National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
University of the Philippines, Diliman

National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Reynaldo L. Garcia, Ph.D. MPhil (cantab)

Professor

PROFILE

Director, UP System Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (2010 – 2014)

Key Account Manager, London Biotechnology Network

Senior Scientist, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute

Postdoctoral Research Associate, University College London, UK

Postdoctoral Fellow, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, OH USA

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Otago Medical School, New Zealand

MPhil Bioscience Enterprise, University of Cambridge, UK

PhD Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Australian National University, Australia

BS Biology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines

Strategic Planning Panel (SPP) Lead for the Philippines, ASEAN Diagnostics (Dx) Initiative

CONTACT

PUBLICATIONS

LABORATORY

Disease Molecular Biology and Epigenetics Laboratory

The Disease Molecular Biology and Epigenetics Laboratory (DMBEL) was founded in 2011. The laboratory’s main interests are the functional characterization of novel non-hotspot mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressors, as well as the regulatory roles of lncRNAs, microRNAs and circRNAs in cancer pathogenesis. The laboratory is also part of a nationwide drug discovery consortium and runs a laboratory services arm.

The laboratory offers students opportunities to acquire basic and advanced laboratory skills in molecular and cellular biology — from gene manipulation, RT-qPCR/quantigene assays, reporter and cell-based assays, through to immunocytochemistry, fluorescence and time-lapse microscopy, flow cytometry and high-content imaging. Projects are funded by the DOST/PCHRD, OVCRD and the NIMBB.

Research Area

  1. Functional characterization of novel mutations in downstream effectors of the EGFR signaling pathway among Filipino young-onset colorectal cancer patients
  2. Confirmatory and orthogonal assays to eliminate artefactual drug bioactivities: Continuing Needs of the Tuklas Lunas Program
  3. Bridging efficacy and safety: IND-enabling suite of cell-based ADMET assays
  4. Tumor-released exosomes: effects of mutational status on differential sorting of RNA cargo 
  5. Investigations on the putative competition and cooperation between RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs in the post-transcriptional regulation of the KRAS proto-oncogene

Selected Publications

Garrido, J.A.M.G.; Alcantara, K.M.M.; Danac, J.M.C.; Serrano, F.E.C.; Cutiongco-de la Paz, E.M.; Garcia, R.L. The Novel Phosphatase Domain Mutations Q171R and Y65S Switch PTEN from Tumor Suppressor to Oncogene. Cells 2021, 10, 3423. doi:10.3390/cells10123423 

Cruz CRV, Ferrer JLM and Garcia RL. Concomitant and decoupled effects of cigarette smoke and SCAL1 upregulation on oncogenic phenotypes and ROS detoxification in lung adenocarcinoma cells.  Scientific Reports  (2021) 11:18345.  https://rdcu.be/cxOnK 

Danac J.M.C. and Garcia R.L. CircPVT1 attenuates negative regulation of NRAS by let-7 and drives cancer cells towards oncogenicity. Scientific Reports  (2021) 11:9021. https://rdcu.be/cjvnt 

Danac JM, Uy AG and Garcia RL. Exosomal microRNAs in colorectal cancer: Overcoming barriers of the metastatic cascade (Review). Int J Mol Med 47: 112, 2021. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2021.4945