The path to establishing the PCC-Research Facility, complete with the Molecular Genomics Laboratory, Tumor bank, Biobank, and Data Center, unfolded through insightful observership visits to key institutions. Commencing on October 25, 2023, with a visit to the University of the Philippines National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and the Institute of Biology, followed by visits to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute on November 13, 2023, and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine on November 30, 2023, these benchmarking activities played a pivotal role in sculpting the strategic trajectory of the impending research facility.
The observations gleaned during these visits crystallized into salient points, serving as guiding principles for the investment and evolution of the PCC-Research Facility. Recommendations underscored the imperative to recruit a cadre of highly skilled personnel, encompassing roles like oncologists, basic and advanced science researchers, pathologists, and registered medical technologists (RMTs). An emphatic focus on capacity development emerged as a linchpin for the facility’s sustained growth. The estimated financial blueprint for the ambitious Molecular Genomics (MolGen) facility materialized at Php 85 million for establishment and an additional Php 45 million for maintenance.
A minimum staffing framework took shape, outlining key roles such as an Operations Head, Research Assistants, Lab Technicians, Lab Aides, and Administrative personnel. Simultaneously, the narrative brought to light common challenges encountered by similar initiatives, with funding and procurement delays acknowledged as recurring hurdles, often contingent on research grants. This heightened awareness underscored the indispensability of strategic planning and precise resource allocation to surmount obstacles, ensuring the triumphant establishment of the PCC-Research Facility. These observership visits not only served as benchmarks but laid a robust foundation for informed decision-making, positioning the PCC at the forefront of molecular genetics research.
Author: Kate D. Dunlao-Cortez, RPh
Senior Health Program Officer | Cancer Control Research Division (CCRD)
Published: October 02, 2024