On March 5, 2024, MDKKU welcomed two public health master’s students, Elvira and Kaia, from Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway to the Tropical Disease Research Center (TDRC). Both are involved in the multi-country project named “Pandemic Literacy and Viral Zoonotic Spillover Risk at the Frontline of Disease Emergence in Southeast Asia to Improve Pandemic Preparedness (PANDASIA).” Their research is under the supervision of Dr. Hans Overgaard, the Project leader who holds a joint appointment with MDKKU and NMBU.

They met with Professor Dr. Banchob Sripa, Director of KKU-TDRC, along with Dr. Overgaard, Assoc. Prof. Sirikachorn Tangkawattana, KKU Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and TDRC staff, and discussed research and plans for field work in hi-risk communities.

PANDASIA is investigating potential pandemic drivers along nature-rural-urban gradients through a comprehensive collection of social and biological data and predictive modelling of zoonotic spillover rates and disease emergence in high-risk settings in Thailand and Lao PDR.

Reporting by Sathaphorn Onlamun

Editing by Prof. John F Smith