The National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, also known as NIMBB, is a research institute of the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 20 ...

. It has four branches which are located in

UP Diliman , image = University of The Philippines seal.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman , motto = Honor and Excellence , established = February 12, 194 ...

(NIMBB-Diliman), UP Los Baños (BIOTECH-UPLB), UP Manila (National Institutes of Health-IMBB/BIOTECH-UP Manila) and UP Visayas (NIMBB-UP Visayas/BIOTECH-UP Visayas). BIOTECH laboratories are accredited and recognized by Environmental Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Food and Drugs, Department of Health, and Bureau of Animal Industry.

Research and Extension Programs

Research and Extension at BIOTECH covers five main areas:

Biotechnology for Agriculture and Forest Program

The Biotechnology for Agriculture and Forestry Program is the country's center of agribiotechnology researches on biofertilizers, microbial biodiversity for reforestation and agricultural waste treatment.

Biotechnology Program for Food, Feeds and Specialty Products

BIOTECH discovers and upgrades technologies to produce high value foods, feeds, additives, specialty products, and develops efficient detection kits to ensure quality and safety. The program explores sources, properties and application of

functional food A functional food is a food claimed to have an additional (often one related to health promotion or disease prevention) by adding new ingredients or more of existing ingredients. The term may also apply to traits purposely bred into existing edib ...

s such as nutraceuticals, probiotics from GRAS Lactic Acid Bacteria and yeast. Nutraceuticals are the functional foods such as omega-3, 6 and polyunsaturated fatty acids from structured lipids like coconut and local seed oil. The institute also intensifies improvement, application and commercialization of existing DNA-based detection kits and industrial

enzymes Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. ...

Natural Products

Biotechnology for Natural Products Program applies modern and conventional scientific techniques to discover pharmaceutically-important compounds produced from local isolates and to develop plant cell culture systems as a source of high-value secondary metabolites (drugs). The program uses bioinformatics, computational software, and tissue culture technology for the identification and mass production of identified novel compounds. Continuing efforts are exerted to promote and commercialize BioVac-HS and BioVac-FC, the vaccines against Pasteurella multocida which causes fatal hemorrhagic septicemia and fowl cholera, respectively.

Biotechnology for Industrial and Environmental and Energy Program

Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology searches for cost-effective and renewable fuel sources to help lessen the impact of oil price increases. The program focuses on the discovery and development of robust microorganisms to improve biofuel production. It also develops biological binders or biosurfactant, biopolymers, and heat-resistant enzymes, for wastes degradation and bioremediation.

Technology Transfer/Training and Business Development

Technology Transfer/Training and Business Development Program packages BIOTECH information and facilitates its proactive exchange among the scientists-researchers and Institute clients. The program also embarks on various technology transfer and commercialization approaches. Among its services include biotechnology promotion, training and internship, product and technology marketing, database management and communication support services.

Facilities and Services

Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms (PNCM)
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The PNCM is a repository of
microorganisms A microorganism, or microbe,, ''mikros'', "small") and ''organism'' from the el, ὀργανισμός, ''organismós'', "organism"). It is usually written as a single word but is sometimes hyphenated (''micro-organism''), especially in olde ...
containing over 2000 strains of
bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were am ...
,
yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constit ...
s, filamentous
fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately fr ...
,
algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular micr ...
and
protozoa Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Histo ...
. It is the biggest laboratory of its kind in the country. It is a member of the World Federation of Culture Collections and serves as the headquarters of the Philippine Network of Microbial Culture Collections. PNCM has active linkages with culture collection laboratories here and abroad.

Central Analytical Services Laboratory (CASL)
CASL handles routine chemical analysis of food, feeds,
plants Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclude ...
, soils,
fertilizers A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...
,
water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...
,
wastewater Wastewater is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of domestic, industrial ...
,
raw materials A raw material, also known as a feedstock, unprocessed material, or primary commodity, is a basic material that is used to produce goods, finished goods, energy, or intermediate materials that are feedstock for future finished products. As feeds ...
, by-products of
fermentation Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food p ...
processes, and even
cosmetics Cosmetics are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protec ...
. It modifies and standardizes analytical methods for applications to specific samples, as well as develops new analytical techniques. The laboratory implements and maintains a high quality system based on ISO 17025 guidelines for laboratory competence. CASL is accredited/recognized by the Environmental Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Food and Drugs, Department of Health, and Bureau of Animal Industry.

Electron Microscopy Service Laboratory (EMSL)
The EMSL contains transmission and scanning
electron microscope An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a hi ...
s. This laboratory provides structure analysis of biological and non-biological samples by light photomicroscopy and the ultra-structure analysis of samples by scanning and transmission electron microscopy.

Enzyme Laboratory (EL)
The EL offers services to determine the different
enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products ...
activities or samples for
food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is in ...
, feeds and other industrial applications. Enzyme assay indicates the effectiveness of a given enzyme to a specific substrate and serves as a quality control tool. It also accepts contract researches on the production and application of industrial enzymes.

Fermentation Engineering and Service Laboratory (FESL)
The FESL provides technical support for optimizing upstream process parameters through R&D collaboration, as well as optimizing product recovery and downstream process parameters.

National Immunological Testing Laboratory (NITL)
The NITL is the diagnostic center for the rapid detection of mycotoxins and
plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae excl ...
,
food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is in ...
, and feed
pathogens In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a ger ...
. The laboratory can determine the concentrations of the mycotoxins, aflatoxin B1 and M1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, fumonisin and red tide toxins to as low as 5 ppb.

Faculty
Dr. Reynaldo L. Garcia, an expert in biomedical research and biotechnology was appointed as a full professor at the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and also serves as University of Philippines System director of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office. Dr Ron Leonard Dy * Dr Wilberto D. Monotilla * Dr Cynthia P. Saloma * Dr Cynthia T. Hedreyda * Dr Vermando M. Aquino * Dr Anita M. Bautista * Dr Pia B. Bagamasbad * Dr Denise Noelle M. Bascos * Dr Neil Andrew D. Bascos * Dr Eloise I. Prieto * Dr Benedict A. Maralit

Images
File:UPCollegeofSciencejf3188 09.JPG, Historical marker File:UPDilimanMolecularBiologyjf3193 09.JPG, Facade File:UPCollegeofSciencejf3188 08.JPG, Right facade

References

Biotech-UPLB website

UP Diliman College of Science

External links

Website
{{authority control Agricultural research institutes Biological research institutes Botanical research institutes Molecular biology institutes Microbiology organizations University of the Philippines College Research institutes in the Philippines Organizations based in Laguna (province) Los Baños, Laguna Agricultural organizations based in the Philippines