Meet the TIPs fellows pioneering synthetic biology and machine learning in the Philippines

The faces of ML x SynthBio (TIPs Fellowship) in the Philippines

At ChordexBio, advancing science isn’t just about building tools and make science better, it's about investing in people to better science. Through the 2025 TIPs Fellowship, organized by the research group at the Translator-Interpreter Pre-seeding, we’re supporting a new generation of Filipino researchers by equipping them with the interdisciplinary skills needed to shape the future of programmable biology.

This year, TIPs welcomed three early-career researchers into the fellowship program: young scientists who are keen about bridging between life science research and computational innovation. Coming from backgrounds in biochemistry, microbiology, agriculture, and molecular biology, these fellows are working on real-world projects that combine synthetic biology with machine learning.

Let's meet them.

Precious Shynne Leonoras

Brings a curiosity-driven mindset to the fellowship, drawing from her background in microbiology and bioinformatics. Her focus is on viral genome analysis and variant prediction using machine learning pipelines. Learn more at https://tips.chordexbio.com/precious-shynne-leonoras

Claudine Velasco

A biochemistry student exploring the intersection of wet-lab experiments and computational biology. Her work in TIPs focuses on identifying disease-related genetic fusions using machine learning techniques. Learn more at https://tips.chordexbio.com/claudine-velasco

Eiroll Gereme Nacpil

Combines hands-on agricultural research experience with a growing interest in bioengineering and synthetic biology. His project focuses on predictive plasmid vector mapping to support recombinant cloning and construct design. Learn more at https://tips.chordexbio.com/eiroll-gereme-nacpil

Marvin De los Santos

Founder of ChordexBio and project lead for TIPs, brings experience in bioinformatics and AI-driven research solutions. He oversees the development of the TIPs platform, guiding the fellows as they integrate computational tools with biological innovation.

The purpose

In the Philippines, synthetic biology and computational life sciences are still emerging fields. Access to interdisciplinary training and resources can be limited. The TIPs Fellowship is designed to help close that gap by giving researchers hands-on experience at the intersection of:

• Synthetic and programmable biology
• Bioinformatics and machine learning
• Data-driven diagnostic and engineering pipelines

Through TIPs, these fellows are not just learning; they’re contributing. Each project directly feeds into ChordexBio’s larger mission: creating open, modular platforms that democratize research and empower scientists throughout the region.

Looking ahead

The work of Shynne, Claudine and Eiroll will help in building the future of machine learning and synthetic biology research in the Philippines. As they work on encoding algorithms, prediction pipelines, and practical applications in agriculture, health, and biotechnology, they are laying the groundwork for sustainable scientific progress.

We’re proud to support them.