The Study Program of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada held a public lecture on Friday, December, 9^th, 2022 with Mr. Agung Dian Kharisma, S.Pd.Si., M. Biotech., Ph.D. who is the Manager of PT. Widya Teknologi Hayati. PT Widya Teknologi Hayati is a biotechnology research company focusing on exploring and producing bioactive compounds. The material presented in this public lecture is related to the induction of resistance in plants by heat shock treatment. Every plant already has an innate immune system, but sometimes it is not strong enough to fight pathogens. The alternative method of heat shock is one way to improve this.

Generally, there are two ways to increase plant resistance: plant breeding and induction. The latest in plant breeding methods is the production of genetically modified (GMO) plant products by applying molecular techniques such as plasmids or genes that are inserted into target plant cells or organs. One of the studies at PT. Widya Teknologi Hayati is to suppress one of the genes by using a pathway. The gene is modified using E. coli, Agrobacterium, or DNA constructs. Then the modified Agrobacterium can be inoculated into the target plant. Furthermore, genetically modified plants are developed and selected to get the best results. The latest is using genome editing with the CRISPR method.

The second way that can be used is to bring up plant resistance by the induction method. This method is done by triggering a plant so that its innate resistance increases. Heat shock treatment is a proven method to induce plant resistance. Mr. Agung Dian Kharisma, Ph.D. also exemplifies one of the images to protect plants from disease by inducing plant resistance. There is also a case that occurred in Japan where many farms use greenhouses. Under these conditions, Mr. Agung Dian Kharisma, Ph.D. during the summer, if the greenhouse is closed, the plants that are affected by the disease are less than the greenhouse that is opened. It was explained that the temperature inside a greenhouse, in Japan can reach 45°C and even reach 60°C. For this reason, when winter comes, farmers in Japan usually use heaters. This phenomenon is described as an unexpected phenomenon that triggers research on heat shock-induced treatment. As a result of the closed greenhouse, the infection was much lower due to heat shock. This later became the background of the research conducted by Mr. Agung Dian Kharisma, Ph.D.

Then the preliminary research was carried out in a conceptual manner which gave the result that plants without heat shock were compared to plants without heat shock treatment. The results obtained from both were almost similar without any disease. After this comparison, it was suspected that heat shock treatment was even stronger as an inducer of plant resistance compounds. Then the next process is a trial using hot water as a heat shock treatment. Using temperature optimization which is proven to be able to fight exposure to fungi. Then the results obtained were developed in a more comprehensive study.

Several studies have also been carried out before which are displayed from 2012 to 2021. Starting with checking gene expression to its application in the field. In addition, Mr. Agung Dian Kharisma, Ph.D. conclude that heat shock has the potential to induce plant resistance as an alternative method. Practically the heat shock method has been carried out using a hot water sprayer with a temperature of around 50 °C. The application of this method gave fresher yields to plants treated with heat shock and paler yields to plants without heat shock treatment. The latest is to do a comparison with UV-B to induce resistance. The effect of using UV-B is almost the same as HS but not systemic. In Indonesia, the use of the heat shock method to induce resistance in plants is still a great opportunity to be developed.

Author : Buhairi Rifqa Moustafid

The Biotechnology Master Program of the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada and the Tanjungpura University Postgraduate Program held an event carried the theme “Curriculum and Course Overview of the Biotechnology Masters Program” on Monday, December 5^th, 2022 at the Innside Hotel Yogyakarta. The team of speakers from the Master’s Program in Biotechnology UGM, namely Ir. Donny Widianto, Ph.D., Dr. Rarastoeti Pratiwi, M.Sc., and Dr. Tri Rini Nuringtyas, S.Si., M.Sc.

Representative persons from the Biotechnology Master Program of the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada explained curriculum evaluations and shared the experiences in implementing the Biotechnology Master’s Program as Tanjungpura University plans to hold a multidisciplinary Biotechnology Master’s Program.

Monday, December 5^th, 2022 – The Biotechnology Study Program held a meeting with international partners from Ibaraki University, represented by Prof. Tatsuo Sato, PhD, Dr. Kikuchi Ashina, and Assoc. Prof. Sakagami Nobuo Ph.D.

On that occasion, a discussion was held on the continuation of the Double Degree (DD) collaboration program for Master of Biotechnology students of Universitas Gadjah Mada who had been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the Ibaraki University delegation also submitted a new program proposal in the form of a non-degree student exchange for Master of Biotechnology students. In this student exchange program, students have the opportunity to carry out research for 2-5 months at Ibaraki University. Students completing the program will receive a certificate signed by the Deans of both parties (Ibaraki University and Gadjah Mada University) in addition to joint publication opportunities. The activity closed with a discussion on the possibility of joint research collaboration and the exchange of souvenirs.

Study Program of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, had the opportunity to have a guest lecture with the speaker Dr. Yustian Rovi Alfiansah, on November 2022. The lecture was held online via Zoom application as Dr. Yustian Rovi Alfiansah is currently in Germany for a post-doctoral program at the Alfred Wegener Institute. In addition, he also serves as a researcher at the Research Center for Applied Microbiology, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Dr. Yustian Rovi Alfiansah explained to all students who participated in the lecture that the specialization provided by the university provides great opportunities for future careers. These specializations are in the fields of health, agriculture, industry, and the environment.

As one of the researchers at BRIN, Dr. Yustian Rovi Alfiansah also explained several potential research projects to be undertaken. The field of health and molecular biotechnology has projects including vaccines, cancer drugs, and immunomodulators. The field of marine biotechnology has a project to utilize marine biota such as extremophile bacteria originating from heat sources. These bacteria can be examined for the content of bioactive compounds that can later be utilized. Other uses of marine bacteria are the need for food preservatives, fermentation, and the utilization of other exopolysaccharide content.

According to Dr. Yustian Rovi Alfiansah, in Indonesia there are problems that must be solved, one of them is shrimp farming. Researchers can later develop various scientific studies to address shrimp farming problems with biotechnology approaches such as appropriate antibiotics, knowledge of the types of pathogenic bacteria in shrimp, and the healthy and disease-carrying microbiome of shrimp. In addition, there are new breakthroughs that potential to be developed in Indonesia in the future, namely biometrics and bionics. Biometrics and bionics are efforts to design artificial structures that are close to those of biological organisms.

In addition to explaining the opportunities that can be developed for future researchers, Dr. Yustian Rovi Alfiansah also gave his views on current biotechnology developments, in this case he discussed the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). According to him, the use of GMOs actually has a more serious negative impact than the benefits obtained. He emphasizes this view as a personal opinion and not on behalf of the institution. It was explained further if the use of GMOs cannot be sustainable even though the purpose of modifying certain organisms is to have the better results. The reasons for his refusal to use GMOs include the effects of editing, which until now have not been predictable, environmental damage, deadly types of natural organisms and serious health impacts. Therefore, he suggested synergizing organisms with a good environment so as to provide optimal results.

Dr. Yustian Rovi Alfiansah closed the guest lecture this time by giving a message that career in biotechnology opportunities in Indonesia is still wide open. One of the reasons is that Indonesia’s biological wealth has not yet been thoroughly explored, so there is still much that can be done. He emphasized that the most important thing in a career in biotechnology is research experience because it can increase selling points. The way to increase sales value is by going to school, training, summer school, etc.

Author : Buhairi Rifqa Moustafid

On November 2022, the Study Program of Biotechnology, The Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada held a Career in Biotechnology course with the guest lecturer Professor Teruna J. Siahaan, an honorary Professor and Associate Director of Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry of the Kansas University (KU). At this opportunity, Prof. Teruna J. Siahaan explained the development of biotechnology, especially in the field of therapeutics. He also shared his various experiences and advice for the students who took part in the course.

In this Career in Biotechnology course, Prof. Teruna J. Siahaan explained that the development of biotechnology in the field of therapeutics is very rapid. In fact, not only at the level of small molecules and isolation of natural chemicals but now also entering the stage of using biotechnology products. Prof. Teruna also said that when he and his team joined KU in 1991, they had made therapeutics from biotechnology products from proteins and peptides. Besides that, Prof. Teruna explained that in the early 1960s a biotechnology product was developed from insulin which is still being developed today. There is also a peptide called oxytocin which is useful for inducing pregnant women to give birth immediately when the baby is difficult to come out or there is no sign of labor at the birth time. Another example of the most recent biotechnology products is vaccines. The most recent vaccine according to Prof. Teruna J. Siahaan is an mRNA-based vaccine from Moderna and Pfizer that requires long-term research. However, Prof. Teruna explained that if there are still many challenges in the future, research in the field of biotechnology will continue to develop.

Prof. Teruna hopes that Indonesia can play a role in developing biotechnology products independently. He gave an example of China and India which recruited their citizens after studying biotechnology to return to their countries to carry out development in the field of biotechnology. According to Prof. Teruna, now both countries are focusing on developing biosimilar products such as biosimilar insulin and biosimilar growth hormone. Even these two types of products have been widely sold in Indonesia. According to him, the roles of universities and industrial research have a role in helping the development of the field of biotechnology. The opportunities in the field of biotechnology are still quite large because the scope of the biotechnology area is quite broad such as animal biotechnology, plant biotechnology, food biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, industrial, environmental to pharmaceutical biotechnology.

Because the field of biotechnology still has enough potential to be developed, Prof. Teruna gave advice to guest lecture participants to focus on solving problems in Indonesia. Prof. Teruna gave an example of tropical disease, which until now has not found a cure for it. This is due to differences in interests between sub-tropical countries and tropical countries. Therefore, Prof. Teruna suggested focusing on areas that have not been worked on specifically for the benefit of Indonesia.

Author : Buhairi Rifqa Moustafid