#PHEIRLxDOST-PCHRD

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) visited the Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory (PHEIRL) at the Institute of Biology (IB), College of Science (CS) University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) for its funded project last June 13. The delegates of DOST-PCHRD are Ms. Nica Lo, Ms. Mary Ann Pacho, and Dr. Christian Espiritu.

The funded project, entitled “Aptamer-based multiplex detection assay for the early detection of 𝐿𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑠”, presented their annual progress report to the delegates of DOST-PCHRD. The project is headed by Windell L. Rivera, Ph.D., and his research staff Marjo Mendoza, Chembie Almazar, and Yvette Montala.

It is expected that 𝐿𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑠 will continue to re-emerge and increase exponentially due to prolonged rainy seasons brought by climate change, and congestion and poor sanitation especially in major urban areas.

As the routine laboratory tests for 𝐿𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑠 take weeks to a month to be able to get a result, the project aims to develop a rapid detection kit against multiple antigens of 𝐿𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎 for the early detection of 𝐿𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑠.

[June 13, 2022. DOST-PCHRD visited PHEIRL-IB, UP Diliman. From left to right: Yvette Montala, Marjo Mendoza, Chembie Almazar, Nica Lo, Windell Rivera, Dr. Christian Espiritu, and Mary Ann Pacho.]