Marine Molecular Biology Laboratory

Cecilia is fascinated by neuronal development and early animal evolution. She is also interested in the regulatory networks that control gene expression dynamics underlying the ability of many marine organisms to rapidly respond and adapt to their environment.

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• Post-doctoral Fellow, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara (2012)

• PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology, Stony Brook University, New York (2007)

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Email: cconaco@msi.upd.edu.ph

JB would like to understand how organisms respond to the changes in the environment. Currently, he is studying the effects of ocean warming on reef-building corals and the microscopic algal communities (Symbiodiniaceae) associated with them.

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• Project: ACIAR Coral Restoration (2021-present)

• Masters thesis: Different levels of photosymbiont community diversity in acroporid corals on a reef in northwestern Philippines (Apr 2025)

• BS Biology, University of the Philippines Baguio (2017)

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Email: jbquijano@up.edu.ph

Gardson is interested in how marine organisms react to ocean warming. He is currently working on selective breeding of thermotolerant corals and food supplementation for coral larvae to enhance survival and settlement.

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• Project: ACIAR Coral Restoration (2023-present)

• BS in Marine Biology, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (2023)

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Email: gquimado@msi.upd.edu.ph

Sibyl is broadly interested in the effects of various environmental stressors on cnidarians and the mechanisms underlying the response of coral larvae to settlement cues, such as acoustic cues.

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• Project: ACIAR Coral Restoration (2024-present)

• BS Biology, University of the Philippines Cebu (2022)

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Email: sdalatraca@msi.upd.edu.ph

Marielle is interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptative responses of macroinvertebrates to varying environmental conditions. She also aims to investigate the transcriptome profiles of mesophotic corals and sponges and their shallow-water counterparts to provide insights into the biology of organisms distributed along a depth gradient.

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• Project: DOST-PCAARRD Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems Program (2022-2025)

• BS Marine Biology, Visayas State University (2022)

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Email: mcarungay@msi.upd.edu.ph

Gab is interested in the molecular evolution of marine organisms, their gene expression under varying environmental conditions, and the potential of assisted evolution as a  novel approach to marine conservation. Currently, she is exploring gene family expansions and artificial hybridization in giant clams.

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• Project: DOST-PCAARRD Giant Clam Program (2018-2021); Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems Program (2022-2025)

• BS Biology, University of the Philippines Los Baños (2019)

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Email: glmaala@up.edu.ph

Van is interested in learning more about the sponge holobiont system, particularly how the host and its symbionts contribute to the holobiont stress response and adaptive capacity.

 

• BS Biology, University of Southeastern Philippines (2012)

• MS Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Philippines Los Baños (2016)

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Email: vdiamante@msi.upd.edu.ph

Kelly is interested in understanding the molecular responses of marine invertebrates to environmental stress. He is currently studying the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of corals to artificial light at night. He aims to gain insights on how this will impact aspects of coral biology, such as reproduction.

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• Project: CORDAP Developing transgenic corals as a novel technology for reef restoration (2024)

• BS Biology, University of the Philippines Manila (2019)

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Email: kpublico@msi.upd.edu.ph

VL is broadly interested in the complexities of marine organisms, how they adapt to their environments, and how they respond to changes. Currently, he wants to investigate the structure of microbial communities in reef-building corals to understand how they contribute to holobiont resilience.

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• Project: Climate Reefs: Integrating Risks, Evolution, and Socioeconomics for Fisheries Sustainability on Coral Reefs in a Changing Climate (2024)

• Masters thesis: Intra-annual temporal dynamics of the bacterial community associated with a reef-building octocoral (Heliopora coerulea) in the Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex, northwestern Philippines (Dec 2024)

• BS Biology, University of the Philippines Baguio (2022)

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Email: vbmadariaga@up.edu.ph

March is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the acclimatization and adaptation of scleractinian corals in different environments. Currently, she wants to explore the gene expression responses of reciprocally translocated corals at shallow or mesophotic depths to investigate their potential capacity to tolerate the gradient of depth-associated environmental conditions.

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• Project: Climate Reefs: Integrating Risks, Evolution, and Socioeconomics for Fisheries Sustainability on Coral Reefs in a Changing Climate (2024)

• BS Marine Biology, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (2022)

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Email: mgbarolo@up.edu.ph

Hazell is interested in investigating the influence of geography on the microbial community of marine sponges. She also aims to understand the contribution of other factors to variability in sponge microbiomes.

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• BS Biology, University of the East (2017)

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Email: hbvalencia@up.edu.ph