Mary Chona E. del Castillo worked as an associate scientist for an international fisheries research organization in Southeast Asia (SEAFDEC/AQD) before she began teaching at UA&P. She has more than 10 years of experience conducting research in the fields of marine sciences, fisheries, and biotechnology. She holds a master’s degree in fisheries from the University of the Philippines Visayas and a master’s degree in agricultural science from the University of Queensland. Her current research interests include biotechnology of microalgae, with emphasis on isolation and evaluating the potential of using microalgal biomass as an environmentally acceptable biofuel feedstock in an effort to find a sustainable alternative source of biofuel.