40th PSBMB Annual Convention

              The 40^th Annual Convention of Philippine Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will be celebrated with trade exhibits, paper presentations, and young scientists’ forum for two days, December four to five, at the De La Salle University, Manila.

            This year’s theme is “Application of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Health and Industry: 40 years and beyond”.

              Their objective is to look closely into the various scientific developments in the biochemistry and molecular biology and how these have contributed to the improvement of health and advancement of industry.

              For the trade exhibits, the PSBMB invites the country’s leading laboratory suppliers and contributors to exhibit their laboratory instruments, books, and chemicals, and give exhibitor’s lectures. On the research presentation, the papers must contain new data that have not been presented in any scientific conference in the Philippines or elsewhere.

              Meanwhile, the young scientists’ forum is a competition for the undergraduate research projects. It is to encourage undergraduate students to actively pursue their research interests in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology.

              The convention topics are: Bioenterpreneurship, Intellectual Property, Bioinformatics, Stem Cells, Genomics, Agri-Aqua Biotechnology, Food Security, Molecular Diagnostics, and Molecular Systematics.

              According to Prof. Geofe Cadiz, Biology program Coordinator of the University of the Philippines Cebu, she haven’t heard anyone who is interested to join/ attend the convention from the biology students and faculty.

              ‘ The fourth year students will only have their research paper this second semester, so basically, they don’t have any paper to present yet. While from the teachers, I have no idea because as of now, we don’t have someone who is “hardcore” in the biochemistry or molecular biology’, Professor Cadiz said.

              She said that the convention will be a great venue for both students and teachers to learn more about the advances, new discoveries, and new technologies about biochemistry and molecular biology.

              To the students, they can go to the convention but it’s on their own expense; the faculty, who will present his/her research in the convention could ask for support from the college’, she added.

              PSBMB, in cooperation with the Center for Natural Sciences and Ecological Research (CENSER), College of Sciences, De La Salle University will host the annual convention.

By  Joelie Ann Pada