GeneSoc's NIGQC 2015 to feature Medical Genetics

By Ryan John Pascual (Regulon) | Rency Raquid (Riboswitch)

This year, The UPLB Genetics Society will hold its 6th National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest on November 7, 2015. The contest will tackle the importance of Medical Genetics and it is open to all undergraduate students from colleges and universities all over the Philippines with a background in genetics such as, but not limited to, agriculture, forestry, allied health sciences, and biology.

Getting bigger, bolder and better

The NIGQC traces its roots from the Luzon-wide Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest first sponsored by GeneSoc in December 1998 at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Main Center at Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. This was followed by two more editions in November 2000 (Batac, Ilocos Norte) and October 2002 (Los Baños, Laguna). During these years, the quiz contest was held along with the National Genetics Symposium organized by the Philippine Society for the Advancement of Genetics (PhilSAGen). However, the intercollegiate quiz contest was discontinued for more than a decade after the organization shifted its strategy on advancing GeneSoc's mission of promoting the science of Genetics in the Philippines by reaching out to secondary school students and high school biology teachers through the annual Genetics Camp.

In 2013, the competition was revived into a national student competition, the NIGQC. The event coincided with the organization's 30th Founding Anniversary and the 60th year of the DNA Double Helix. 

So far, the biggest attendance of the contest was reached in 2014 when the NIGQC was participated by 14 universities – twelve (12) from Luzon, one (1) from Visayas and one (1) from Mindanao. UP Diliman bagged the championship followed by De La Salle University – Manila and Ateneo de Manila University, respectively. Both the 2013 and 2014 editions were held at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), UP Los Baños.

"We are determined to make this year's NIGQC more exciting and tougher. Dapat abangan na nila 'yung challenging questions because the bars are high this time, especially with the theme of Medical Genetics," says Auruella Hernandez, NIGQC 2015 Committee Head.

Already confirmed for the quiz competition are Ateneo de Zamboanga, Ateneo De Manila University, De La Salle University - Lipa, University of Santo Tomas, Southern Luzon State University, St. Scholastica's College, University of the Philippines - Baguio, Far Eastern University, Laguna State Polytechnic University, and Bicol University. With its rising popularity, Hernandez and the rest of the organizing team is expecting more participants towards the last week of registration.

2013 (L) and 2014 (R) editions of the National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest held at
SEARCA, UP Los Baños, Laguna (Photo: The UPLB Genetics Society)

One of last year's champs: Tiffany Uy

Last year's NIGQC champions came from the Institute of Biology of the University of the Philippines Diliman. Under the supervision of Dr. Ian Kendrich Fontanilla, the Diliman trio composed of Clinton Tang, Andrea Licuanan and Tiffany Grace Uy won the contest with 148 points. Months after the contest, Uy made history as the University of the Philippines'top post war graduate with a general weighted average (GWA) of 1.004. After completing a BS Biology degree in Diliman, Uy entered the UP College of Medicine.

GeneSoc reached the future doctor and asked about her NIGQC experience.

The 6th National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest is coming this November 7! Are you ready to be the next champions? Let us catch up with Ms. Tiffany Grace Uy! She was a member of the UP Diliman team who snatched the title in last year's NIGQC. [IMPORTANT REMINDER]Confirmation for participating colleges and universities is until October 31 only. For inquiries regarding registration, please don’t hesitate to contact: Ms. Keach Nichole F. Lotho NIGQC Invitations and Letters Committee Head 09358336505 genesoc.nigqc@gmail.comkeach.lotho@gmail.comFor more information about the 6th NIGQC, visit our website at this url:https://sites.google.com/site/theuplbgenesoc/nigqc
Posted by National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest 2015 on Friday, October 23, 2015

On-going Online Confirmation and Registration 

The UPLB Genetics society invites interested colleges and universities for the 2015 NIGQC. 

NIGQC participants will have the chance to vie for the the following cash prizes: the champion will receive 15,000 pesos while the 1st and 2nd runner up will receive 7,500 and 5,000 pesos, respectively.

Online confirmation for participating colleges and universities is until October 31 only. 

For inquiries regarding registration, please don’t hesitate to contact:

                    Ms. Keach Nichole F. Lotho 

                    NIGQC Invitations and Letters Committee Head 

                    +639358336505 

                    genesoc.nigqc@gmail.com

                    keach.lotho@gmail.com

For more information about contest registration, contest mechanics, registration and past winner of the National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest, kindly visit our website.  (https://sites.google.com/site/theuplbgenesoc/nigqc)#