The Molecular Population Genetics Laboratory (MPGL) focuses on molecular identification, phylogenetics, and genetic diversity analysis of natural populations of fishes and other vertebrates. The lab is also into aquaculture genetics, genetics of invasive and introduced species, and application of multivariate methods to study populations. Ongoing research projects at MPGL are as follows: (1) Genetic variations in hatchery and wild populations of milkfish; (2) Genetic traceability and DNA fingerprinting of genetically improved tilapia strains in hatchery and wild populations; (3) DNA barcoding and molecular phylogeny of Philippine halfbeaks; (4) DNA barcoding of Philippine gobies; and, (5) Genetic and morphological variations in populations of Philippine native and endemic fishes.
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Jonas P. Quilang, Ph.D. Professor 5, UP Scientist II Ph.D. Genetics Molecular and Population Genetics, Genomics and Fish Biology |
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Brian S. Santos, Ph.D. Assistant Professor 5 Genetics |
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Ambrocio Melvin A. Matias, Ph.D. Assistant Professor 6 Genetics, Reef connectivity |
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Shenna Kate M. Torres University Research Associate I |
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Ardea M. Licuanan University Research Associate I |
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Gerard Clinton M. Que Science Research Specialist I |
Graduate Students:
Abdulmalik-Labe, Onaya P. (PhD in Biology)
Regalado, Rae Angelei J.(MS Biology)
Torres, Shenna Kate M. (MS Biology)
Tengco, Maria Theresa T. (MS Biology)
Pomer, Rachel Joanne B. (MS Biology)
Work Benches
Work Benches and Equipments
Lab Equipments
NSRI Project: Unravelling the hidden half: Using DNA barcodes and parallel DNA sequencing to survey pelagic larval communities of tropical shallow water reef species in the Philippines
DNA barcoding and genetic diversity analysis of the Philippine Native Golden Tank Goby, Glossogobius aureus Akihito & Meguro, 1975 (Periformes: Gobiidae)
Population Genetic Analysis and DNA Barcoding of Caranx sp. in Batangas
Status Assessment of Channa sp. in Major Philippine lakes
Genetic assessment of blue swimming crab stocks in the Philippines
Torres SKM, Santos BS. 2020. Species identification among morphologically-similar Caranx species. Turk J Fish Aquat Sc 20 (2): 159-169.
Canoy RJC, Fontanila IKC, Quilang JP. 2019. Molecular phylogeny of the Philippine tigerperches (Perciformes: Terapontidae) based on mitochondrial genes. Philippine Journal of Science 148 (S1): 251-261.
Ong PS, Padilla VJB, Serafica MPB, Luczon AU, Salvador DJI, Duya MV, Fontanilla IKC, Quilang JP. 2019. Development of microsatellites for the Philippine Eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi, using next-generation sequencing. Philippine Journal of Science 148 (S1): 263-266.
Chan AFO, Luczon AU, Fontanilla IKC , Ong PS, Santos MD, Willette DA, Quilang JP. 2019. DNA barcoding cannot discriminate between Sardinella tawilis and S. hualiensis (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae). Mitochondrial DNA Part B; Resources 4(2): 2499-2503.
Abdulmalik-Labe OP, Quilang JP. 2019. DNA barcoding of fishes from Lake Lanao, Philippines. Mitochondrial DNA Part B; Resources 4(1): 1890-1894.
Abdulmalik-Labe OP, Quilang JP. 2019. Genetic diversity among the endemic barb Barbodes tumba (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) populations from Mindanao, Philippines. Journal of Threatened Taxa 11(7): 13822-13832.
Santos BS, Basiao ZU, Quilang JP. 2019. Genetic diversity and patterns of demographic expansion in natural populations of milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskål, 1775), in the Philippines. Mitochondrial DNA A 30 (2): 312-324
Romana-Eguia MRR, Santos BS, Ikeda M, Basiao ZU, Kijima A. 2018. Genetic assessment of milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskal) stocks based on novel short tandem repeats for marker-aided broodstock management. Aquac Res 49 (4): 1557-1568.
Oponda CVL, Santos BS, Basiao ZU. 2017. Morphological differences in five strains of genetically improved nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using geometric morphometrics. J ISSAAS 23 (1): 44-55.
Santos BS, Canoy RJC, Tango-Imperial JM, Quilang JP. 2017. Length – weight and length – length relationships, condition factor, sex ratio and gonadosomatic index of the ariid catfishes Arius dispar and Arius manillensis (Siluriformes: Ariidae) in Laguna de bay, Philippines. Philipp J Sci 146 (1): 85-94.
Santos BS, Romana-Eguia MRR, Basiao ZU, Ikeda M. 2015. Development and characterization of nine novel microsatellite markers for the milkfish Chanos chanos. Conserv Genet Resour, 7 (2): 451-453.
Constantino-Santos DMA, Basiao ZU, Wade CM, Santos BS, Fontanilla, IKC. 2014. Identification of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and other nematodes using the SSU rDNA in Achatina fulica populations of Metro Manila. Trop Biomed 31 (2): 327-335.
Quilang JP, Yu SCS. 2014. DNA barcoding of commercially important catfishes in the Philippines. Mitochondrial DNA, doi:10.3109/19401736.2013.855897
Santos B.S. and Quilang J.P. 2012. Genetic diversity analysis of Arius manillensis (Siluriformes: Ariidae) using the mitochondrial control region. Mitochondrial DNA 23(2): 45-52.
Santos, B.S., Quilang, J.P. 2012. Geometric morphometric analysis of Arius manillensis and Arius dispar (Siluriformes: Ariidae) populations in Laguna de Bay, Philippines. Phlilippine Journal of Science. 141 (1): 1-11.
Santos B.S. and Quilang J.P. 2011. DNA barcoding of Arius species (Siluriformes: Ariidae) in Laguna de Bay, Philippines using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Philippine Agricultural Scientist 94: 42-47.
Quilang J.P., Santos B.S., Ong P.S., Basiao Z.U., Fontanilla I.K.C., and Cao E.P. 2011. DNA Barcoding of the Philippine endemic freshwater sardine Sardinella tawilis (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) and its marine relatives. Philippine Agricultural Scientist 94(3): 248-257.
Santos, B.S., Fontanilla, I.K.C., and Quilang, J.P. 2010. Geometric morphometric analysis and gill raker count variation of populations of the endemic Philippine silver perch, Leiopotherapon plumbeus (Perciformes: Terapontidae). Philippine Agricultural Scientist 93: 406-419.DNA Barcoding and Molecular Phylogeny of Philippine Catfishes