Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez, PhD.
IMBiBE Lab Principal Investigator
Professor, Marine Science Institute - UP Diliman
Van currently works as a Professor at the UP Marine Science Institute (UPMSI). Her research interest is focused on coral reefs particularly on coral reef benthic organisms, its biology and their interactions. She received her Doctoral Degree in Marine and Environmental Science, University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan.
She serves as principal investigator to multiple projects central toward understanding the science of coral reef resilience, coral restoration, and socio-political governance of coral restoration in the Philippines. She hopes that her research outputs will serve as bases for science-based policies for sound management and conservation. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of UPMSI Bolinao Marine Laboratory.
IMBiBE Students and Research Project Staff
Current Lab Members
Full-Time Students
Baran, Christine C.
PhD Marine Science by Research candidate
UP Marine Science Insitute
DOST-ASTHRDP Scholar
Research Interests: Octocoral demography and bleaching dynamics; Octocoral reproduction and propagation
Dissertation Title: Impacts of the 2024 Bleaching Event and Post-bleaching Recovery on Octocorals: Changes in Assemblage, Demographic Rates and Reproductive Success
Thesis Readers: Liam Lachs, PhD & Rachel Ravago-Gotanco, PhD
Hobbies: Cycling, card and mobile gaming, wine tasting
Geson, Serafin M. III
PhD Marine Science candidate
UP Marine Science Institute
DOST-GREAT Scholar
Research Interests: Jellyfish populations; Jellyfish reproductive ecology
Dissertation Title: Jellyfish diversity and population dynamics in Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex, Pangasinan, Northwestern Philippines
Thesis Readers: André C. Morandini, PhD & Rachel Ravago-Gotanco, PhD
Hobbies: Gym and running, and swimming, cooking, cleaning
Wagas-Cinches, Ethel B.
PhD Marine Science candidate
UP Marine Science Institute
DOST-ASTHRDP Scholar
Research Interests: Coral ecology, trophic dynamics
Dissertation Title: Can direct submarine groundwater discharges influence shifts in coral trophic plasticity?
Thesis Readers: Christine Ferrier-Pagès, PhD & Michael Y. Roleda, PhD
Abadiano, Aubrey Jacklynn
MSc Marine Science candidate
UP Marine Science Institute
DOST-ASTHRDP Scholar
Research interests: Octocoral taxonomy and systematics
Thesis title: Inhabitants of the Bubbly Depths: An Integrative Taxonomic Exploration of Octocorals (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) In Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD)-influenced Sites of Batangas, Philippines
Thesis reader: Catherine S. McFadden, PhD
Hobbies: Solo backpacking, hiking, reading
Gohing, Josiah Ben
MSc Marine Science student
UP Marine Science Institute
Research Interests: Marine protected area ecology and ecosystem dynamics
Hobbies: Gardening, gaming, running, working out
Luciano, Rhea Mae A.
MSc Marine Science candidate
UP Marine Science Institute
DOST-ASTHRDP Scholar
Research Interests: Coral reef ecology, scleractinian community dynamics, octocoral reproductive strategies, and coral bleaching responses
Thesis Title: Sexual Reproductive Traits of the Different Morphologies of the Soft Coral Sclerophytum spp. in Panacalan Island, Anda, Pangasinan
Thesis Reader: Yehuda Benayahu, PhD
Hobbies: Cycling, rediscovering poetry, listening to BTS and Coldplay, capturing macro photographs, thrifting
Robles, Jose Martin C.
MSc Marine Science student
UP Marine Science Institute
Research Interests: Octocoral ecology; Octocoral community assemblages
Hobbies: Reading, writing, diving, hiking, running
Student Researchers
De Juan, Ryan Carl A.
Student Researcher
MS Marine Science student
UP Marine Science Institute
Research Interests: Cryopreservation, coral early life stages, coral culture
Current Project: CORDAP - Cryopreservation Project
Hobbies: Cycling, reading, eating
Diocton, Jeric V.
Student Researcher (Lab URA)
MSc Marine Science candidate
UP Marine Science Institute
Research Interests: Coral reproduction, coral biology, coral ecology, coral restoration
Current Project: In-House Project
Thesis Title: Responses of the coral Favites abdita (Ellis & Solander, 1786) to ex situ sexual propagation handling stress following thermal anomalis exposure in northwestern Philippines
Thesis Reader: Peter Harrison, PhD
Hobbies: Indoor gardening, freshwater aquarium keeping, vinyl record collecting
Dumato, Nurfaida Salam M.
Student Researcher
MSc Marine Science candidate
UP Marine Science Institute
DOST-ASTHRDP Scholar
Research Interests: Coral reproduction, coral early life stages, coral responses to environmental pollution gradients
Current Project: CORDAP-CORALADAPT Project
Thesis Title: Growth and Survival of Stress-Tolerant Favites abdita (Ellis & Solander, 1786) Recruits Along a Gradient of Mariculture Influence
Thesis Reader: Adriana Humanes, PhD
Hobbies: Reading, scrolling on Instagram, café-hopping, and collecting stickers, Bulbasaurs, and Smiskis
Gaton, Sophia Diane Z.
Student Researcher
MSc Marine Science candidate
UP Marine Science Institute
Research Interests: Coral spawning, coral community structure, coral ecology
Current Project: ACIAR Coral Project
Thesis Reader: Dexter dela Cruz, PhD.
Tupaz, Lowell Jay P.
Student Researcher
MSc Marine Science student
UP Marine Science Institute
Research Interests: Reef surveys, community structure, coral identification, coral population dynamics
Current Project: EMERGE Project
Thesis Title: Population structure and recovery potential of Bolinao-Anda reef complex after the 2024 bleaching event
Thesis Reader: Takashi Nakamura, PhD
Hobby: Playing online games
Full-Time Researchers
Baquiran, Ethel Ruth A.
Full-time Research Associate
MSc Conservation and Restoration Ecology
University of the Philippines - Baguio
Research Interests: Monitoring and evaluation of coral restoration
Current Project: Institutional Effectiveness and Political Economy of Coral Reef Restoration in the Philippines Project
Thesis Title: Review of coral reef restoration in the Philippines and a field-based reassessment of selected restoration sites in the Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex (BARC)
Thesis Reader: Celia Austria, MSc
Hobbies: Reading, hiking, playing the ukulele, film photography, journaling
Jeve, Jeffry A.
Full-time Research Associate
MSc Marine Science
UP Marine Science Institute
DOST-GREAT Program Graduate
Research Interests: Octocoral ecology, coral reproductive ecology, coral early life histories, stress ecology
Current Project: ACIAR Governance Project
Thesis Title: Responses of the early life stages of stress-tolerant corals (Favites spp.) to temperature and depth
Thesis Reader: Jacqueline Padilla-Gamiño, PhD
Hobbies: Blogging, playing DOTA 2, coffeeing, tidepooling
Laboratory Support Staff
Binuya, Julie Armae
Administrative Staff
BS Engineering Management
Mápua University
Hobbies: I love drinking coffee; exploring new places and trying new things; discovering new food and restaurants; organizing and planning activities; enjoying simple and relaxing moments during my free time.
Bucol Garry
Laboratory Aide
BSc Fisheries
Pangasinan State University - Binmaley
Current Project: CORDAP Projects
De Castro, Rouenne Camille G.
Project Consultant
Current Project: ACIAR Project
De Guzman, Guiller
Laboratory Aide
Current Project: CORDAP - CORALADAPT
Gabuay, Edbert
Laboratory Aide
Current Project: CORDAP - Cryopreservation
Galpo, Noreen F.
Project Consultant
MSc Environmental Science
Current Project: ACIAR Project
Co-supervised Students
Bonilla, Katya G.
PhD by Research candidate
Southern Cross University
PhilDOST-ACIAR Fellow
Research Interest: Understanding the resilience of massive corals
Dissertation Title: Community structure, reproductive output, and physiological responses of massive corals on reefs exposed to multiple stressors
Thesis Committee: Peter Harrison, PhD & Dexter dela Cruz, PhD
Hobbies: Traveling, photography (especially film photography), swimming
Ligson, Charlon A.
PhD by Research candidate
Southern Cross University
JAF Fellow
Thesis Committee: Peter Harrison, PhD & Dexter dela Cruz, PhD
Previous Lab Members
Berba, Carmela Maria P.
Former Researcher Associate
Project: Soft Coral Project
Cabasan, Joey
Former Student Researcher
Project: PLDT - SMART, PROTECT-WPS Project
Cabiguin, Maryjune
Former Research Associate
Project: RE-INVEST
Carpizo, Missy
Former Research Associate
Project: DFAT Zambales
Catolico, Ignacio Luigi C.
Former Student Researcher
Project: SGD Project
de Vega, Maxine Stephanie P.
Former Student Researcher
Project: DDHP Project
Desabelle, Lee Arraby B.
Former Student Researcher
Project: DDHP Project
Escoro, Ma. Czarmayne Victoria Jude T.
Former Student Researcher
Project: RE-INVEST Project
Esturas, Jypson
Former Research Associate
Project: ACIAR Gov
Lalas, Jue Alef
Former Student Researcher
Project: DDHP, PROTECT-WPS Project
Lim, Romina Therese
Former Student Researcher
Project: PROTECT-WPS Project
Maningas, Joana Andrea
Former Student Researcher
Project: REINVEST, SGD Project
Manzano, Geminne
Former Student Researcher
Project: DDHP Project
Matorres, Dane Erlo C.
Former Research Associate
Project: ACIAR Gov
Novilla, Carmela Therese
Former Research Associate
Project: ACIAR Gov
Segumalian, Christine
Former Student Researcher (Lab URA)
Project: In-House, PROTECT-WPS, MHW Project
Valino, Darryl Anthony
Former Student Researcher
Project: DDHP Project
Adolfo, Kenith B.
Former Laboratory Aide
Project: Soft Coral Project
Arboleda, Jerry
Former Laboratory Aide
Project: In-House Projects