A FACULTY of the Visayas State University attended the bioinformatics training in Thailand, one of four Filipino delegates supported by the Leveling-Up Philippine Higher Education Institutions in Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources grant from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture.

Bioinformatics is a modern tool to collect and analyze whole genome sequencing data or the complete genetic make-up of plants and animals.

Dr. Cyrill John Godinez said that the training provided practical skills in using bioinformatics tools, particularly focusing on identifying genetic variants associated with disease resistance, adaptability, production traits and other important traits of animal genetic resources.

He said that these help researchers understand how organisms adapt to their environment and how genes contribute to complex traits.

SEARCA said the whole training encompasses bioinformatics workflow from data acquisition to its application in plant and animal breeding and conservation research.

The event was organized by the Center for Agricultural Biotechnology at Kasetsart University. It was participated by 18 faculty members and researchers from public and private sectors in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Godinez also presented his dissertation during the 39th International Society for Animal Genetics Conference in Cape Town, South Africa last July.

ISAG is the largest scientific congress in the field of animal genetics. It provides a forum for the exchange of new knowledge and up-to-date research outputs in animal genetics.

Around 600 scientists and researchers worldwide attended the ISAG Conference.