1st International Symposium on Biotechnology

Theme: Trends in Agriculture andFisheries Biotechnology

Towards Progress and Development
July 24-25, 2014
RET Amphitheatre, Central Luzon State University
Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija
Philippines
List of Well-published Speakers
From abroad
1. Tomoyoshi Yoshinaga, Ph.D.
Prof. Yoshinaga is from the Department of Aquatic Bioscience,
University of Tokyo, Japan. He is an expert in parasitology particularly in
Anisakis. He has published more than 27 technical papers in refereed
journals. Among his research interests are marine biology, fish parasitology,
protistology and studies in monongea.
2. Ralf Oelmller, Ph.D.
Prof. Oelmller is the head of the Department of Plant Physiology,
Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University
Jena, Germany. He is an expert in soil microbiology. One of his publications
includes Piriformospora indica, a root endophytic fungus, that enhances
abiotic stress tolerance of the host plant.
3. Yu-San Han, Ph.D.
Dr. Han is anassociate professor of the Institute of Fisheries Sciences,
College of Life Science in National Taiwan University wherein he also
obtained his doctorate degree. Among his research expertise includes
molecular biology, fish molecular endocrinology, fish physiology and ecology,
aquaculture, cell signaling transduction and anti-virus drug discovery.
4. Kai-Wun Yeh, Ph.D.
Prof. Yeh is from the Institute of Agro-Biochemistry, National Taiwan
University wherein he also obtained his doctorate degree. Among his
research expertise includes plant molecular biology, plant physiology and

mycology; particularly, plant endogenous insect-resistant mechanism and

insecticide compounds, flowering physiology and Oncidium spp, and
molecular mechanism of plant drought-tolerance.
5. Hon-Tsen Yu, Ph.D.
Prof. Yu obtained his doctorate degree from the University of California,
Berkeley, USA. He is a professor and former director of the Institute of
Zoology, National Taiwan University. His research interests include plant and
animal science, ecology, genetics and genealogy. Specifically his recent
research topics are the following: Mus musculus population genetics and
molecular evolution, shrimp genome sequence and genome evolution,
molecular markers on animal life history evolution and Conservation
genetics, intestinal bacteria of ?h genes in vivo.
6. Chin-Cheng Chou, Ph.D.
Prof. Chou is a professor and the current Dean and Chairman of the School
of Veterinary Medicine and the Graduate Institute of Molecular and
Comparative Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, respectively, both
units under the National Taiwan University. He obtained his Ph.D. from the
University of California, Los Angeles, USA. His research interests include
veterinary public health, environmental health, occupational health, and
livestock pollution prevention and control.

From the Philippines

7. Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza, Ph.D.
Prof. Tecson-Mendoza is an Academician and a member of the National
Academy of Science and Technologysince 1992. She is a professor emeritus
of the University of the Philippines at Los Baos. She finished her PhD in
Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. TecsonMendozas research interests cover molecular mechanisms of plant
resistance to pests and diseases, biochemical factors affecting nutritional
quality and acceptability of plant foods, plant biochemistry, molecular
biology and biotechnology and their applications in plant breeding. She has,
with co-researchers and students, published more than 90 technical papers
in refereed journals, has co-authored two books, edited or co-edited five
books, and has written 12 chapters in various books. Dr. Tecson-Mendoza is a
recipient of several national, professional, research paper and institutional
awards.

8. John Donnie A. Ramos, Ph.D.

Dr. Ramos is the dean of College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
is the 22nd President of Philippine Society of Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology (PSBMB). He obtained his doctorate degree at National University of
Singapore with specialization in Immunology/Allergology. He is a recipient of
Outstanding Young Scientist awarded by the National Academy of Science
and Technology. He is also a recipient to the NAST-TWAS Science Prize for
Young Scientists in the Philippines. His research interests include
recombinant protein expression and purification, monoclonal antibody
production, CAN vaccination, cell culture techniques, and basic
bioinformatics applications. He is best known for his papers, Sensitization
profiles of allergic patients to recombinant and native Blomia tropicalis and
Acarofauna and allergenicity of house dust mites in the houses of allergic
patients in Metro Manila (2004-2005).
9. Claro M. Mingala,Ph.D.
Dr. Mingala is ranked Scientist I and coordinator of the Philippine
Carabao Center Animal Health and Research and Development Units. He
obtained his doctorate degree at Hokkaido University, Japan with
specialization in Infectious Diseases (Veterinary Science). He has published
30 research articles in international journals here and abroad. He is a
recipient of Distinguished Researcher in Veterinary Medicine awarded by the
Philippine Society of Animal Science (PSAS) and Outstanding Young Scientist
by the National Academy of Science and Technology. His research interests
are in the field of veterinary medicine, parasitology, agricultural science,
medicine and biology.
10.

Norvie L. Manigbas, Ph.D.

Norvie L. Manigbas, chief science research specialist at Philippine Rice

Research Institute (PhilRice) plant breeding and biotechnology division. He
obtained his doctorate degree in Agriculture at the University of the
Philippines Los Baos with specialization in Crop Physiology and Plant
Breeding. He was also a post doctoral fellow on Rural Development
Administration (South Korea). Dr. Manigbas is also awarded Outstanding
Young Scientist by the National Academy of Science and Technology. His
research interests are biotechnology, agriculture, genetics and plant
physiology, soil fertility and biology.
11.

Dindo Agustin A. Tabanao, Ph.D.

Dr. Tabanao is a supervising science research specialist of the Plant

Breeding and Biotechnology Division at Philippine Rice Research Institute. He
is also currently an affiliate faculty member of the College of Arts and
Sciences at Central Luzon State University. He obtained his doctorate degree
in Applied Plant Sciences at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, USA. He is a
recipient of the Outstanding Young Scientist awarded by the National
Academy of Science and Technology. He was a post-doctoral research fellow
(Wageningen University) on Association Mapping. Among his research
interests are population genetics, molecular genetics and genomics. Other
than that, his studies mainly focus on marker-assisted selection, genomewide selection, QTL mapping, genotype-environment interaction, genetic
relatedness, linkage disequilibrium, and comparative genomics.
12.

Francisco M. Heralde III, Ph.D.

Dr. Heralde is a professor at University of the Philippines College of

Medicine - Manila. He obtained his doctorate degree in Molecular Biology and
Biotechnology at University of the Philippines, Diliman. He conducted
researches on venomous gastropods (conus, turrids and terebrids) on
aspects of phylogeny, toxinology and feeding ecology. His researches also
include MDRTB Diagnostics via Real-Time and Isothermal PCR and MIRU-VNTR
genotyping of TB at UPNIH and LCP. He teachescourses of medical and
graduate students in biochemistry, molecular cell biology and bioinformatics
at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UP College of
Medicine-Manila.
13.

Marcos B. Valdez, Jr., Ph.D.

Dr. Valdez, Jr. is an Assistant Professor at the Biology Program of the

Sciences Cluster of the University of the Philippines, Cebu and is actively
involved in several researches related to translational medicine,
agribiotechnology, genetic bioresources and public health. He finished his
Doctor of Agricultural Science and Master of Agricultural Science from
Nagoya University, Japan in 2007 and 2010 respectively, specializing in
Animal Genetics/Experimental Animals. He is a recipient of Outstanding
Young Scientist awarded by the National Academy of Science and Technology
in the field of Animal Genetics.
Symposium Secretariat
Dr. Apolinario V. Yambot, Chairman of the Organizing Committee
Head, Biotechnology and Analytical Laboratory Project
Central Luzon State University
Vice President, Philippine Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Former Dean (June 2007-October 31, 2013), College of Fisheries

Central Luzon State University

Dr. Yambot is an Associate Professor at the Central Luzon State
University. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Institute of Zoology, National
Taiwan University. He worked his Ph. D. research at the Immunology
Laboratory of the institute under the tutelage of Prof. Yen-Ling Song. His
current research interests include immune-related gene expression analysis,
molecular diagnosis and taxonomy, SNPs, vaccine and probiotics, stress
hormone gene and anguillid eels molecular identification and culture.