A team of aquatic biologists and microbiologists led by Asst. Prof. Reuel Bennett, Dr.rer.nat., Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, and Inst. Elfritzson Peralta, M.Sc., together with DBS academic staff Inst. Allan Gilles, M.Sc. and Inst. Eunice Aaron, M.Sc. (Marine Biology team), Inst. Justine De Leon, M.Sc. and Inst. Kenneth Xavier Sanchez, M.Sc. (Freshwater Biology team) conducted the study from August 11 to 14, 2024. The team covered 26 study sites in the watershed area, including mangrove forests, coastal areas, estuaries, streams, rivers, and a freshwater lake – Lake Danao.聽

On September 17, 2024, Peralta, Assoc. Prof. Richard Thomas B. Pavia Jr., PhD, and Inst. Allan Gilles Jr., MSc presented the project’s initial results to Mayor Torres-Gomez. Also present were City Councilors Peter Rodriguez, Caren Torres Rama, Edmund Kierulf, and Bert Pades, together with officials from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Agricultural Office, and representatives from the Protected Areas Management Board.

This initiative, which underscores the strong partnership between UST scientists and their government counterparts, is a testament to their shared commitment to bring science to the community.

Academic and research staff of the UST Department of Biological Sciences conducting the water quality monitoring, biological sampling and microbiological analysis of aquatic ecosystems in Ormoc Bay and its tributaries.

The UST Team, Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez, and the City of Ormoc officials after the presentation of the team鈥檚 initial findings.

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Bennett delivered a lecture entitled 鈥淥omycetes in Philippine freshwater ecosystems鈥�, highlighting current research developments in taxonomy and potential utilization of oomycetes (aquatic fungi) for aquaculture as natural food source due to its potential for mass propagation and fatty acid content. Meanwhile, Papa updated the audience on 鈥淢ethane Dynamics and Limnological Monitoring in Tropical East Asia: The Case of Lake Yambo鈥�, which emphasized on the importance of routine limnological monitoring for water quality and methane concentrations in tropical lakes such as Lake Yambo as these are closely linked to eutrophication, especially in tropical lake ecosystems, especially those heavily utilized for aquaculture.

Papa and Bennett joined speakers from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Turkiye, and Vietnam in giving lectures on the ecology and life history of economically important aquatic organisms, aquaculture, and fisheries, including topics on conservation, management, climate change adaptation and sustainability.

Chonnam National University holds the distinction of having the first and oldest fisheries and marine educational institution in South Korea and is known for receiving the most research funding among Korean universities.

Its College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences maintains two research vessels, including the 96.45m ship Sae Dong Baek which was launched in 2019. Symposium speakers were given the opportunity to visit and inspect the research facilities of their two research vessels, which routinely conducts research cruises around the Korean peninsula.  A best research poster competition was also held during the symposium where graduate students and researchers of Chonnam National University showcased their latest research findings.

The event was organized by the CNU College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences in cooperation with the Korea Fishery Resource Management Research Institute and the Institute of Fishing Village and Aquaculture.

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Bennett was recognized for research efforts as young researcher at the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences and for his work while a graduate student. Specifically, Bennett鈥檚 work on the taxonomy and evolution of oomycetes was recognized. Building on the comprehensive study by Dogma, Bennett鈥檚 contributions helped 鈥渇ill in the missing literature and knowledge gap in Philippine Oomycetes.鈥� His studies focus on oomycete taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. Recently, he has engaged with fellow Thomasian researchers on the applied aspects of oomycetes such as fatty acids and secondary metabolites. Among his collaborators, are Prof. Dr. Gina Dedeles, Inst. Mark Devanadera, Prof. Dr. Mafel Ysrael, Inst. Nono Caguimbal, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Kim Arafiles.

His current focus is researching with and training students 鈥渨ho are very willing to learn about these organisms,鈥� which he counts as a rarity as the work involves long hours of observations using a microscope to try and decode the oomycetes life cycle and development.

In his interview with the Communications Bureau, Bennett acknowledged College of Science Dean Rey Donne S. Papa, PhD for the nomination and his plant pathology and mycology professor at the UST Graduate School, Prof. Irineo J. Dogma, Jr., PhD, whom he hailed as the 鈥渁uthority on zoosporic fungi.鈥� He also thanked graduate research advisers Prof. Dedeles and Prof. Dr. Marco Thines. The Chair also thanked his colleagues and teachers in the department, namely Asst. Prof. Mae Lowe Diesmos, Prof. Dr. Thomas Edison E. dela Cruz, Prof. Dr. Pia Marie S.P. Albano, and Prof. Dr. Maureen Sabit.

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The team of Professor Pia Marie S.P. Albano, PhD, Inst. Reuel M. Bennett, Dr. rer. nat., Asst. Prof. Nikki Heherson A. Dagamac, Dr. rer. nat., and Asst. Prof. Maureen B. Sabit, PhD, are conducting clinical validation studies funded by MiRXES (Singapore), in collaboration with UST and Singapore Diagnostics (Makati).

The use of the kits, specifically those using saliva samples, will eliminate the need for swabbers, thereby reducing time for the testing and the possible spread of infection, since the patients can self-collect the samples. According to the group, should the kits pass all validation tests, it can later 鈥渟erve as a cheaper alternative to gene sequencing to track mutations that can impact the effectiveness of vaccines.鈥� Albano, the lead proponent of the study, said that apart from confirming whether patients are Covid-19 positive or not, the positive samples can be analyzed for mutations, which 鈥渃an identify the variants of concern.鈥�

Albano disclosed that while the kits were already tested using 鈥渃ontrived samples,鈥� further validation in clinical and community settings were required. They are thus 鈥渞ecruiting at least a thousand participants to see the kits鈥� diagnostic performance.鈥� If found to be viable, the group and MiXRES will apply for approval from the Food and Drug Administration, which will allow the commercial distribution of the kits across India and Southeast Asia later on.

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Three program aims to produce an objective and comprehensive assessment of true mangroves, invasive plants, native trees, and protists (myxomycetes and oomycetes). According to Dagamac, who leads the team, the plant-based assessments that they will perform 鈥渨ould help build policy recommendations [for] sustainable resource development for mangroves and its associates, native trees, and protists.鈥� The project may also lead to the crafting of conservation and risk communication plans and the implementation of related strategies by the local government units. Among the communication tools targeted for creation are educational info materials and local seminars.

The team will engage in field work, laboratory work, herbarium work, mapping/modeling, and diversity analysis in order to generate physic-chemical data, sampling protocols, risk perceptions, and economic valuation questionnaires. 

The project will officially commence in January 2022 and end in December 2023 and is funded by the National Research Council of the Philippines. Technical support was provided by the CENRO-San Fernando City, La Union.

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