Serving the people through research
The Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory (PHEIRL), formerly Molecular Protozoology Laboratory (MPL), is the first and only laboratory in the Philippines devoted to the characterization of molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity of protozoan parasites. It was established in 2001, headed by Windell L. Rivera, Ph.D. MPL’s primary aim was to describe pathogenic protozoans isolated from various habitats based on their molecular characteristics and to devise ways to rapidly detect them and find possible ways to eradicate them. Extensive research studies have been done on several genera like Acanthamoeba, Blastocystis, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, Giardia, and Trichomonas.
Through the years, PHEIRL’s organism portfolio has broadened, now including adenoviruses and several pathogenic bacterial genera, such as Escherichia, Salmonella, and Leptospira.
WINDELL L. RIVERA, PhD
Professor 12, UP Scientist III
Ph.D. in Medical Science (Cellular and Molecular Microbiology)
Member — Microbiology and Cell Biology Academic Group (MCBAG)
Executive Director — Philippine Genome Center
Academician — NAST, Philippines
Chair — Biological Sciences Division, NAST Ph
Chair — CHED (Biology, Molecular Biology, and Microbiology)
Chair — Microbiology Consortium of the Philippines, Inc.
President — PATMeGH, Inc.
President — Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society, Ph
Co-Editor — SciEnggJ, PAASE
Research Interests
Protozoology, Applied Bacteriology, Medical Biotechnology
Email Address
wlrivera@up.edu.ph
DAVIN EDRIC V. ADAO, PhD
Assistant Professor 7
Member — Microbiology and Cell Biology Academic Group (MCBAG)
Ph.D. in Biology
Research Interests
Protozoology, Parasitology, Molecular detection, Phylogenetics and Immunological detection
Email Address
dvadao@up.edu.ph
KATHYLEEN S. NOGRADO, PhD
Assistant Professor 7
Member — Microbiology and Cell Biology Academic Group (MCBAG)
Ph.D. in Agriculture
Research Interests
Antimicrobial resistance, Insecticide resistance influenced by gut microbiota, Bacterial bioremediation
Email Address
ksnogrado@up.edu.ph
Jonah Feliza B. Mora
University Researcher II
Salmonella enterica, AMR, virulence, detection optimization, genomics, serogrouping
Mae Ashley G. Nacario
University Researcher II
E. coli, Microbial Source Tracking, Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence, One Health
Aryana Lee G. Bertuso
University Research Associate I
E. coli, Salmonella, Antimicrobial Resistance
Aira Charlien R. De Guzman
University Research Associate I
E. coli, Antimicrobial Resistance, Phylogrouping
Jehudiel Eugenio R. Tiglao
University Research Associate I
Protozoan parasites, Free-living amoebae
Chembie A. Almazar
Project Technical Specialist IV
Leptospira, aptamer, diagnostics
Rance Derrick N. Pavon
Project Technical Specialist III
Salmonella enterica, LAMP assay, AMR, virulence, diagnostics, cell culture
Patrick Philip A. Salvador
Research Associate
Antimicrobial Resistance, E. coli
Lance Matthew F. Farinas
Research Associate
Metagenomics, Genomics, E. coli, Antimicrobial Resistance
Efriel G. Ragasa
Project Administrative Assistant III
Marisol H. Copio
Project Administrative Assistant II
Marieta T. Campos
Project Technical Aide III
Jerro Paolo I. Lunas
Project Laborer II
Ian A. Auxtero
Driver II
Mae Ashley G. Nacario
PhD in Biology
Jonah Feliza B. Mora
PhD in Biology
Floyd Batongbakal
PhD in Biology
Christian Jordan O. dela Rosa
PhD in Biology
Michael Joseph M. Nagpala
PhD in Biology
Edison Jay Pagoso
PhD in Biology
Jordan Vivo
PhD in Biology
Aurora Ines Aguilar
MS Microbiology
Khristine Balaga
MS Microbiology
Christone Bayubay
MS Microbiology
Aryana Lee Bertuso
MS Microbiology
Aira Charlien De Guzman
MS Microbiology
Ram Julius Marababol
MS Microbiology
Patrick Philip Salvador
MS Microbiology
Jehudiel Eugenio Tiglao
MS Microbiology
Mark Raymond Vejano
MS Microbiology