Taking a step towards commercialization, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension (OVCRE) together with the Technology Transfer Business Development Office (TTBDO) conducted a pitching session last October 24, 2022 at Summit Hotel, Tacloban, Leyte. Various stakeholders including mussel farmers, processors, industry partners, students and researchers were present in the said event. 

The featured mussel-related innovative technologies were the mussel glycogen extract by Dr. Leni Yap-Dejeto from the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, UPV Tacloban College and mussel powder capsule and mussel lipid soft gel by Dr. Sharon N. Nuñal from the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UPV Miagao Campus. Mussel glycogen can be utilized in soaps and cosmetic products while the mussel powder capsule and mussel lipid softgel have nutraceutical applications. 

Aside from their pitching session, the researchers together with Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension, Dr. Harold Monteclaro and Dr. Reynold Tan, Director of Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) had a dialogue with the concerned stakeholders and a press conference with local media outlets to make their technology reach a wider scope of audience. 

This event aims to uplift the mussel industry through commercialization of these innovations and establishing linkages between the key players and stakeholders of the industry.