Search on for RP representatives to international biotech meet in Cambridge

MANILA, Philippines - The search is on for two Filipino students who will represent the country in the prestigious Novartis International Biotechnology Leadership Camp (BioCamp).

Organized annually by leading research-based pharmaceutical company Novartis, this year’s International BioCamp will be held on Oct. 27-31 at the Novartis Institute for Biological Research (NIBR) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

At this prestigious gathering, 60 selected students from 24 countries will have the opportunity to learn from leading biotech experts, interact with professionals and work together with other students from various cultures.

The students will also be able to explore career opportunities and network with global leaders in the biotechnology sector.

Students who believe they deserve to join the International BioCamp should sign up in advance for the Novartis Philippines Biotechnology Leadership Camp (Local BioCamp), which will be held on Aug. 12, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the AIM Conference Center, Benavidez corner Trasierra streets, Legaspi Village, Makati City.

At the end of the local BioCamp, Novartis, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), will select two Filipino students who will participate in the International BioCamp in Cambridge.

The selection will be based on academic excellence and professional focus.

BioCamp is open to Filipino postdoctoral or master students and researchers with background in the life sciences, biotechnology, and business management.

Qualified applicants should submit the a number of requirements to the Graduate School Dean/Director’s office or to [email protected] on or before Aug. 7. Early submission of application requirements is encouraged.

The application requirements are the following: resumé and documentation of individual work/project; one-page (regular bond paper) essay on “Why you want to participate in BioCamp” and “How you would like to develop your career in biotechnology”; two recommendation letters from employer and/or school; and transcript (official transcripts from all undergraduate/graduate schools are required).

Based on the requirements submitted, the top students will be selected for the initial interview.

The names of short-listed candidates will be announced during the local BioCamp; short-listed candidates will be asked to present the business case of their current research project to the panel of judges.

The finalists will be informed by the BioCamp Secretariat. The cost of the International BioCamp participants’ meals and lodging will be shouldered by Novartis.

In last year’s local BioCamp, Jun Ryan Orbina, a Masters in Public Health student from UP Manila, and Christina Leyson, a Masters in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology student from UP Diliman, were chosen to represent the country in the International BioCamp held at the Hong Kong Science Park on Oct. 24-27, 2008.

The 2009 Local BioCamp is sponsored by Novartis Healthcare Philippines in cooperation with the DOST and supported by Intellectual Property Rights Philippines and Hybridigm Consulting Inc.

For more information on how to apply for BioCamp, students may inquire at their respective Graduate School Dean/ Director’s Office, log on to www.novartis.com.ph or call Novartis Healthcare Philippines representative Anne Betia at 815-9371 local 229.