Ateneans top national genetics quiz contest

MANILA, Philippines - Three Ateneans recently bagged the first place in the National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest (NIGQC) held in the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

The team is composed of Hadeza Cabaddu (4 BS Life Sciences), Wrench Chester Canicosa (4 BS Biology), and Antoni Andreu Martija (5 BS Biology). They were coached by Rhea Abisado, Instructor of the Department of Biology. The team defeated those from University of the Philippines-Diliman (2nd place), University of the Philippines-Manila (3rd place), and seven other colleges and universities from all over the Philippines.

The three students are all members of TaTaBOx, the official academic competition team of the Ateneo Biological Organization - eXplore. eXperience. eXcel. (BOx). Martija is also president of BOx while Cabaddu is the org’s vice president for activities.

Organized by the UPLB Genetics Society, the National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest was first held in 1998 but was discontinued for several years. In celebration of their organization’s 30th anniversary and the 60th year since the elucidation of the structure of DNA, the UPLB GeneSoc has decided to revive the national competition.