The October 2024 edition of the Biology Department Seminar (SJBi) took place in the Senate Meeting Room of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Tanjungpura University on Thursday, October 4, 2024. SJBi is a recurring initiative organized by the Biology Department aimed at enhancing students' interest and broadening their scientific perspectives regarding technological advancements and research within the field of biology. Additionally, the seminar seeks to foster collaboration with strategic partners of the Biology Department and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), while serving as a platform for the exchange of information pertaining to the latest research findings and theoretical developments in biology, particularly within the five primary areas of focus of the Biology Department.

The October 2024 edition of the Scientific Journal of Biological Innovations (SJBi) focuses on the theme of coliphage information, presenting the latest findings related to the control of Escherichia coli bacteria, as conducted by researchers at the Center for Applied Microbiology, BRIN Indonesia. This edition features Dr. Novik Nurhidayat, a senior researcher at the Center for Applied Microbiology, as a resource person. The event associated with the October edition of SJBi was attended by students and faculty members from the Department of Biology and Marine Sciences at FMIPA UNTAN and was officially inaugurated by Dr. Gusrizal, M.Si, the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The Dean expressed gratitude to the speakers and acknowledged the collaborative efforts between FMIPA UNTAN and BRIN, particularly in relation to the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) activities and the Research Results Seminar. This collaboration facilitates the dissemination of information regarding ongoing research at both institutions and fosters opportunities for future joint initiatives.

The seminar was conducted effectively and garnered significant interest from both lecturers and students associated with SJBi, particularly regarding research on bacteriophages that can serve as biocontrol agents for Escherichia coli in livestock waste management, with a focus on poultry farms and domestic waste. Mr. Novik encouraged participants, especially students, to engage in similar research endeavors, as there remain numerous types of bacteriophages that may differ from those investigated by the BRIN Applied Microbiology Center in Cibinong. Notably, Jerliman Manalu, S.Si., a graduate of the Biology Department at FMIPA UNTAN and a member of the bacteriophage research team, contributed to the advancement of the COLIFAG research project. Consequently, Mr. Novik Nurhidayat and the team from the Applied Microbiology Research Center are receptive to collaboration with students from the Biology Department who express interest in pursuing similar research initiatives alongside the COLIFAG team.