Molecular Ecology and Health (MECOH) lab - Ehime Uni., Japan / 愛媛大学 分子生態・保健研究室( 渡辺幸三研究室)
  • Home
  • People
  • Research
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • Funding
    • Finished Projects
  • News
  • SEMINARS
  • Contact/ Map

NEWS

Stay up to date with the latest news and research 

Jomel, a new PhD candidate from the Philippines, recently joined MECOH Laboratory

3/27/2024

0 Comments

 
Jomel Limbago, a new PhD candidate from the Philippines has recently joined us.

Jomel obtained his BS in Fisheries from Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (for. ISCOF) and his Master of Science (MS) in Zoology from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Previously, he participated in several research projects focusing on using molecular biomarkers to assess exposure to persistent organic pollutants and to detect and characterize microplastics in various freshwater bodies in the Philippines. Currently, he is interested in utilizing genomic approaches to uncover the adaptation and/or speciation of aquatic macroinvertebrates in heterogeneous habitat.
Picture
0 Comments

First ever visit by Universiti Malaya key collaborator to MECOH Lab

3/25/2024

0 Comments

 
​Building upon the connections made from the visit to Universiti Malaya last year, Dr. YiYou Wong, made an opportune visit to MECOH lab from Feb 1 to Feb 29. The objective of her visit is in long-term professional development and capacity building. Where critical technical skills, resources, and facilities were kindly provided by various individuals from the Center of Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), such as bioinformatic analyses for metagenome and High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) optimization for water samples for future projects. 
Picture
Throughout the month of February, Dr. YiYou engaged in the rigorous exploration of research methodologies. She had acquired and internalized specialized skills necessary for impactful contributions to her field of research. Her efforts yielded tangible results through collaborations with Prof. Anwar Hossain, Assoc. Prof. Rumi Tanoue and Ngure Kagia. 
Pictured left: Prof. Anwar and Assoc. Prof. Rumi meeting Dr. YiYou. Center: Ngure Kagia guiding YiYou on using bioinformatics remotely. Right: Assoc. Prof. Rumi showing the capabilities of the HPLC-MS machine.
​While in Japan, she capitalized her visit by immersing herself in Japanese culture along with Thufail, another visitor from Indonesia and Dr. Divina Amalin, Dr. Ana Karen Laserna, and Kris Lord Santos from the Philippines.
Picture

​"Everybody is extremely friendly and kind, they taught me a whole lot, from pieces of scientific knowledge to different cultural norms. Importantly, they welcomed me like an old friend."
- YiYou   
MECOH believes in knowledge dissemination and technology exchange in meaningful ways. We hope that the knowledge that was passed-on will lead to the collective advancement of Dr. YiYou's peers and the broader research community. Hopefully, in the form of a Collaborative Research Laboratory (ICRL) materializing in the future.  
0 Comments

Muhammad Akbar Thufail, Our EU-UNPAD Ph.D. Student from Indonesia Finally Visits MECOH

3/13/2024

1 Comment

 
On February 15th, Muhammad Akbar Thufail, a member of the International Collaborative Research Laboratory (ICRL) at Ehime University-Padjadjaran University (EU-UNPAD), visited the MECOH Lab at Ehime University. Thufail arrived as a visiting researcher for a two-week collaborative project. The main purpose of this visit was to learn about the activities in the MECOH Lab and the bioinformatics analysis performed on virome studies.

​During the visit, he was mentored by Coleen Irish Asin, a research student from MECOH, to learn the basics of bioinformatic analysis. Raw sequence results were cleaned and underwent further steps to provide valid and accurate assembled data. Wet lab techniques were also evaluated in the MECOH Lab. Together with Kenneth, a first-year doctoral student, he performed and reviewed some library preparation for sequencing methods such as MinIon and ProMetIon Sequencing.

Essential skills on bioinformatics taught by MECOH students

Picture
In addition to the lab work, Thufail also participated in educational visits during Emperor’s birthday on February 23rd to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Miyajima Island, along with Dr. Yi You Wong from Universiti Malaya in Malaysia and several visitors from De La Salle University in the Philippines. Exploring Matsuyama city and its surroundings, Thufail was accompanied by Atikah Fitria Muharromah, a third-year Doctoral student, who introduced him to life and activities in the prefecture.
Picture
We managed to celebrate Prof. Kozo's birthday too!
The visit concluded on February 28th, with the completion of the basic course on bioinformatics analysis. 
We look forward to working closer by further improving and validating the ICRL Projects in Indonesia.
1 Comment

Annual International Research Colloquium between Ehime University (EU) and De La Salle University (DLSU) “Recent trends in biological control: Interdisciplinary approaches for vector-borne diseases and agricultural pest management.”

3/1/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Annual International Research Colloquium between Ehime University (EU) and De La Salle University (DLSU) with the theme “Recent trends in biological control: Interdisciplinary approaches for vector-borne diseases and agricultural pest management.” was held on February 20, 2024 at the 2nd floor, Room 212 of General Research Building No. 2, Johoku campus, Ehime University. It was organized by the EU-DLSU International Collaborative Research Laboratory (ICRL) with the physical address in De La Salle University (DLSU), Laguna Campus and the Molecular Ecology and Health (MECOH) Laboratory of Ehime University. The symposium was sponsored by the Leading Academia in Marine and Environment Pollution Research (LaMer). It was attended by 21 participants, 3 and 18 from DLSU and EU, respectively. The participants were mainly from the MECOH laboratory members. There were three speakers from the De La Salle University (DLSU).  

The symposium convened professors, researchers and graduate students of the two universities and to exchange research results from the research activities conducted at the ICRL and MECOH laboratories. The objective of the symposium was to present and discuss the current technological and interdisciplinary research advances from ecological, biochemical, molecular, and computational approaches to develop or improve biological control strategies. The three presentations covered biological control of viral, microbial, and insect pests in agriculture, natural resources, and urban environments. The symposium highlighted the importance of biological control as an environmentally sound and effective means for reducing or mitigating pests and pest effects through the use of biologically based technologies.  
Picture
Dr. Kozo Watanabe, CMES Professor, delivered the welcome remarks.
Picture
​Open forum after the presentations of the three speakers.
Picture
​Dr. Divina Amalin, CENSER Director, DLSU presented the topic on the “Biological Control Approaches in the Management of Pests of Some High Value Crops in the Philippines”
Picture
Mr. Kris Lord Santos, Senior Research Specialist, BCRU-DLSU, presented the topic “Chemical Ecology and Biological Control: Applications in the Control of Insect Pests of Medical and Agricultural Importance" 
Picture
​Dr. Ana Karen Laserna, Academic Service Faculty, CIF-DLSU, presented the topic on “Metabolomics as a tool in the assessment of biological control”

​During the three members from DLSU's stay in Japan from February 19-24, 2024, they had a number of research meetings with MECOH lab members and with Associate Professor Rumi Taue of CMES and Professor Hisato Iwata, Director of LaMer, as well as a visit to Hiroshima Prefecture. The stay was fruitful for further collaboration in the future.
0 Comments

    MECOH Lab 

    Latest news

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    July 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022

    Categories

    All
    #new Positions

     

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • People
  • Research
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • Funding
    • Finished Projects
  • News
  • SEMINARS
  • Contact/ Map