THE UNIVERSITY of Mindanao (UM) launched the Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory (UMBEL) at the UM Bolton campus on July 23 for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.
In an interview at the inauguration of UMBEL, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Balik Scientist Program grantee Dr. Angelo Bañares explained that metabolic engineering has many potentials such as engineering microorganisms to eat waste materials and convert them to high-value chemicals.
The newly opened laboratory will train Filipinos in metabolic engineering strategies and synthetic biology tools.
“So hindi lamang natin sinasagot ang mga environmental problems but also we can actually produce something that is really important for example in many industries,” Bañares said.
Bañares highlighted that the UMBEL is confirmed to be the first laboratory on metabolic engineering and synthetic biology to be built in the Philippines to tackle numerous problems.
He added that the laboratory has plans to provide training in the future while waiting for the ordered equipment to arrive at the laboratory. UMBEL is open to those interested in metabolic engineering and will be open daily to continue monitoring microorganisms.
DOST Undersecretary for R&D Dr. Leah J. Buendia hopes for the UMBEL to be sustainable and to have its own business models in providing services and analytical procedures where the payment can go to research and development.
“This could be a laboratory that we can support but eventually this has to be sustainable meaning we cannot always fund the laboratory but they should find a business model on how it will be sustained,” Buendia said.
