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The Center for Vaccine Development The history of the Center for Vaccine Development (CVD), a research facility, can be traced back to October 1982 when a symposium on development of vaccines and sera for use in Thailand was held at the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, by Mahidol University, the Ministry of Public Health, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, and the Thai Red Cross Society. One of the recommendations was to establish a research facility. Thus, the center was conceived and resulted in the installation of this CVD. This represented the outcome of the consensus and awareness of the importance of vaccine science by the scientific community of the country. The following brief comments attempt to provide glimpses of the people, places and events that helped to shape this center.The project has been included in the National Economic and Social Development Plan in 1984. During the first 2 years, the foundation of CVD was being laid at Mahidol University, Salaya campus to facilitate scientific and management functions. HRH Princess Chulabhorn graciously presided over the inauguration ceremony on 29 July 1987, a short time after the installation of scientific equipment donated by the government of Italy was completed. Prof. Dr. Natth Bhamarapravati, the former President of Mahidol University, was the first director of the Center (1985-1992). Dr. Sutee Yoksan has been director (after Dr. Bhamarapravati) since 1993. Research on live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine which aims to be safe and confer long lasting protective immunity against all 4 dengue serotypes has been pursued. Significant progress was made in the development of these vaccines under GLP compliance. During the first 12 years of the dengue vaccine program, the World Health Organization-South-East Asia Regional Office established the Scientific Expert Committee to guide the work and to serve as long term consultants. The Committee consisted of dengue and vaccine specialists from the U.S.A., Europe, Australia and Japan. All 4 dengue candidate vaccines have been subjected to monkey neurovirulence safety evaluations. Immunization in primates proved the concept for immunogenicity and safety of various candidate vaccines. Experimental vaccines, prepared at CVD, were approved by the Ethical Review Committee of the Ministry of Public Health and were put into a formal development program in Thai adults and children. The whole process required a long commitment of scientists in team work and financial support. Clinical trial results have repeatedly demonstrated the safety and immunogenicity of the new products. In January 1993, Pasteur Merieux serums and vaccins of France (Aventis Pasteur at present) and Mahidol University signed a collaborative and license agreement in Dengue Vaccine Production. The manufacturer demonstrated that the product could be produced to the necessary scale to meet supply, specifications (using validated assays), all GMP regulatory requirements (for testing in humans), with respect to safety, purity, consistency, stability, and potency. The first two phases of clinical trials in children are being conducted under GCP. Toward the second decade, besides the first generation dengue vaccine research, there was another great achievement: the long term commitment of CVD to serve as a WHO Collaborating Center. At present, CVD has taken responsibility as the reference laboratory for new candidate flavivirus vaccine evaluation, which came into being in 1998. Scientific and technical expertise has grown significantly since then. In conclusion, regarding achievements of CVD, two significant outcomes should be noted. First, the discovery of a vaccine for human use was made. Towards the new millenium, it is envisaged that CVD will have to continue to strive with its staff to ensure better performances in this rapidly progressing scientific world. |
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The Chulabhorn Research Center The Chulabhorn Research Center was established in 1986. The objective was to do basic research and develop applications of medicinal plants and their products that would be beneficial to public health, agriculture, and the economy. Another objective was the extraction and purification of the substances and elucidation of structural formulas, and the synthesis of various chemicals that exist. Additionally, testing of pharmacological action of the medicinal plants and any interesting synthesized compounds is included. Besides the research on natural products, their chemistry and pharmacology, the project also set a goal for the development of education and the capability of self-learning.The research project is divided into two major groups. The work covers research on the chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of medicinal plants, and research on the synthesis of natural products, especially alkaloid substances and oxygen heterocycles, which are extremely useful organic compounds in medicine. Moreover, the project also has conducted research on the significant reactions of organic chemicals which may be employed in the syntheses of many other useful substances. |
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The Center for Research and Development of Synthetic Drugs The Center for Research and Development of Synthetic Drugs was established in 1989. The main objective was to find methods and processes in synthesizing drugs or chemicals that were beneficial to public health. The goal was to find better or cheaper methods for syntheses of drugs for the replacement of the current ones as the basic drugs for the pharmaceutical industry of Thailand. The drugs of interest were mainly for hospital medicine such as the anti-malarial drugs etc.The project also offers advice to government offices and any organizations of pharmaceutical industries whenever they are in need of the synthesized drugs or chemicals. Because the research project was a multidisciplinary one, personnel specialized in different fields from various offices joined the project, including researchers from the Chulabhorn Institute and other government and university officials. | |
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The Polymer Technology Research and Development Center The Polymer Technology Research and Development Program (PTRDP) was founded in the Institute of Science and Technology for Research and Development in 1986 with the support of Prof. Natt Bhamarapravati, who foresaw the importance of hydrocarbon chemistry studies to the country. However, minimal work on hydrocarbon chemistry was being done at the time. The Hydrocarbon resource that was most important to Thailand at the time was natural rubber (cis-1,4-polyisoprene). Petrochemicals from natural gas and oil were not yet produced in Thailand. The petrochemical industry started in Thailand in 1989. Today, the industry makes at least 80 billion baht a year and is still expanding. Presently, Thailand can be regarded as the leading industrial petrochemical country in Southeast Asia. The industry has impacted on many other industries within the country, such as the plastics industry, synthetic rubber industry, and others that use plastics as raw materials such as the automotive parts, electrical appliances, electronics, constructions, and packaging industries. The ability to produce commodity plastics will promote the development of the plastics industry.The Polymer Research and Development Program (PRDP) was initiated by the Polymer Group of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science. The Polymer Group started with only two faculty members. In those early days, with strong support from the Institute's founder, Prof. Natt Bhamarapravati and Prof. Sirin Piboonniyom, the program was given four new research positions. The program sought scholarships for these personnel to obtain education at the Ph.D. level abroad. The French government funded one scholarship. The Thai government (Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment) funded two other scholarships, in England and USA. Presently, all the scientists have completed their education and have been working in the Program since 1999. The last scientist is still pursuing a Ph.D. in Canada. With full-time research scientists, rather than lecturers who have teaching responsibilities, research work can be done more efficiently and effectively. Collaboration with the Faculty of Science ensures that the program will be supplied with graduate students. Graduate students in the Polymer Science and Technology M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs are admitted at the rate of 15-20 persons per year. Since the year 2000, our personnel have set up a research laboratory at the Institute. This is another milestone in the program under the present administration of Prof. Kanok Pavasuthipaisit. | |
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The Center for Research and Development of Immunodiagnostics The Center for Research and Development of Immunodiagnostics was established in 1984 by the initiation of the Rector, Mahidol University. The research center is located in the Immunology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Ramathibodi Hospital, and carries out collaborative research work with the Immunology Laboratory, Ramathibodi Hospital, and Institute of Science and Technology for Research and Develop-ment, Mahidol University. Professor Dr. Bencha Petchclai was the Director from 1984 to 1997. The Center for Research and Development of Immunodiagnostics is responsible for the production of immuno-diagnostic test kits for clinical diagnosis and monitoring of patients. Primary objectives are to produce immuno-diagnostic assays for our own laboratory needs. In the pregnancy test, the first immunodiagnostics reagent produced was published in American Journal of Clinical Pathology. Until now, the pregnancy test is still used successfully as routine test in the Immunology Laboratory. From this success, Professor Dr. Bencha Petchclai was awarded the IBM prize a year later. The center has further developed and expanded into a wide variety of product research which includes a variety of immunodiagnostic reagent kits. Immuno-diagnostics kits are derived from the combination of a new generation of assays using innovative technology and expertise in serology testing. The center is equipped with the necessary laboratory equipment (for example, biotechnology instruments including PCR, electrophoresis) and patient specimens that are essential research facilities supplied from the Immunology Laboratory.Objectives 1. To execute research and to develop new technology and knowledge related to immunodiagnostic products. 2. To develop local immunodiagnostics products for the laboratory to assist the nation by supplying locally-made test kits instead of importing. 3. To develop and design a new assays that are suitable for laboratory needs, such as immunochromatographic techniques, and enzyme immuno assay | |
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Research and Development of High Technology Ceramics The Research and Development of High Technology Ceramics, for technological application, was proposed as an undergraduate institute development project in the 6th development plan during 1986 -1991. It was a new project and was named "The Research and Training Plan". This project was responding to the policy for general educational development in the 7th Development Plan, that is, for Science and Technology Education Supporting Academic Excellence. It was adopted into the 8th Development Plan during 1997-2001. In 1995, the Ceramics Center was founded and has been conducting research ever since.The project center is presently located at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 road, Phyathai, Bangkok 10400. | |
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Trace Element Laboratory The Trace Element Laboratory was initiated in 1990. The aim is to conduct research on developing new methods for assays of trace elements. The roles and impacts of the elements are also investigated in collaboration with other research groups.Presently the laboratory has three permanent staff who also belong to the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science. A non-permanent staff with a master's degree in applied analytical and inorganic chemistry is also employed and has provided technical support. This research project is divided into three parts: (a) Development of new analytical methods and basic knowledge; (b) Development of procedures for chemical determination; and (c) Applied research. The trace element laboratory has been supporting graduate student training and research in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University. Chemical analysis service is also provided to other sectors inside the country. | |