The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM), in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Biological Sciences, successfully conducted a two-day training workshop on “Cultivation, Demonstration, and Biochemical Testing of Environmental Bacteria and Fungi” on August 23-24, 2025 at the FVM’s Microbiology Laboratory.

The event offered a hands-on experience in isolating and identifying microbes from soil, water, food, and swab specimens. Over 30 participants gained relevant knowledge and techniques for analyzing bacterial and fungal contamination.

According to Dr. Lotis M. Balala, FVM Professor and lead trainer, the workshop played a bridging role for students who missed practical microbiology classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also catered to faculty members, laboratory staff, and researchers who engage microorganisms in teaching, research and thesis work.

The activity is part of a continuing series of capacity-building initiatives including: A Comprehensive Training on Cave Resources Handling, Microbial Culture Techniques, Bat and Cave Ecology, and DNA Sequence Analysis, a joint initiative between VSU and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).