About

The Genetic Fingerprinting Laboratory (GFL)

Established and lead by Dr. Mudjekeewis D. Santos since 2010, is one of the main laboratories of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), Department of Agriculture located in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

NFRDI-GFL functions as an advanced genetics support laboratory for fisheries management, aquatic biodiversity conservation and aquaculture production. It tackles the following specific research areas:

a) Traceability and Forensics (to identify and understand trade of protected/regulated aquatic species and seafood products)
b) Taxonomy and Evolution (to establish new records and new aquatic species, and determine their evolution)
c) Population and Connectivity (to determine the extent of connection of commercially important fish populations)
d) Molecular Immunology (to study molecular aspect of fish and shrimp responses to bacterial and viral diseases for aquaculture improvement)

Since its inception, the NFRDI-GFL to date, has helped establish a global DNA reference library for seafood monitoring, identified various mislabelling, smuggling and other seafood fraud, discovered a number of new records and news fish species, sequenced the full genome of five (5) Sardinella spp. and Portunus pelagicus, established connectivity of fishes in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific Ocean, and studied numerous immune-related genes in fish and shrimp that interacts with bacterial and viral pathogens.

Various research assistants, graduate and undergraduate students, interns and faculty members have undergone training at NFRDI-GFL. In addition, a number of collaborative projects locally and internationally have been conducted in its premises. Because of all these accomplishments, NFRDI-GFL today is considered a leading laboratory on fisheries genetics in the Philippines and in the world.

Mudjekeewis D. Santos

Dr. Mudjekeewis D. Santos established the NFRDI-GFL in 2010 to develop the capability of NFRDI to conduct genetics-based fisheries research in the country. He is a Fishery Scientist and Marine Biologist widely recognized for his work on utilizing genetics, resource assessment and policy studies to support fisheries management and aquaculture for food security, biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation in the country.

Dr. Santos is a conferred Scientist V at the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (the 1st ever in the Philippines), an Academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Philippines, a Faculty (part-time) at the Graduate School of the University of Santo Tomas and an Adjunct Professor at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU). He obtained his B.S. Biology from UP Baguio, and M.S. in Aquatic Biosciences and Ph.D. in Applied Marine Biosciences from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Japan.

Dr. Santos has authored and co-authored over 100 scientific articles, book chapters and books, is currently the Editor-in-Chief of The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, Section Editor of the Philippine Agricultural Scientist and an Editor of Fisheries Science, the official journal of the Japan Society for Fisheries Science. He is a recipient of the Award of Excellence in Socio-Economic Applications of DNA Barcoding by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada and the prestigious Presidential Lingkod Bayan award given by the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the President of the Philippines. He is into science communication via social media to promote his advocacy on fisheries sustainability and marine biodiversity conservation. His verified FB page “Doc Mudjie” already has over 15,000 followers.

In recognition of his significant contribution to the advancement of fisheries science and management in the country, a marine fish has been named after him in 2015 (Chelidoperca santosi), by two of the world’s leading fish taxonomist in the world, Dr. Jeffrey Williams and Dr. Kent Carpenter. In the same year, an Islet in Zamboanga City was named in his honor, “Mudjie Wise Key Islet,” by the people of Barangay Dita, Zamboanga City. Later, he was officially recognized by the City of Zamboanga and by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as one of the prime movers of the sardine fishing closure in the Peninsula that not only benefitted the City but the entire country as well. As such, he is sometimes called “Mr. Fisheries Research” or the “Fisherfolk’s Scientist.”

Present Positions

International

Member, Pool of Experts, UN Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects. United Nations (UN) Headquarters, New York, NY 1007. www.worldocean assessment.org.

Member, a) Grouper, Wrasse Specialist Group; b) Shark Specialist Group; c) Member, Croaker and Drum Fishes Red List Authority, Species Survival Commission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). www.iucn.org

Editor, Fisheries Science, Journal of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan. www.jsfs.jp/en

National

Scientist V, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute. NFRDI #101 Mo. Ignacia St., Quezon City. www.nfrdi.gov.ph

Academician. National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines. Science Heritage Building, DOST Compound, Bicutan, Taguig City, Metro Manila. www.nast.ph;

Editor-in-Chief. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries. NFRDI, #101 Mother Ignacia St., Quezon City. www.nfrdi.da.gov.ph.

Section Editor for Marine and Fishery Sciences, Philippine Agricultural Scientist. College of Agriculture and Food Science. University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna. www.pas.cafs.uplb.edu.ph

Vice Chairperson, Philippine Aquatic Red List Committee. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Agriculture, Quezon City. Metro Manila. www.nfar.da.gov.ph

Faculty. Graduate School, Member, Graduate Tribunal Committee, University of Santo Tomas. Espana, Manila. www.ust.edu.ph

Affiliate Professor, Central Luzon State University. Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija. www.clsu.edu.ph

Immediate Past President (2022 – 2023). Member since 2011. Philippine Society in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PSBMB). www.psbmb.org

President (2017 – 2019). Member since 2011. Philippine Association of Career Scientists. www.scientificcareersystem.nast.ph

Member, Board of Directors, (Auditor: 2014-2016). Member since 2011. Outstanding Young Scientists, Inc. (OYSI). www.oysi.org

Education

2011 – 2011

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Leading Labs Network (LLN) of the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL). LAB, Museum Support Center of the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA.

2008 – 2009

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Japan

2005 – 2008

Ph.D. Applied Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Japan

2003 – 2005

M.S. Aquatic Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Japan

1999 – 1999

Fellow. UNESCO Short Term Fellowship on Biotechnology. Conducted at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Department of Commerce. La Jolla, CA. USA.

1994 – 1994

SCUBA Diver (Advanced), Certified by PADI Philippines

1988 – 1992

B.S. Biology, University of the Philippines College Baguio, Baguio City, Philippines

Awards and Recognition

2023

University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) Baguio-Northern Luzon Chapter Outstanding Alumni Award. Awarded by the UPAA BNL Chapter. May 2023. Baguio City, Philippines.

2023

NAST Outstanding Scientific Paper Award (with Paloma D. de Chavez, Gilda Joannah A. Calderon, Sherwin B. Santos and Emmanuel M. Vera Cruz). 45th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology. Vulnerability to Climate Change of “Giant Squid” (Thysanoteuthis rhombus) Fishery in Marinduque, Philippines. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, 28 (2), 171-180. July 13, 2023. Metro Manila.

2020

Elvira O. Tan Award – Natural Resources and Environment Category (with Rollan Geronimo et al.). Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development – Department of Science and Technology. “Mapping fishing activities and suitable fishing grounds using night time satellite images and maximum entropy modelling. Remote Sensing. DOI:10.3390/rs10101604”. December 22, 2020. Virtual Awarding Ceremony.

2019

University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) Achievement Award for Marine Science. Awarded by the UPAA. August 24, 2019. Ang Bahay ng Alumni. University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

2018

NAST Outstanding Book Award (with Elsa Furio, Grace Lopez, Francisco Torres Jr., Eunice Bognot, Valeriano Borja, Norvie Gatdula). 40th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology. “Fisheries Resources and Ecological Assessment of Manila Bay 2012-2015: A Special Publication Issue of The Philippine Journal of Fisheries”. BFAR-NFRDI Quezon City, Philippines. July 12, 2018. The Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Manila.

2018

NAST Outstanding Scientific Paper (with Maria Theresa Mutia, Katreena Sarmiento, Myla Muyot, Mikel Mendiola). 40th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology. “Larvae identification and development of the only freshwater Sardinella, Sardinella tawilis, endemic to Taal Lake, Philippines . Philippine Journal of Science 146(3): 257-265”. July 12, 2018. The Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Manila.

2016

Elvira O. Tan Award – Natural Resources and Environment Category (with Roselyn Aguila, Sweedy Kay Perez, Billy Joel Catacutan et al.). Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development – Department of Science and Technology. “Distinct yellowfin tun (Thunnus albacares) stocks detected in Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) using DNA microsatellites”. PlosOne10(9): e0138292. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138292. July 28, 2016. E.O. Tan Hall, PCAARRD, Los Banos, Laguna.

2015

Award of Excellence in Socio-Economic Applications of DNA Barcoding. Awarded by the 6th International Barcode of Life Conference and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. August 18-22, 2015. War Memorial, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

2014

Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award. 2014 Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees awarded by the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the President of the Philippines. December 15, 2014. Heroes Hall, Malacanan Palace, Manila, Philippines.

2012

“Gawad Saka” Outstanding Agricultural Scientist. Awarded by the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agricultural Research. November 13, 2012. Philippine Rice Research Institute, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.

2011

Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) Award for Applied Marine Biosciences. Awarded by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) of the Philippines. July 14, 2011. Manila Hotel, Manila.

2008

Awardee., Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship. M.S. and Ph.D. Courses. Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT). Tokyo, Japan. Scholarship from 2002.

About

The Genetic Fingerprinting Laboratory (GFL)

Mudjekeewis D. Santos

Present Positions

International

National

Education

Awards and Recognition

Links to Professional Standing

GFL MEMBERS

Current Members

Dr. Mudjekeewis D. Santos

Former Members

Current Research Projects

NFRDIGFL

Address