The Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) of the Department of Health – a globally renowned and prestigious institute focusing on research, training and management of tropical, infectious and dermatological diseases in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines, has been designated by the World Health Organization – Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR as the Regional Training Center (RTC) for Health Research for the Western Pacific Region since 2010. It is mandated to improve regional capacity in the development and conduct of high quality researches that address public health needs. The RTC offers six courses and one of these is the Training Course on Biosafety.

The RTC will be conducting its 1st International Training Course on Biosafety which will be held on May 21-23, 2019 at the Somerset Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa, in Metro Manila.

The three-day intensive course is designed to promote biosafety in diagnostic, academic and research laboratories. It aims to provide the participants with the fundamental principles of biosafety, biological risk management strategies, and the technical skills for practical application of best biosafety practices that will enable the participants to impart biosafety and biological risk management at their home institution.

In connection to this, we would like to invite two (2) representatives from your RTC to this training. Preferably, these potential participants are senior personnel with teaching and supervisory experience and are working in biomedical or microbiological laboratories. The course can only accommodate 20 participants. All applicants are required to submit a) Course Application Form, b) Motivation letter, c) Action plan after the training and lastly, d) Endorsement letter from the agency head. All applications will be screened and evaluated by the Course Point Person and RTC Steering Committee who will be selecting seven (7) applicants who will be qualified for a full scholarship. The scholarship will cover the registration fee, air fare and accommodation of participants. In return, scholarship grantees should be able to facilitate the course in their respective RTC/institution with the supervision of RTC-WPRO. The course registration fee for non-scholarship participants is US $300 which will cover the course materials and meals for the three -day activity.

Enclosed are the following materials: (a) Course Description, (b) Course Agenda and Curriculum, for your reference. Please also find the copy of the Course Application Form to be accomplished by interested participants.

Applicants should send their application at http://apps.ritm.gov.ph:8080 – 1st International Biosafety Training on or before 29 March 2019. For further inquiries, kindly contact Ms. Sheila Luz M. Punzalan at info.ritmrtc@gmail.com.