The Biological Sciences Department (BSD) is part of the College of Science and is overseeing Bachelor of Science in Biology with Specializations in Plant Biology, Animal Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Environmental Science, Human Biology, Medical Biology, and Microbiology; and Bachelor of Science in Biology with Specialization in Medical Biology (compressed program).
Guided by the Lasallian values of Faith, Service and Communion, anchored on DLSUD’s progressive-existentialist philosophy of education, the faculty members of the Department seek to produce God-loving, academically competent and technically-equipped and patriotic graduates through relevant programs which offer research-based and community-oriented courses that promote science and technology and biodiversity conservation towards sustainable development in compliance with local, national and global interests.
The Biological Sciences Department was awarded as a Center of Development (COD) for all its Biology Programs by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in 2016.
Faculty Research and Partnerships
Faculty publications reflect a strong concentration in environmental science, biodiversity conservation, and water quality research, with extensive work on freshwater systems, protected landscapes, and ecosystem health across the Philippines. A significant body of work also advances the study of pathogenic organisms, quorum sensing inhibition, and bioactive compounds from plants and marine sediments. Interdisciplinary research is evident in studies that bridge environmental exposure and public health, such as volcanic ash impacts, disease surveillance, and emerging pollutants in aquatic systems. Complementing these are contributions to sustainable agriculture, ethnobotany, pharmacology, and data-driven social research, including machine learning applications for community development and poverty studies.
BSD faculty’s research portfolio highlights strong engagement in large-scale, policy-relevant environmental and social research, with notable participation in internationally funded initiatives. Foremost among these is the USAID-supported project “Assessment of Plastic Pollution Along Manila Bay”, implemented in partnership with the EcoWaste Coalition and the Development Innovations Group under the Municipal Waste Recycling Program, which produced comprehensive data on plastic litter types, densities, waste management efficiency of LGUs, and water quality across the Manila Bay watershed. Closely related is another internationally linked project, “Plastic Litter Survey Along Manila Bay,” which likewise contributed quantified evidence for marine plastic pollution and directly informed national rehabilitation and solid-waste governance efforts. Some BSD faculty also served as key investigators in the ASEAN-Norwegian–supported PEMSEA project “Survey on Plastic Litters Along Imus River, Cavite, Philippines”, undertaken under the ASEAN–Norwegian Cooperation Project on Local Capacity Building for Reducing Plastic Pollution in the ASEAN Region (ASEANO). This study traced macro- and microplastic flux from upstream to downstream of the Imus River, linked plastic pollution patterns with physico-chemical water quality parameters, and provided science-based recommendations for river and coastal pollution control at the local and regional levels.
Complementing these internationally funded projects are nationally supported and institution-led studies on water resources monitoring in upland Cavite, agricultural water footprints, biodiversity and vertebrate assessments, and machine-learning–based poverty profiling, which collectively demonstrate the department’s breadth in environmental science, sustainability, and community-focused research. Together, these projects position BSD faculty as both contributors to global environmental research networks and leaders in translating international and national research into actionable policies and community interventions.
Beyond research, BSD faculty serve as scientific and technical advisers who help ensure that the La Salle Botanical Gardens (LSBG) is grounded in sound ecological principles, sustainable land use, and long-term biodiversity protection. Their involvement strengthens the LSBG as a living laboratory for students, researchers, and the public, while also advancing the Lasallian commitment to environmental care, sustainability, and community partnership. Through this contribution, BSD faculty help transform the La Salle Botanical Gardens into a hub for conservation science, environmental education, and nature-based recreation that benefits both present and future generations.
Beyond field research, the BSD contributes through sustained knowledge generation, capacity building, and policy engagement by disseminating scientific findings via seminars, technical advisories, and formal reports to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Protected Area Management Board (DENR-PAMB). They also spearhead long-term research planning through the preparation of five-year development plans and annual terminal reports that guide protected area management programs. By fostering strong collaboration among government agencies, local communities, and civil society, the DLSU-D BSD faculty serve as key scientific partners in strengthening biodiversity protection, sustainable resource management, and community-responsive conservation in the Mts. Palay-Palay/Mataas-na-Gulod landscape.
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