MEMBERS

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Gil M. Penuliar, PhD, CBO, MRSTMH

Associate Professor

Institute of Biology

University of the Philippines Diliman

Email: gmpenuliar@up.edu.ph

Dr. Penuliar holds a PhD in Medical Science, an MS in Microbiology, and a BS in Biology. He is a Certified Biosafety Officer (UPM-NIH, 2015) and Pollution Control Officer (ETI, 2017). He was recognized as UP Scientist I (2022–2024) and has received the UPD Centennial Professorial Chair Grant (2017, 2023, 2024), the One UP Professorial Chair Grant (2022–2024), and a Visiting Professor Grant to the Tokyo University of Agriculture (2018). His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Frontiers in Microbiology, New Microbiologica, and the International Journal of Microbiology. He is a contributing author to a book chapter on GMOs and has received the Best Oral Paper Award from the Philippine Society for Microbiology (PSM, 2012). He has extensive mentoring experience (Figure 1) and has served as Executive Board member of PSM for 16 years (FY 2004–2008, 2012-2014, 2016–2024), Chair of the UPD Institutional Biosafety Committee (CY 2022, 2023), Associate Dean of UPD College of Science (2019), Head of IB Microbiology and Cell Biology Academic Group (AY 2021–2024), and reviewer for scientific journals including BMC Microbiology and PLOS One. He is a Life Member of PSM, and a member of the American Society for Microbiology and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

COLLABORATORS

Jann Eldy L. Daquioag is a senior member of the Microbiology Lab. His research focuses on actinomycetes, antimicrobial resistance, and lactic acid bacteria. His work has contributed to understanding the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on fomites and associated risk factors. He has also investigated actinomycetes from underexplored environments for their antimicrobial and enzymatic activities. His most recent research (2025)  explored the effects of electronic cigarettes on Streptococcus mutans, the causative agent of dental caries, specifically its colonization and survival. He will pursue his PhD in Japan, where he will focus on wastewater-based epidemiology, assessing emerging microbial contaminants in aquatic environments and wastewater treatment systems. His upcoming research aims to enhance water security and public health in the Philippines.

Ma. Socorro Edden P. Subejano is a microbiologist specializing in Campylobacter spp., antimicrobial resistance, lactic acid bacteria, virulence gene profiling, and multilocus sequence typing. She holds a Master of Science in Microbiology from the University of the Philippines Diliman, where she conducted foundational research in bacteriology. She also has a Diploma in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, reflecting her well-rounded background in microbiology and healthcare. Her work has contributed to antimicrobial resistance profiling, genotypic diversity analyses, and foodborne pathogen surveillance, advancing understanding in both public health and microbial ecology. Currently, she is a PhD candidate at La Trobe University, focusing on microbial ecology, particularly the gut microbiome and its role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using mouse models. Her ongoing research investigates how an ASD candidate drug influences gut microbial composition and functional profiles, exploring its potential role in modulating ASD symptomatology and aiming to uncover microbial shifts associated with treatment and their implications for neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Figure 1. Number of BIO 200 and Microbio 300 students who conducted their thesis in the Microbiology Lab from 2013–2024. The graph includes students who currently enrolled and those who are in residency.