧬—Delegates from the World Health Organization Headquarters, its Regional Office for the Western Pacific, and its Philippine Office, together with researchers of the genome center and representatives from Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD).

💡Discussions during the meeting covered genomics and precision medicine for global health; the role of governance and capacity building in advancing human genomics in the Western Pacific; and the development of a national strategy for genomics, precision medicine, and public health for the Philippines.🏥⚕️🩺

[IN PHOTO] PGC, together with microbiologists and infectious disease researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP), Far Eastern University (FEU), and United States Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMC-AFRIMS), with Dr. Yu-Huan Tsai of Chang Gung University, Taiwan, during a meeting to explore potential research collaborations.🔬✨

📣"The UP Marine Science Institute, Philippine Genome Center, and the DOST Balik Scientist Program (through Dr. Andrian Gajigan) invite you to apply for the Virus Bioinformatics Workshop, a free, in-person training that will be held on August 25–26, 2026, at the Training Room of the Philippine Genome Center, UP Diliman.

🔎 Learn how to recover, identify, and analyze phages and giant viruses from metagenomic data as well as 🔎 RNA viruses from metatranscriptomic data.

Applications are now open until July 31, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by August 7, 2026. The workshop is open to Filipino students and researchers. Participants must be based in the Philippines and able to commit to attending the full two-day workshop at UP Diliman, as there will be no online component.

Submit your application here: bit.ly/MSIPGCVirusBioinformaticsWorkshop"
🦠

🔬 Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) = Forever Chemicals

"The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), through its Environmental Research and Laboratory Services Division (ERLSD), convened a coordination meeting on 07 July 2026, with partner institutions for the implementation of the project, “Water and Air Profiling and Wastewater Treatment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Select Areas of Water and Pollution Sources within Luzon.” The meeting initiated preparations for implementing the project, which was approved by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for 2026-2028.

💡The project will be implemented by PGC and the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines, and the Department of Chemistry of De La Salle University, with EMB serving as a key government partner."

𝐄𝐌𝐁, 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐔𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 ‘𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬’

The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), through its Environmental Research and Laboratory Services Division (ERLSD), convened a coordination meeting on 07 July 2026, with partner institutions for the implementation of the project, “Water and Air Profiling and Wastewater Treatment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Select Areas of Water and Pollution Sources within Luzon.” The meeting initiated preparations for implementing the project, which was approved by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for 2026-2028.

The project will be implemented by the Philippine Genome Center and the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines, and the Department of Chemistry of De La Salle University, with EMB serving as a key government partner.

The Project Leader, Dr. Neil Andrew D. Buscos, Program Director of the Protein, Proteomics, and Metabolomics Facility of the Philippine Genome Center, presented the objectives, scopes, methodology, and expected outputs. The meeting focused on the sampling plan, site selection, laboratory analytical workflow, and the roles and responsibilities of each participating institution.

The two-year study aims to determine the presence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, also known as forever chemicals. It also seeks to develop and implement innovative methodologies to monitor and mitigate PFAS contamination in the country.

Ms. Ma. Fatima R. Molina, Chief of the ERLSD, underscored the importance of the project in providing baseline data that will support the development of national policies and strategies for PFAS management, including the formulation of the National Plan of Action. She added that the outputs of the project will contribute to the Philippines’ commitment under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) by improving the country’s capacity to monitor and address PFAS to protect public health and the environment.

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals widely used in products such as food packaging, non-stick pans, and fire-fighting foams because of their resistance to heat, oil, and water. These chemicals can persist in the environment for long periods and may accumulate in water, soil, wildlife, and humans.

[APPLY NOW] Join us at PGC~ our building team is looking to fill the position below:
Junior Project Assistant (Project Planning & Development Officer)
Visit https://pgc.up.edu.ph/jobs-at-pgc/ for more details.⚡👩‍🔧👨‍🔧

[READ] The Fundamentals of Pathogen Genomic Surveillance Workshop (Batch 1) successfully wrapped on June 22–26, 2026. 🦠Organized by PGC, together with RITM, DOH Epidemiology Bureau, and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Executive and technical leaders from DOH came together to strengthen how genomic data is used for public health decision-making.
🔎 https://pgc.up.edu.ph/pgc-ritm-doh-eb-and-doherty-institute-host-first-batch-of-fundamentals-of-pathogen-genomic-surveillance-workshop/

📝 From surveillance design and lab methods to bioinformatics and communicating findings.🔬 A milestone in inter-agency collaboration and genomic surveillance capacity building for the country. 🤝🇵🇭

PGC is now an official member of the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN)!
💡 Membership in the IPSN enables access to global collaboration, funding opportunities, knowledge sharing, support through partnerships, and resources related to pathogen genomic surveillance, contributing to the advancement of Philippine public health.🦠

[APPLY NOW] The Biobank Core Facility is expanding its team and is looking to fill the positions below. ⬇️💻✨Follow this page https://pgc.up.edu.ph/jobs-at-pgc/ for more information and details on how to apply 📲

👩‍🔬👨‍🔬✨️

The Philippine Science High School - Calabarzon Region Campus in Batangas City and the Philippine Science High School - Mimaropa Region Campus in Romblon received donations of molecular biology laboratory supplies from the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) – DNA Sequencing Core Facility in June 2026. 🧬🔬🇵🇭

The donated laboratory consumables—including filter tips, microcentrifuge tubes, autoclave bags, reagent reservoirs for multichannel pipettes, 96-well plates, and plate sealing films—will support the school's laboratory activities and research initiatives in molecular biology and related fields.

These resources will provide Pisay scholars with enhanced opportunities for hands-on learning and scientific inquiry, further strengthening the delivery of quality STEM education.

The DOST-PSHS System expresses its sincere gratitude to the Philippine Genome Center for its generosity and continued partnership in advancing science education and research.

As the country's premier provider of quality STEM education at the secondary level, the Philippine Science High School System welcomes donations, partnerships, and collaborative initiatives from institutions, organizations, and individuals who share its commitment to nurturing the nation's gifted young scholars. Together, let us invest in the next generation of Filipino scientists, innovators, and leaders!