Dr. Michael Y. Roleda, a scientist under the Balik Scientist Program (BSP) concluded his short-term engagement recently through an exit report presentation at the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI), his host institution.
Roleda gave a lecture titled “Red, Blue, and Green and Shades in Between: Environmental or Genetic Control in Color Expression in Kappaphycus?”
The lecture focused on the color chromatic adaptation (CCA) of Kappaphycus, commonly known as red algae, the seaweed used in the production of irradiated carrageenan, a plant growth regulator.
Roleda explained the importance of Kappaphycus’ color chromatic adaptation as a determiner of the amount of compounds that it contains.
“The expression of particular coloration must be within the species’ natural pool of genetic variability,” Roleda said.
Roleda also presented his accomplishments for the 90-day BSP stint, which included the conduct of lecture/seminar series on the improvement of seedstock production of seaweed species, as well as with different state universities and colleges, the University of Eastern Philippines and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, among others.
During his BSP stint, Roleda also packaged a proposal on environmental controls on global primary productivity and another on the UP-Balik PhD fellowship. He visited seaweed farmers for consultation sessions in Palawan, Eastern and Northern Samar to document the practices and challenges in seaweed farming and offered advices on how to address these problems.
From his stint, Roleda also produced two paper abstracts which were submitted for oral presentation at the 6th Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology in Nantes, France.
Roleda is a research scientist of the Bioforsk - Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research in BodØ, Norway. His research expertise and activities include marine botany and phycology, reproduction biology, organismal biology, carbon and nitrogen physiology, stress and ecophysiology, photochemistry, photobiology, algal fuels, and other seaweed/algae related studies.
During the Exit Report Presentation, Dr. Fernando P. Siringan, UP-MSI Director, thanked the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
“UP-MSI is fortunate to have Maikee as a Balik Scientist. His visit is timely as UP-MSI needs to beef-up its cadre of professor-researchers, particularly with a number of the institution’s professors retiring soon,” Siringan said.