Mary Chona E. del Castillo worked as an associate scientist for an international fisheries research organization in Southeast Asia (SEAFDEC\/AQD) before she began teaching at UA&P.<\/strong> She has more than 10 years of experience conducting research in the fields of marine sciences, fisheries, and biotechnology. She holds a master\u2019s degree in fisheries from the University of the Philippines Visayas and a master\u2019s degree in agricultural science from the University of Queensland. Her current research interests include biotechnology of microalgae, with emphasis on isolation and evaluating the potential of using microalgal biomass as an environmentally acceptable biofuel feedstock in an effort to find a sustainable alternative source of biofuel.<\/span><\/p>She received t<\/span>he Philippine Department of Agriculture Secretary\u2019s Award in 2003 for her scientific paper entitled \u201cTransport of hatchery-reared and wild grouper larvae, <\/span>Epinephelus<\/span><\/i> sp.,\u201d and the University of Asia and the Pacific Research Award in 2010 for her scientific paper entitled \u201cEnrichment potential of HUFA-rich thraustochytrid <\/span>Schizochytrium mangrovei<\/span><\/i> for the rotifer <\/span>Brachionus plicatilis.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span> Both were published in the international journal <\/span>Aquaculture<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t