MANILA—In a pioneering move to protect marine biodiversity, the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) is set to establish the country’s first coral larvae cryobank to support large-scale coral reef restoration efforts.

The initiative is part of a regional project titled “Coral Conservation Capacity Development in the Coral Triangle: A Cryorepository Network for Coral Larvae,” which brings together research institutions from the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It aims to create the first regional cryobank network in the Coral Triangle, a global hotspot for marine biodiversity.

“It’s not just about preserving corals today, it’s about building a foundation for future research and reef restoration that can benefit generations to come,” said Dr. Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez, head of the Philippine research team and leader of the Interactions of Marine Bionts and Benthic Ecosystems (IMBiBE) Laboratory.

Initial efforts focus on pocilloporid corals, which are fast-growing species capable of quickly repopulating damaged reefs. Larvae collected from hatchery-monitored colonies are preserved in liquid nitrogen for long-term storage.

The project is led by Dr. Chiahsin Lin of Taiwan’s National Dong Hwa University and the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, with support from the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform and the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation, Inc.

Since the project’s launch in December 2024, the UP MSI has conducted hands-on training on cryopreservation techniques such as vitrification and cryobanking, both at its Bolinao Marine Laboratory and at the Taiwan-based facility. One of the IMBiBE researchers, Ryan Carl De Juan, has successfully cryopreserved early-stage larvae as part of the initial trials.

Future plans include expanding cryopreservation protocols to other coral species and developing advanced tools such as a fourth-generation laser-assisted warming device and cryojig system. Through monthly monitoring and collection, the team aims to increase its cryopreserved coral stock and fully establish the country’s first coral cryobank.