7TH NIGQC, Huge Start for Genetics Week 2016

By Jerard Monge

NIGQC 2016 contest winners together with the contest judgest.

The 7th National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest (NIGQC) officially started The UPLB Genetics Society’s Genetics Week last November 5 at the UPLB NCAS Auditorium. With the theme “Breed and Transform: Genetics and Agriculture Towards Food Security and Sustainability,” NIGQC 2016 rose above its preceding installments with a seminar and a fresh twist to the quiz competition.

From L to R: NIGQC Head Rency Raquid, NIGQC 2016 Guest Speaker
Dr. B.P. Mallikarjuna Swamy of IRRI and GeneSoc President Merc Matienzo
Dr. Merlyn S. Mendioro, the current director of the Institute of Biological Sciences – UPLB and the senior adviser of The UPLB Genetics Society welcomed the participants prior to the Synapsis (Individual Exam) Round of the national quiz contest. Dr. Merlyn S. Mendioro was also among the judges of the quiz competition together with Dr. Ajay Kohli, Dr. Azucena L. Carpena, Dr. Christian Joseph R. Cumagun and Dr. Renato S.A. Vega.]

Following the Synapsis Round is a seminar by Dr. B. P. Mallikarjuna Swamy of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on harnessing rice science to develop rice varieties for better human nutrition.

Adding to the challenge of the previous installments of NIGQC is this year’s Genetic Drift Round wherein only five highly competitive teams with the highest garnered points were selected to compete from the Dogma Round. The five universities that qualified for the final round were University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, University of the Philippines Baguio, Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines Manila.

Ateneo de Manila University bested the four qualifiers and copped the championship title, marking the university’s second win since 2013, followed by University of the Philippines Manila and University of the Philippines Baguio as the 1st and 2nd runner up, respectively. Ateneo de Manila University’s Francis Mart Angelo R. Legitimas was also awarded the highest individual top scorer of the Synapsis Round.

Ateneo de Manila University NIGQC 2016 Team

Schools that competed in NIGQC 2016 include Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle Lipa (DLSL), Far Eastern University (FEU), Polytechnic University of the Philippines Manila (PUP Manila), Southern Luzon State University (SLSU), St. Scholastica’s College Manila (SSC Manila), University of the Philippines Baguio (UP Baguio), University of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila), University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Mindanao), University of the Philippines Visayas (UP Visayas – Miag-ao), University of San Agustin (USA) and University of Santo Tomas (UST).#


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