Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat opens the Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Research and Medical Innovation, building  knowledge and developing research for commercial use.

Wednesday 14 June 2023

     The Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University opened the Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Research and Medical Innovation (ESRI), having Assoc. Prof. Atchara Tangsathapornphong, M.D. Deputy Dean for Finance and Administration, Prof. Dr. Sirikul Manochan, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Head of the Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Research and Medical Innovation along with the management team and personnel of the Faculty of Medicine attended the opening ceremony of the center on June 12, 2023 at the Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University.

     Prof. Dr. Sirikul Manochan, Head of the Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Research and Medical Innovation, Thammasat University said that the center received support from Thammasat University on August 6, 2014. There are research results in stem cells continuously published in leading international journals. It is also a source of increasing experience in stem cell research for undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Medicine program and the Bachelor of Science Program. It also produces graduate students in stem cell biology and technology which is the country's top manpower.

     In the fiscal year 2022, the center has received a total budget of 40,000,000 Thai baht to improve the land and buildings which consists of 3 parts: 1. Laboratory for stem cell culture; 2. Laboratory for the production of stem cells and stem cell products according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards for the production of stem cells and stem cell products relevant for medical and commercial use; and 3. Advanced Instrumentation Laboratory, providing analysis services at the gene and molecular levels using advanced technologies such as Gene Expression Analysis, Solid Tumor Profiling, PanCancer Pathway, etc.

     Prof. Dr. Sirikul concluded that the center will be focusing on education, study and research to create knowledge and innovation in the field of stem cells and further develop the body of knowledge from basic research to medical applications. This leads to further development in commercial use as well as being developed to be a learning center and real- experience training for medical students, resident doctors, graduate students at both master's and doctoral levels to create a new generation of researchers with expertise in stem cells in order to enhance the capability of Thai researchers to compete with other countries in the ASEAN region.