The Plant Genetics and Cyanobacterial Biotechnology Laboratory focuses on the use of molecular and morphological markers in plants to study traits of agronomic and taxonomic importance, as well as the use of cyanobacteria for biotechnological applications.
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Ernelea P. Cao, Ph.D. (Group Head) Professor 12, UP Scientist I Ph.D. Genetics Plant Molecular Genetics, Molecular Biology |
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Daisy May C. Santos, Ph.D. Assistant Professor 5 Ph.D. Biology Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology |
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Nick Rainier S. Santos Instructor 7 M.S. Biology |
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Alysa G. Estopace, M.Sc. Instructor 7 M.S. Microbiology Plant Molecular Genetics, Molecular Biology |
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Libertine Rose S. Sanchez, Ph.D. Post-Doc Ph.D. Biology |
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Angelo Joshua A. Victoria, M.Sc. Senior Lecturer 2 M.S. Biology |
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Miguel V. Mondragon Research Associate B.S. Biology |
M.S. Biology
Miguel V. Mondragon
M.S. Microbiology
Ellaine M. Romines
Danica Pearl M. Untiveros
Undergraduate Students
B.S. Biology
Dominique Anne B. Bongala
Mariella Angela A. Chavez
Cyanobacterial Culture Setup
Cyanobacterial Culture Setup
Laminar Flow Hood
Work Benches
Current Research Interests and Main Researchers
Molecular markers for aroma, yield, pest and disease resistance in Philippine specialty coffee
Genomics/Bioinformatics
Ernelea P. Cao, Ph.D. (Professor 12)
Nick Rainier S. Santos, M.Sc. & Ph.D. Student (Instructor 7)
Transcriptomics/Metabolomics
Daisy May C. Santos, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor 5)
Endophytic bacteria and fungal pathogens affecting coffee
Alysa G. Estopace, M.Sc. (Instructor 7)
Preservation methods, genetic characterization and isolation of bioactive substances from locally-isolated cyanobacterial strains
Libertine Rose S. Sanchez, Ph.D. (Post-Doc)
Angelo Joshua A. Victoria, M.Sc. (Senior Lecturer 2)
Field Sampling
Field Sampling
Field Sampling
Field Sampling
Santos, D.M.C, A.J.A. Victoria, C.F.F. Besa and E.P. Cao. 2019. Genome-wide profiling and characterization of terpene synthase-linked simple sequence repeats in Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner for identification of potential markers for aroma in Philippine-grown coffee varieties. Philippine Journal of Science 148 (S1): 267-273. Special Issue on Genomics.
Sanchez, L.R.S. and E.P. Cao. 2019. Metagenomic analysis reveals the presence of heavy metal response genes from cyanobacteria thriving in Balatoc Mines, Benguet Province, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science 148 (S1): 71-82. Special Issue on Genomics.
Sanchez, J.C.S., J.P. Quilang, R.M. Mojica and E.P. Cao. 2018. Interspecific and intraspecific variation in Coffea sp. using fruit metric and landmark-based geomorphometric analyses. Philippine Journal of Science 147 (4): 659-665.
Victoria, AJ, Cao E, Salmaso N, Segata N, Donati C. 2018. Draft genome sequence of the cadmium-resistant strain JJU2, belonging to the Family Hapalosiphonaceae of the cyanobacteria. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 7:e00876-18. https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.00876-18.
Sanchez, L.R.S., F.S. Magbanua F.S. and E.P. Cao. 2017. Isolation, characterization and rapid screening of copper-tolerant cyanobacteria consortia from mining sites and a strawberry farm in Benguet Province, Philippines. Journal of the International Society of Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences 23(2): 8-19.
Santos, D.M.C., C.F.F. Besa, A.J.A. Victoria and E.P. Cao. 2016. Simple sequence repeat analysis of selected NSIC-registered coffee varieties in the Philippines. Science Diliman 28 (1): 5 – 16.
Cao, E.P., D.M. Constantino-Santos, L.A.P. Ramos, B.S. Santos, J.P. Quilang, and R.M. Mojica. 2014. Molecular and morphological differentiation among Coffea (Rubiaceae) varieties grown in the farms of Cavite Province, Philippines. Philippine Science Letters 7(2): 387 – 397.
Chong, S.M.L., D.M. Constantino-Santos and E.P. Cao. 2014. Pollen morphometrics of four coffee (Coffea sp.) varieties grown in the Philippines. Philippine Journal of Crop Science 39(3): 1 - 7.
Cao, E.P., D.M. Constantino-Santos, L.A.P. Ramos, B.S. Santos, J.P. Quilang, and R.M. Mojica. 2014. Molecular and morphological differentiation among Coffea(Rubiaceae) varieties grown in the farms of Cavite Province, Philippines. Philippine Science Letters 7(2): 387 – 397.
Arnante, M.E.S., M.L.D. Enriquez, E.P. Cao and F.F. Natividad. 2014. Preliminary screening for microsatellite instability and loss of heterozygosity in the deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) gene among Filipino patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. Acta MedicaPhilippina 48(4): 17 -22.