Country Report from Philippines

Country Report from Philippines: Updates on Biological Information Management and Human Resource Development in the Philippines Rosario G Monsalud* Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms (PNCM), National Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna 4031 Philippines ABSTRACT Culture holdings of the affiliate culture collections of the Philippine Network of Microbial Culture Collections (PNMCC) slightly increased to 7,796 accessions from the 7,484 accessions reported in 2008 This is with the addition of the collection of the De La Salle University in Manila The Museum of Natural History (MNH) and the Philippine National Collection of Microorganisms PNCM) had a slight increase in culture holdings but the United Laboratories (UNILAB) collection has decreased from 2046 to now only 1552 The Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), University of the Philippines Culture Collection (UPCC) and University of Sto Tomas (UST) still have the same number of culture holdings reported last year A total of 1,635 cultures were distributed by the PNMCC affiliate culture collections in 2009 which is 37% higher than in 2008 In addition to the culture holdings of the affiliate culture collections of PNMCC, some researchers from Philippine universities and research institutions have culture collection activities which are project-based including more than 2,000 clinical isolates, 65 marine fungi * Corresponding author Tel.: +63(049536-2884) E-mail: rgm_pncm@yahoo.com and fungal leaf endophytes, fungal isolates from the oil spill-contaminated island of Guimaras, around 30 cellulolytic, chitinolytic and PHA-producing and starch utilizing bacteria The PNMCC continually conducts annual scientific symposium and general assembly meeting, as well as publishes a newsletter which is being sent to its members, which now have risen to 180 from the reported156 members last year Aside from PNMCC, the Philippine Society for Microbiology (PSM), Mycological Society of the Philippines Phytopathological Society (PPS) and several other professional (MSP), Philippine organizations dealing with microbiology, actively conduct regular scientific symposia Another milestone in microbiology education in the country would be the upcoming workshop that will be conducted by the Philippine Academy of Microbiology (PAM) this coming April 2010 to bring together the heads of microbiology departments from different universities to discuss and harmonize the microbiology courses being offered in different schools  ... members, which now have risen to 180 from the reported156 members last year Aside from PNMCC, the Philippine Society for Microbiology (PSM), Mycological Society of the Philippines Phytopathological... the country would be the upcoming workshop that will be conducted by the Philippine Academy of Microbiology (PAM) this coming April 2010 to bring together the heads of microbiology departments from. ..and fungal leaf endophytes, fungal isolates from the oil spill-contaminated island of Guimaras, around 30 cellulolytic, chitinolytic and PHA-producing