​Atikah Fitria, our very own dedicated PhD student, recently had the exciting opportunity to represent MEcoH in the annual meeting of the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) in Chicago, USA, from October 18th to 22nd, 2023.

At the conference, she presented her research topics through poster presentations. The first explored the population genomics of Aedes aegypti in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. The second delved into the detection of Wolbachia in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes using ddRAD-Seq technology.

​The ASTMH annual meeting is a significant event in the world of tropical diseases and hygiene research, attracting experts and professionals from around the globe. This year's gathering saw 4,585 attendees from 119 different countries, all coming together at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago.

The conference featured a wide range of research presentations, with a particular focus on malaria-related studies from African countries. Attendees also learned about recent advancements in vaccine and antiviral research for mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue and malaria. Interestingly, deployment of mosquito control in several countries around world using environment friendly approach such as Wolbachia was presented multiple times there. 

The meeting provided an excellent platform for networking and collaboration. Researchers, academicians, government officials in the health sector, and students had the chance to connect, share ideas, and expand their professional networks.

The overarching theme of this year's conference, "from evidence to action," highlighted the importance of turning research findings into practical solutions to combat tropical diseases. We thank Atikah for attending this annual meeting and hopefully becoming the seed necessary for future collaboration, sharing research findings together to drive action against tropical diseases.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Ivane R. Pedrosa Gerasmio as a valued collaborator from Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology. Her diverse range of projects showcases a deep commitment to scientific exploration, covering subjects such as crustacean identification in Panguil Bay, genetic diversity in horseshoe crabs, and reproductive biology of commercially important fish species in Illigan City.

We are thrilled to have her as our guest, as she stayed with us from the 16th of October to the 25th. During her visit, we at MECOH are glad to share our facilities to process several eDNA samples she brought from The Philippines. By working closely with her, we felt that we have made the most of each others' expertise in the name of advancing our shared scientific endeavors.

During her visit, Dr Ivane was productive. She is successful with size selection, products were amplified from the fish eDNA samples she had brought from Mindanao, and received bioinformatic analysis training throughout her stay in MECOH. 

She was given guidance from Dr. Karen Judan Cruz and Dan Joseph Logronio on both molecular biology techniques and bioinformatic analysis.

Looking forward to meeting you again with many more collaborations in the future. See you again next year Dr. Ivane!

Ph.D. student from the Lab of Biodiversity and Ecology, Korea University, Sang-Kyu Shin (申棋奎) visited MECOH lab from October 3rd to 17th with the goal of exchanging ideas and critical techniques. His background in insect taxonomy proved valuable may synergize with the expertise found in MECOH lab.   

​Sang-Kyu shared an overview of the research projects conducted in his taxonomy and ecology focused lab, with a strong focus on the study of insects, particularly mayflies and crane flies. Our guest discusses the use of molecular techniques, ecological studies, and taxonomic approaches within these research projects, shedding light into the challenges and opportunities faced in these research areas.

Sang Kyu-shin's presentation provides insights into the world of taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of insects, showcasing the importance of genetic analysis and morphological examination in understanding the diversity and classification of Mayflies and crane flies. The collaborative work within the lab and its dedication to taxonomy-based research are evident throughout the discussion, emphasizing the importance of expanding our knowledge of these insect species through multiple scientific methods.

The discussion wraps up with a mention of the potential issues facing the research, such as the need for more detailed findings, particularly in ecological studies, the possibility of collaboration with other research groups, and the nuance of advancing the field of taxonomy.

During his two-week stay in Ehime, he seek to diversify his skills. Sang-Kyu received training from experts from MECOH in the field of molecular biology and bioinformatics. ​He focused on crane fly specimens gathered from Busan, South Korea, and received training in ddRAD library preparation, consisting of genomic DNA extraction, restriction enzyme digestion, adapter ligation, PCR amplification, and size selection for sequencing, guided by our very own JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr. Karen.

Apart from that, Sang-Kyu received training on bulk community extraction and clean up of libraries for DNA metabarcoding with Dan Joseph Logronio, MECOH's Ph.D. student. 

Taxonomy wouldn't be the same without some fieldwork! So, Sang-Kyu along with Dan made the trip to the Ishite River in Ehime Prefecture to study the ecology of the local fauna.

During the fieldwork. Dan received valuable technical advice from our guest Sang-Kyu on macrobenthic invertebrate sampling, environmental assessment for bulk community sampling of macroinvertebrates, and larvae identification to name a few.

Samples were preserved and brought back for further analysis. Not bad for a days work.

Though Sang-Kyu's stay may be short, we wish him all the best and hope to meet each other once again. Cheers!