Cedric David Cortez is a senior undergraduate student taking a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Microbiology specialization, at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines.
Cedric's driven attitude not only provides him with analytical skills but also fosters scientific communication skills, capacity to take the initiative, determination, and persistence. He developed a keen focus on research topics involving Cell and Molecular Biology, Immunology, Virology, Wildlife and Conservation, Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Plant Physiology, Microbiology, Marine Biology, and Systematics.
As a Biology student, he took several courses related to his interests such as Immunology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Systematics, Microbiology, Bacteriology, Medical Microbiology, Biostatistics, Biophysics, Genetics, Biochemistry, and Developmental Biology, among others. Moreover, he interned in various biotechnology and life sciences industries, including QIAGEN Manila, Inc., Kinovett Scientific Solutions Co., and Globetek Scientific and Laboratories of Globetek Science Foundation, Inc.
The courses he took and his internship experience helped him gain the necessary fieldwork, coursework, and laboratory skills in the basics of nucleic acid and protein extraction and analysis, molecular systematics, and microbiological techniques.
As an advocate of wildlife conservation, he is part of the Ateneo Wildlife Trade Research and Advocacy Group under the guidance of Dr. Ronald Allan L. Cruz. Together with his thesis partner, Lady Nadine S. Dante, Cedric currently focuses on the gut microbiome of the critically endangered Philippine Eagle endemic to the Philippines.
