45 BRIN's Research in 2022, from New Food Sources to Jakarta Fault

TheIndonesia.id - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is funding 45 research activities through the first batch of the expedition and exploration funding scheme in 2022. This year, BRIN funds research and exploration of new food sources to geological research related to the Jakarta Fault.

“The expedition and exploration activities include taking specimen collections, comprising geological, biodiversity, socio-cultural, archeological, and other specimens, as national reference collections that can be used now or in the future," BRIN head Laksana Tri Handoko said during the ‘Facilitation and Research and Innovation Funding’ webinar, accessed online from here on Tuesday, March 22, 2022.

The expedition and exploration funding schemes can be accessed by all researchers from research institutions, universities, business entities, and community organizations, both from Indonesia and other countries collaborating with research institutions in Indonesia. The funding program includes research activities on the diversity of natural resources, socio-culture, and archaeology.

Handoko said he expected the funding initiative to support significant scientific discoveries regarding biodiversity and non-biological diversity on a macro and micro scale.

"We expect that this program will be able to provide support and motivation for researchers in conducting data acquisition, sampling and specimen collection, as (a means to) support in research and innovation activities in utilizing the potential of biodiversity wealth to increase Indonesia's competitiveness on (global scale)," the BRIN head said.

The funding recipients include Himmah Rustiami from the Center for Biosystematics Research and the Evolution of Environmental and Biological Research Organization at BRIN. Rustiami's research is entitled 'Unveiling the Diversity of Local Tubers as Alternative Food Sources in North Maluku.’

There is also Bernadetta Rina Hastilestari from the Genetic Engineering Research Center of the Biological and Environmental Research Organization, who has received funding for research titled 'Study of Genomic and Metabolite Diversity of Endangered Plants and Potential Medicinal Local Plants for the Dayak Community in Putussibau, West Kalimantan.’

The assistance has also been provided to Sukirman Rahim from the State University of Gorontalo for research on ex-situ conservation of endangered Sulawesi plant species in the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park, Gorontalo, and Ira Handayani from the Research Center for Applied Microbiology of Environmental and Biological Research Organization at BRIN for research on profiling the diversity of actinomycetes associated with sponges in Thousand Islands, Kapoposan Islands, and Raja Ampat Islands.

Others funded by the agency include Danny Hilman Natawidjaja from the Geological Disaster Research Center of the Earth and Maritime Research Organization at BRIN, whose research is titled 'The Potential Activity of the Baribis-Kendeng Fault and the Jakarta Fault,’ and M. Syamsu Rosid from the University of Indonesia for research titled 'Mapping Subsurface Structures Based on Gravity Data for Earthquake Disaster Mitigation in Kalibening district, Banjarnegara.