QUEZON AVENUE, Quezon City - The Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) announced that its ne Immunology Laboratory in Sunnymede IT Center in Quezon City will soon be operational.

In line with the Authority's program on the production and distribution of high-yielding planting materials (HYVs), three (3) FIDA diagnostic laboratories Albay, Leyte and Davao conduct tests for virus detecyion in abaca planting materials. The ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay) method in detecting abaca viruses requires the use of anti-serum. "The FIDA Immunolgy Laboratory will make us self-reliant in anti-sera production in the smooth operation of these diagnostic laboratories in conducting disease screening services. We have to make sure that the planting materials we are distributing to the farmers are disease-free," said Administrator Cecilia Gloria J. Soriano.
          
     The laboratory was built and will operate in Quezon City instead of in the regions to:

• Provide the anti-serum requirements of the FIDA diagnostic laboratories;
• Ensure easier and faster purchase of laboratory chemicals since most of the chemical manufacturing companies are based in Metro Manila; and,
• Ensure easier supervision by consultant and expert in anti-serum production Dr. Vernando M. Aquino of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) in UP Diliman.

     This project is also aligned with the Department of Agriculture's thrust of using modern biotechnology as a means for increasing agricultural productivity and with FIDA's program on strengthening R&D capability.

(Photo and article by Nini P. Clemente)