Investing in Filipino Researchers for Better HABs Research
HABs Watch Researchers during the Molecular Workshop at WPU
How does the HABs Watch Project continuously capacitate its researchers?
HABs Watch Researchers during the Molecular Workshop at WPU
How does the HABs Watch Project continuously capacitate its researchers?
Part of the HABs Watch Project's objectives is to decentralize knowledge, skills and optimize methods for HABs research across the country. In line with this, the project has consistently been conducting various trainings and workshops throughout the course of the project’s implementation. Notable trainings facilitated include the Field Sampling, Cell Isolation, and Microalgal Culturing Workshop at MSU-Naawan, the Molecular & Bioinformatics Workshop at WPU, the Phytoplankton Identification Workshop and Cyst Collection, Processing, Identification Workshop in UP Tacloban, the IFCB and AI Workshop at UP MSI and the Molecular Workshop in ZSCMST.
For the workshop at Naawan last October 2022, participants from different SUCs learned more about the methods and procedures they will utilize for this project. Dr. Leni Yap-Dejeto from UP Tacloban College led the seminar for Field Sampling–introducing the necessary equipment and demonstrating the proper techniques to use them. The participants also participated in field sampling wherein they applied the skills they learned during the workshop. After sampling, the participants were given the chance to conduct single cell isolation under the guidance of Dr. Garry Benico. This is an important method for the HABs Watch Project, because succeeding methods and processes will rely heavily on the proficiency of the conduct of the isolation process.
In Puerto Princesa City, Research Fellows Gian Carlo Gaetos, Juri Nazareth Ochotorena and Brian William Hingpit led the Molecular and Omics methods workshop last November 2022. They demonstrated DNA extraction, PCR, Gel Electrophoresis, and Phylogenetics, which are methods essential to the identification of possible HABs species. This is essential in the next stage of the project wherein they will utilize these methods in the conduct of their respective studies for the project.
Last June 2023, it was a jam-packed training in Tacloban with an entire panel of expert guest speakers. Dr. Milagrosa Martinez-Goss talked about diatoms, Dr. Garry Benico spoke about dinoflagellates, Dr. Leni Ya-Dejeto discussed Pseudo-nitzschia and Dr. Yasuwo Fukuyo delivered a lecture on cysts. After the lectures, the entire HABs Watch team conducted fieldwork in Cancabato Bay, Leyte. However, this time, their fieldwork included dinoflagellate cyst collection through coring, as demonstrated by Dr. Fukuyo. After the fieldwork, Dr. Fukuyo continued to mentor the team on cyst processing. This opens up a new method of studying HABs, and will hopefully provide new insights to the team and aid in their objective to find out more information about HABs in the country.
An intensive IFCB and AI training followed in UP MSI last September 2023. Dr. Deo Florence Onda delivered a lecture reinforcing the significance of conducting phytoplankton studies, specifically on HABs species. He also facilitated the hands-on IFCB training, demonstrating how to use the equipment, from turning it on, calibrating it, all the way to running samples and even maintenance and troubleshooting.
Dr. Paul Ignacio and Lance Licnachan of Team UP Baguio also led the training for the annotation of captured phytoplankton images that will be used as part of the training dataset for the artificial intelligence model developed specifically to identify harmful algal bloom species. They emphasized the importance of building up a robust dataset to train the model, as the more expansive the dataset, the more accurate the identification.
This was closely followed within the same month by the ZSCMST Laboratory Launch and Molecular Workshop, wherein Gian Carlo Gaetos gave a refresher course on the molecular process relevant to the project. This workshop was attended by project collaborators from Mindanao and selected ZSCMST faculty and students.
These workshops were held to ensure that project collaborators from across the country were well-versed on the optimized methods and procedures implemented within the project, to train them to utilize and adopt existing technologies and to capacitate them with knowledge and skills essential to the conduct of the project.