The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI) continues to strengthen its presence on the international stage. One of these efforts is demonstrated through the participation of a lecturer from the Department of Biology, FMIPA UI, Dr. Retno Lestari, M.Si, as a speaker at the 4th Symposium on Natural Rubber Study held at Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan, on 26 November 2025.
Dr. Retno’s participation reflects FMIPA UI’s active role in advancing research in biology and life sciences, while also expanding international collaborative networks, particularly in the field of natural rubber.
At the forum, Dr. Retno presented research findings from the Department of Biology, FMIPA UI, entitled “Expression Patterns of Hevea brasiliensis Genes Under Pestalotiopsis Infection and Their Correlation with GO Defense Pathways.” The study examines the gene expression patterns of rubber plants infected by Pestalotiopsis and their relationship to plant defense mechanisms based on Gene Ontology (GO).
This topic is considered highly relevant given the increasing incidence of leaf fall disease in rubber plants, which has a direct impact on productivity and the sustainability of the plantation industry.
“Through this research, we at FMIPA UI seek to understand the defense mechanisms of rubber plants at the molecular level in order to contribute to the development of more sustainable disease control strategies,” said Dr. Retno.
She added that molecular biology and bioinformatics approaches are key to addressing plant disease challenges, particularly amid the pressures of climate change.
The symposium was attended by approximately 80 participants, the majority from Japan, comprising researchers, lecturers, students, and representatives of the rubber-based industry. The presentation from FMIPA UI attracted particular attention, as it was considered to provide an applicative scientific contribution to the advancement of natural rubber research.
The chair of the organizing committee, Prof. Seiichi Kawahara, expressed his appreciation for the contributions of the speakers, who addressed a range of strategic issues, from natural rubber biosynthesis and structural and genomic analyses to challenges faced by the industry and the global market.
“Today’s presentations once again reminded me of how fascinating research on plantation commodities such as natural rubber can be,” he said. He expressed his hope that this forum would encourage concrete steps toward achieving the 2050 carbon neutrality target.
This series of activities also marked the beginning of preparations for the 5th Natural Rubber Research Symposium. The organizers are optimistic that the regeneration of young researchers will continue to strengthen the development of natural rubber research in the future.
Following the symposium, participants took part in a laboratory visit to the Green Resources Chemistry Laboratory at Nagaoka University of Technology on 27 November 2025. The visit continued to Prof. Minami Matsui’s laboratory at Yokohama City University and Dr. Emiko Kurihara’s laboratory at Keio University on 28 November 2025.
FMIPA UI’s participation in this international activity further reinforces Universitas Indonesia’s position as a key actor in the global natural rubber research network, while also opening opportunities for cross-disciplinary and cross-country research collaborations.
