KKU to host Phenomics Symposium

 

On January 12, 2023, Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre together with Faculty of Medicine, Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute (CARI), and Northeastern Science Park, Khon Kaen University arranged a press conference at The Beegins Co-Working Space, Northeastern Science Park on the upcoming 1st International Reinventing University Roadmap for Phenomics Symposium (IRURP Symposium) and Short Course in Clinical and Natural Product Metabolomics in Phenomics for Precision Medicine (CliNaPM). Both are scheduled between February 6th and 10th, 2023 at KKU Northeastern Science Park. In the upcoming symposium, KKU has invited 3 world-class researchers as keynote speakers: 1) Prof. Dr. Jeremy Nicholson, Director of Australian National Phenome Centre and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Health Science, Murdoch University, 2) Prof. Dr. Elaine Holmes, Head of the Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine, Murdoch University, Australia, and 3) Dr. Jia Li, Reader of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK.

 

 

In the press conference, there was also a forum on “Phenomics Technology and Driving Innovation in Thailand”. Distinguished speakers participating and delivering key messages were  1) Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, MD, President of Khon Kaen University, 2) Prof. Dr. Monchai Duangjinda, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, 3) Assoc. Prof. Wimorat Sriraj, MD, Associate Dean for Research and International Relations Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, 4) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Watcharin Loilome, Acting Director of Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, and 5) Asst. Prof. Dr. Jutarop Phetcharaburanin, Chairperson of KKU Phenome Centre.

Khon Kaen University’s Phenome Centre, led by KKU President and Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, was set up to serve researchers, industries, students, and public and private sectors involved in phenomics technology for research and academic services.

 

Source:  https://th.kku.ac.th/126480/

https://www.facebook.com/KKUIPL/

 

 

Reporting by Sathaphorn Onlamun

Editing by Prof. John F Smith

Khon Kaen University’s International Conference to promote Digital Health Innovation

 

Khon Kaen University cohost with the Parliament of Thailand for an international conference on Digital Health Innovation.

On August 25, 2022, 08:45, the President of Khon Kaen University, Associate Professor Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, MD, presided over the opening ceremony of  the 18th ASIAN CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER AIDED SURGERY AND MEDICINE 2022: Digital Health Innovation.

 

 

 

There were international keynote speakers from world leading IT countries such as:

– Professor KWON Dong-soo, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), President of ASIAN SOCIETY OF COMPUTER AIDED SURGERY, who lectured on “Flexible Endoscopic Surgery Robots“;

– Professor CHINZEI Kiyoyuki, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NIAIST) of Japan, lectured on “Safety and cleanness considerations of robotically assisted surgical systems”;

– Professor Young Soo KIM, MD, PhD, Hanyang University, Republic of Korea, presented on “Clinical Experience of Stereotactic Neurosurgical Robot”;

  • Professor Byung-Ju YI, Hanyang University, Republic of Korea, presented on “First in Human Trial of Robotic Liver Embolization

– Professor CHUI Chee KONG, National University of Singapore (NUS), lectured on “Intelligent Cyberphysical System for Robotassisted Drug Development”;

– Professor Jumpei ARATA, Kyushu University, Japan:, lectured on “Flexible mechanism toward medical applications”; and

  • Professor Kovit KHAMPITAK, Khon Kaen University, lectured on “Surgical Robotics and Instrumentation

 

 

There were eight as online keynote speakers from world leading IT countries:

– Professor Siyang Zuo, Tianjin University, PR China:, lectured on “Key technology of flexible robot for endoscopic surgery“;

– Professor Cao Qixin, Shanghai Jiaotong University, PR China, lectured on “Research on Ubiquitous Medical Robots Based on RTF“;

– Professor Makoto Hashizume, MD, PhD, FACS, Emeritus Professor of Kyushu University, Kitakyushu Koga Hospital, Japan, lectured on “Future Medicine based on Multidisciplinary Computational Anatomy“;

– Professor Hongen LIAO, Tsinghua University, PR China, lectured on “Intelligent Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices for Future Medicine“;

– Professor Yoshifumi Morita, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan, lectured on “Testing and training device iWakkafor adjustability for grasping force and its various applications”;

– Professor Yoshinobu Sato, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan, lectured on “Musculoskeletal medical image AI”;

– Professor Etsuko Kobayashi, The University of Tokyo, Japan, lectured on “Medical robotics and devices for minimally invasive surgery”;

– Professor Kensaku Mori, Nagoya University, Japan:, lectured on “AI for CAS Current and Future

The conference also had more than fifty research papers presented by innovators, researchers and postgraduate students from many international institutions.

 

 

There were special lectures by the President of the Royal College of Radiology (Associate Professor Wiwattana Thanomkeat, MD) and colleagues on topics such as: 1) Basic AI for Medicine; 2) AI update: Future Trend Benefit and Limitation; 3) AI in Nuclear Medicine: Cyclotron and Pet Scan; 4) AI in Community Health Care: COVID Era; 5) AI in Clinical Practice: Neuroimaging; 6) Experience of AI for Chest Radiography; 7) Computer assisted implant surgery: does it help improve the accuracy of implant position; 8) GlauCUTU: Time Until Perceived Virtual Reality Perimetry With Humphrey Field Analyzer Prediction-Based Artificial Intelligence”; and, 9) AI in Nuclear Imaging

 

ACCAS 2022 or 18th ASIAN CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER AIDED SURGERY AND MEDICINE 2022: Digital Health Innovation.  The rationale and background to this international academic conference.

During the years 2020 – 2022 the COVID-19 pandemic  highlighted the great potential of telemedicine. Digital Technologies are now part of daily life for most human beings.  “Biomedical Engineering” or “Computer aided medicine” or “Deep technologies in healthcare” are now completely changing the structure of medicine and medical service delivery.  Traditional research processes are being re-placed by “Big Data”, and real time data processing now has a major role in medical services process, including image processing and Artificial Intelligence or AI.  The Thailand Medical Council has officially announced the 21st century as the opening of the new Era of Digital Medicine in Thailand.  The Asian Society of Computer Aided Surgery (ASCAS) was jointly established together with Japan Society of Computer Aided Surgery by professors of Medicine and professors of Engineering from University of Tokyo, Kyushu University, and many Universities in Asia, such as Republic of Korea, PR China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, including Thailand.  ASCAS has organized this academic conference annually for 17 years now, with rotating conference hosts.  Thailand previously host the conference in the year 2011 in Bangkok

For 2022, Thailand was selected to host the 18th conference again, with theme of “DIGITAL HEALTH MEDICINE” to promote digital health medicine advances in the modern era.  This conference was for academic scholars in medicine, biomedical engineering, computer science, including users in primary care health stations, hospital in sub-districts, health promotion stations, medical doctors and health science personnel from the Ministry of Public Health and other Ministries, and medical schools and other relevant organizations.

 

This academic conference will further promote: a) the development of Digital Medicine operationally and academically by cooperation between various research and innovation groups; b) the development of collaborative networks for future cooperation; and c) inspire and disseminate international level academic / research results on medical innovations.

Telemedicine will change all future healthcare and be widely used in conjunction with modern medicine in Thailand. Digital consultation will increase health care access for rural or regional consumers and primary health facilities to major health centers within Thai health service system.

 

The Organizing Committee of this Conference was Professor Mionchai Duangchinda, Vice President for Research andGraduate Studies; Professor Pewpan Maleewong, M.D, Assistant to the President; Associate Professor Apichat Juravuttipong, MD, Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Deans of Faculties; Associate Professor Supat Sinawat, MD, Director of Khon Kaen University Library; Associate Professor Wimorat Sriraj, MD, Associate Dean for Research and International Relations; Associate Professor Daris Teerakulpisut; Associate Professor Wunchana Seubwai, International Club of Nursing Department of Srinagarind Hospital.

 

Onsite and online participants included lecturers, researchers, postgraduate students from Japan: Osaka University, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Osaka institute of Technology, Kyoto University, Keio University, The University of Tokyo; Waseda University; Kyushu University; Kyushu University Hospital; Kobe University;  Nagoya Institute of Technology; Tottori University; Yasuda Women’s University; Hiroshima City University; Tokyo Denki University; Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd; Plastic surgery, Cancer Institute Hospital;  University of Yamanashi; University of Tsukuba; Nara Institute of Science and Technology; Ehime University;  National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Korea: University of Science and Technology; Seoul National University;  EasyEndo Surgical Inc.; ROEN Surgical Inc.;  CUREXO, Inc.; DIGITRACK, Inc.; AIRS Inc. Robot Innovation Center; Pusan National University;  Daegu Gyeongubuk Institute of Science and Technology  (DGIST); Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital; National Cancer Center;  Cure-in Inc.;  Medical device and Robot institute of Park; Yonsei University;  Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), PR China: Tsinghua University; Beijing Institute of Technology; Biopsee (Wuhan) Medical Technology; Shanghai Jiaotong University; Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics;  Pakistan: UET, Lahore, Narowal Campu;  Poland: Lodz University of Technology.

 

 

Written by Duangsamorn Chankwang

Edited by Professor John F. Smith

Prince Mahidol Award Youth Program (PMAYP) Conference 2021-2022

 

On February 10, 2022, Assoc. Prof. Apichat Jiravuttipong Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University officially opened and welcomed guests to the Prince Mahidol Award Youth Program (PMAYP) Conference 2021-2022 held by Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, The e-Asia Joint Research Program, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and Prince Mahidol Award Youth Program at Lecture Room 1, 4th  Floor, Wechwichakarn Building, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen and online (via facebook live: https://www.facebook.com/medkku) on the titled “Targeting cell cycle for Precision Treatment of Cancer and Advanced Technology for cancer Research.

The purpose of the symposium was to encourage exchange cutting-edge research and technologies and to promote discussion between professors, lecturers, researchers, medical staff and students. The conference was moderated by Prof. Sopit Wongkham Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, the event started with an overview of the Prince Mahidol Award Youth Program.

Prof. Peter Sicinski, M.D., PhD.  from Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University attend the Mentor Session spoke on the topics of ‘Cell cycle machinery in development and in cancer and special talked ‘How come a medical doctor to be outstanding scientist’.

Prof. Seiji Okada, M.D., PhD. From Division of Hematopoiesis, Center for AIDS Research, and Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University spoke on topics of ‘eAsia: Assisted technologies for cancer research

Dr.Charupong Saengboonmee PMAYP Scholar Year 2018, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, spoke on the ‘Cyclins and Cyclin Dependent Kinases: A Potential Target-Treatment for Cholangiocarcinoma with Diabetes.

Assoc. Prof.Siwanon Jirawatnotai Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University spoke on the ‘Overcoming Cancer Drug Resistance Using the Acquired Vulnerability Screens.

Assoc. Prof.Kulthida Vaeteewoottacharn Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University spoke on the ‘Initiation of Thai Patient-Derived Xenograft Cancer Model Biobank for Precision Medicine.

Closed the morning session with Asst. Prof.Wunchana Seubwai Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University on the ‘A Pilot Study Using Big Data Analytics for Cancer Research.

The seminar was a great success with participants in the auditorium and online.

 

 

 

 

KKU and TICA International online training program “Fundamentals of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine” 2021

 

An international online training program hosted by Occupational Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, MD-KKU run between August – September 2021.   Associate Professor Naesinee Chaiear, MD, PhD, program manager, advises that program funding is from Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) who also funded several KKU programs in the previous fiscal year: Faculty of Medicine (1 grant), Faculty of Agriculture (2 grants), Graduate School (1 grant).

The program has 2 majors the objectives 1) Trainees or participants of this training program will acquire knowledge and further understanding about Occupational Medicine and Fundamentals of Occupational Health, 2) Trainees will be able to apply this knowledge in practice and research work.  This 42-hour program has three main focus areas:

  • “Occupational Medicine” for 15 topics,
  • “Occupational Health” for 7 topics,
  • “Occupational Medicine and Occupational Health” for 6 topics

There are 11 presenters; from KKU, Faculty of Medicine,

1) Associate Professor Naesinee Chaiear; 2) Associate Professor Suda Wannaprasat; 3) Associate Professor Naruemon  Leelayuwat; 4) Professor Pisake Lumbiganon; 5) Dr. Panumas Kraisorn; 6) Dr. Warisa Soonthornvinit; 7) Dr. Thanapope Na Nakhonphanom; 8) Dr. Chatraphong Ngamchokewatana.   Three international presenters are 1) Dr. Warren Silverman, Medical Director, Workplace Forensics LLC;  2) Dr. Michael Slater, School of Health Sciences, Division of Population Health Primary Care, University of Manchester; 3) Professor Sherwood Burge, Consultant Physician University Hospital Birmingham and Honorary Birmingham University, UK.

Associate Professor Naesinee also advised that previous trainees rated satisfaction with the program more than 80 % satisfaction.  Twenty-five trainees passed the TICA criteria examination and they come from 14 countries: Republic of Indonesia, United Republic of Tanzania, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Nicaragua, Republic of Ecuador, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kingdom of Bhutan, Malaysia, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Peru, and, Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Fourteen trainees attended via Live “Zoom”, and eleven trainees attended via online platform “KKUMedX”.

 

 

TropMed Webinar: Hybrid schistosomes in Africa: Hype or havoc in NTD control?

 

e are excited to invite you to join the Tropical Medicine Webinar Series via ZOOM on the topic “Hybrid schistosomes in Africa: Hype or havoc in NTD control?”  

Date: September 23, 2021

Bangkok Time 3PM | Liverpool Time 9AM

Online by ZOOM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://kku-th.zoom.us/j/99059261311?pwd=ZjQzSjYwK3VHQlRrSzJIOVFRcXVMQT09

Meeting ID: 990 5926 1311

Passcode: 313191

Register now: https://forms.gle/UwmE9frbW1zteHfRA

 

MDKKU student representatives to the International Online Summer School on “Advanced Medical Technology”

 

Mr. Naratiphong Saengrit, Miss Nutlada Muangsongchun and Miss Chatinya Somcharoen, 3rd year Radiological Technology students from the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, were recently selected to participate in the International Online Summer School entitled “Advanced Medical Technology”.

International Online Summer School, a radiological technology student training program, managed by Faculty of Radiological Technology, Fujita Health University, Japan between August 23-27, 2021, teaches international Advanced Medical Technologies, including; Medical Imaging, AI, Radiation Therapy, Radiation Dosing, Diagnostic Imaging, Applied Radiation Technology and do group working.  Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the International Summer School is online this year.

The Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University congratulates these students for receiving such a learning opportunity.

 

TropMed Webinar: Glycan microarrays – much-needed tools to unravel microbe-host interactions

 

We are excited to invite you to join the Tropical Medicine Webinar Series via ZOOM on the topic “Glycan microarrays – much-needed tools to unravel microbe-host interactions” by Dr. Yan Liu, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London.

Date: July 23, 2021

Time: 3.00 – 4.30 PM (Bangkok Time)

Register now:

 

Online by ZOOM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://kku-th.zoom.us/j/95326402554?pwd=S2NnYWE0Y2NJZy82M2g0aGFQV1N3dz09

Meeting ID: 953 2640 2554

Passcode: 290821

Or qr code

 

Helminth vaccines: from pre-clinical concepts to human efficacy trials


On June 22, 2021
, the Tropical Medicine Graduate Program, Khon Kaen University held their 3rd Tropical Medicine Webinar on the topic “Helminth vaccines: from pre-clinical concepts to human efficacy trials” expert presenter Professor Alex Loukas, Distinguished Professor Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.

The welcome speech was given by Assistant Professor Sutas Suttiprapa, Director of the Tropical Medicine Graduate Program, KKU-MD, who welcomed the opportunity to learn and share insights about “Helminth vaccines: from pre-clinical concepts to human efficacy trials.”

The presentation explained the Life cycle of Necator americanus, or hookworm. Living in the small intestine, they   attach to the lining of the intestinal wall and suck blood and vitreous from the intestines. The female worm can lay 6000-20000 eggs per day, which are expelled with feces. With appropriate temperature and humidity, the larvae emerge from the egg in 1-2 days, and as first stage larvae, rhabditiform larvae, grow in soil or feces. They then molt into second stage embryo, in 5-10 days, and develop into the third filariform embryo in 5-10 days. These can penetrate   human skin and migrate into the veins, the heart, the lungs, from the lungs, into the esophagus, then the stomach and into small intestines.  Most older hookworms are evicted in one to two years but some can live for many years.

As a possible solution to hookworm infection a vaccine is in testing to increase the number of white blood cells Eosinophilia, which are responsible for preventing helminth infections, allergies, and tissue inflammation. Approximately 450 Eosinophil cells are normally found in the blood. Following vaccination, significant reductions in hamster fluke load has been found.

In conclusions TSPs appear to be good vaccine antigens and gene silencing (RNAi) and preliminary gene knock-out (CRISPR-Cas9) studies suggest that TSPs are essential-lethal phenotypes.

Future helminth vaccine directions

-Assess impact of vaccination on CCA in hamster model

-Explore other oral delivery methods that can be translated for human use (liposomes, chitosan nanoparticles)

-Probe proteome array with sera from protected mammalian hosts (eg. irradiated metacercariae)

-Test multivalent constructs or chimeric antigens

 

 

 

Written by Miss Taksaporn Vongsa-Nga

Mister Adisorn Tadsakorn

Edit by Professor John F Smith

Tissue Engineering in Clinical Research

 

On April 21, 2021, the third online Joint-Institute Forum (JIF) on the topic of Tissue Engineering in Clinical Research was held in a collaboration between the Departments of Biochemistry, Surgery, and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University (MDKKU) ,the Thai National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) and Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, UK.

The welcome speech “Learning and sharing insight of Tissue Engineering in Clinical Research” was given by Dr. Jutarop Phetcharaburanin- Assistant to the Dean for Research and International Relations Affairs, MDKKU.

Following the opening ceremony, there was a talk, Professor James Phillips, Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, UK presented on ‘Nervous system tissue engineering and regenerative medicine’ ,‘Multi-Omics of Weight-Loss Surgery’ ,and “CNS tissue engineering and regenerative medicine”, followed by,

Dr. Papon Muangsanit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), a member of National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), on ‘Aligned endothelial cell and Schwann cell structures in 3D hydrogel for peripheral nerve tissue engineering’,

Dr. Sinobol Chusilp, Department of Surgery, on ‘Intratumoral Microbiome in Cholangiocarcinoma’,

Dr. Kanokrat Thaiwatcharamas, Department of Surgery, on ‘Intestinal organoid as an ex vivo model to study necrotizing entero-colitis in infants’, and, finally by

Dr. Poramate Klanrit, Department of Biochemistry, on ‘Modeling of Cholangiocarcinoma through three-dimensional (3D) cell culture’.

The webinar spurred knowledge exchange to improve the quality of research and practice in the future.

 

 

Written by Miss Taksaporn Vongsa-Nga

A One Health Approach to End Neglected Tropical Diseases

 

The Tropical Medicine Graduate Program and the Tropical Diseases Research Center (TDRC), Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University jointly organized a Special Webinar on “A One Health Approach to End Neglected Tropical Diseases” by Professor Darren Gray, Head of the Department of Global Health, Australian National University, Acton, Australia, on May 28, 2021.

 

 

 

It highlighted the problem of neglected tropical diseases that affect populations living in poverty and in close contact with disease vectors, such as, animals/livestock, and unclean water sources and poor sanitation.  These provide breeding grounds for pathogens such as Guinea parasites, blood flukes, etc.  Drug treatment are available but the infections can come back again if risky behavior continues.   The One Health approach is required to overcome the impact of tropical diseases. Integrated interventions for disease control are needed to -advance the WHO 2030 roadmap for the control and elimination of NTDs. New holistic evidence-based approaches should combine human, animal, and environmental health practices and disciplines to lead to overall good health. “One Health” approaches are key to overcoming the impact of tropical disease and achieving elimination targets.  A successful Chinese example of a multi-component integrated (One Health) approach is in schistosomiasis control and is now a high priority for the Chinese Government for addressing HIV/AIDs and TB.

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Miss Taksaporn Vongsa-Nga

Mister Adisorn Tadsakorn

Edited by  Miss Kanokphorn Hinthao

Professor John Smith