DOST Balik-Scientist and GeneSoc Alum Dr. Benildo Delos Reyes Shares Expertise on Plant Biotechnology and Epigenetics

By: Dane Christian Morena (Resistome) and Clara Ysabel Alumaga (Resistome)

Dr. Benildo Delos Reyes, DOST Balik-Scientist and The UPLB Genetics Society Charter Member, rendered Special Lectures on Plant Biotechnology and Epigenetics at the Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines - Los Baños on March to April 2023 which was attended by students, faculty, and researchers

With an exceptional background in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Dr Delos Reyes is a leading scientist in rice research He graduated from the UPLB BS Biology Program with a concentration in Genetics and obtained a Master's Degree in Genetics and Biochemistry from the same university. He finished his Doctorate Degree in Plant Science with a focus on Cellular and Molecular Biology at Oklahoma State University. Currently, he is the Bayer CropScience Endowed Chair of the Department of Plant and Soil Science and a Professor of g

Genetics at Texas Tech University.

The Special Lectures aimed to highlight the importance of Biotechnology and Epigenetics in navigating our rapidly changing environment and to spark interest among students and scientists in elevating plant genomics research in the Philippines.

“Could Biotechnology and Genomics Alone Carry the 21st Century Green Revolution?” This was the topic of the first lecture held on March 27 at the IBS Main Lecture Hall It highlighted Dr. Delos Reyes’ pragmatic insights on the 21st Century Green Revolution. He raised the need to revise our research paradigm and adopt new perspectives for agriculture and biotechnology research.

For the second lecture, Dr. Delos Reyes conducted a research seminar entitled "Adaptive Phenotypic Novelties in Plants: Does the Epigenome g

Matter?" which was held on March 29 at the same venue and was also streamed on Zoom and Facebook. He discussed the molecular interactions and network rewiring effects brought by genome shock and epigenome restructuring that results in stress-adaptive developmental and physiological novelties This discussion was influenced by the modern understanding of how DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling regulate gene expression.

Dr. Delos Reyes delivered the third and last lecture series on April 3, 11, and 12. This threeday onsite short course on Epigenetic Mechanisms covered various topics such as histones and chromatin, DNA methylation, non-coding regulatory RNA molecules, and transgenerational epigenetics and cellular memory Dr Delos Reyes gave an overview of the young field of Epigenetics that is rising to become the new frontier of Genetics He emphasized that there is more g than what genes tell us because of the environment's role in influencing gene expression.

Each of the Special Lectures concluded with an awarding of a Certificate of Appreciation to Dr Delos Reyes for his valuable time and expertise shared throughout the event Through this learning experience, young scientists and researchers hopefully gained fresh ideas on how they will solve scientific problems in plants and pursue Genetics research in the country.