THE VISAYAS State University received donations from Czech Republic to help ramp up the school’s laboratory equipment for bioactive natural compounds last week.

The donation is for the school’s Advanced Research and Innovation Center where modern analytical devices will be used to analyze bioactive natural products from endemic plant species.

VSU said the multi-million laboratory will help scientists and researchers to conduct researches on natural products, proteomics, genomics, health, animal, food, nanotechnology, material science, and natural fiber research.

The donation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic made the ARIC the most advanced research unit in Eastern Visayas, which is part of the two institutions partnership for research and development.

The laboratory was initially set for a 2020 launching, but was delayed due to the Covid19 pandemic.

Faculty members and researchers from VSU are also granted to pursue advanced degrees in biotechnology abroad.

Lectures and other academic engagements are also set to be conducted by the two institutions.