Rank: Associate Professor

Fields of specialization

• Basic and Applied Microbiology
• Fungal Systematics and Biotechnology
• Metagenomics

Degrees earned

• DrPH Medical Microbiology, University of the Philippines Manila
• MS Microbiology, University of the Philippines Los Banos
• BS Biology, University of the Philippines Los Banos

Current Researches:

• DENGUE PROGRAM (a multi-institutional & multi-disciplinary collaborative effort for the early diagnosis, genotypic characterization and detection of biomarkers for protection or severity of dengue infection in the Philippines funded by PCHRD-DOST). Team (RV Destura program Leader, R Berba and JA Petronio).

• Project 1: In-House LAMP Diagnostics for Dengue Virus Infections in the Philippines (The Biotek-M Project) (as Project Leader)

• Project 2: Clinical Utility of BIOTEK-M in the Diagnosis and Simultaneous Serotyping of Dengue Virus Infection in the Philippines (as Co-Invesitigator)

• Project 3: Identification of Biomarkers Associated with Severity and/or Protection During Dengue Virus Infection (as Co-Investigator)

• Metagenomic Profiling of Gut and Vaginal Microflora (along with Professor Leslie Dalmacio, MMHRDC funding)

• Metagenomic Profiling of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea (as Project Coordinator, collaboration with University of Virginia, USA)

• Clinical Trials (Phase 3) of Dengue Diagnostic Kits (Biotek-M) (along with Dr Raul Destura, PCHRD funding)

• Obesity Management using Locally-produced Probiotic Products (as PI, Chocolate, Yogurt and Cheese; NIH-funding)

• Virus Discovery Project (as Project Coordinator, collaboration with University of Pittsburgh, USA)

• Ecotoxicological Assessment and Metagenomic Analysis of Aquaculture Environments of Taal Lake (as Co-I, with Dr Arnold V Hallare, for NIH funding)

Publications and Presentations:

• Download file for complete listing here.

Contact details:

• Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rank: Assistant Professor

Fields of specialization

• Plant systematics
• Plant ecology
• Botany

Degrees earned

• MS Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman
• BS Biology, University of the Philippines Manila

Contact details

• Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it