The Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) signed an MOU with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) of the UK for collaboration on research and human resources development in the field of biotechnology and biological sciences with focuses on three
research areas: 1) Zoonoses and Food Borne Diseases, 2) Crop Sequencing, and 3) Novel Biological Natural Products. This MOU is an extension arm of International Research Network (IRN) under the Thailand’s Royal Jubilee Ph.D. Program initiated in 2011. The research fellows in this program serve as connecting point between Thailand and the U.K. and will work in the related labs in U.K. for one year. This program aims to create 25 specialists in 5 years.
Dr. Kanyawim Kirtikara, BIOTEC’s Executive Director, mentioned that the research program focuses especially on zoonoses and food borne diseases from the contaminated poultry consumption. This needs to be brought under control to prevent possible damage to the Thai export industry.