Tag: Thailand

Chulalongkorn University congratulates “Rambure,” a team of students from the Faculty of Integrated Agriculture, Chulalongkorn University, on winning the Sriracha Hackathon 2026 for the “Sustainable Agriculture & Food Innovation” Prototype category. The Sriracha Hackathon 2026 is a university-level innovation competition organized by Kasetsart University, Sriracha Campus, on September 11, 2026. 

“Sriracha Hackathon 2026” features an innovation competition aimed at discovering outstanding ideas and applications of artificial intelligence and digital technologies to drive sustainability under the theme “AI & Digital Green Innovation for Sustainable Future.” More than 100 teams of university students from 16 universities across Thailand submitted entries to the competition, with a rigorous selection process narrowing the field to 36 finalist teams in both the Ideate and Prototype categories. Their solutions addressed sustainability across various dimensions, including Smart Green Living & Sustainable Community, Smart Environment & Circular Economy, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Innovation, and Digital Health & Well-being.

The members of Rambure consist of students from the Faculty of Integrated Agriculture, Chulalongkorn University, as follows: 

·       Miss Kirana Tinnasiri 

·       Miss Nannalin Thongmak 

·       Miss Panchewa Priksuk 

·       Prof. Dr. Thanyasiporn Na Nan is the advisor

The achievement of students from the Faculty of Integrated Agriculture, Chulalongkorn University, reflects their creativity, teamwork skills, and potential to apply their knowledge to develop innovative ideas and prototypes, paving the way for solutions that address the needs of society and the future. 

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/429376/

What if a weapon against some of the world’s most stubborn bacteria were hiding in the soil beneath our feet? Could these microscopic hunters help us confront antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” and bacterial diseases devastating shrimp? The answer may lie in understanding these astonishing viruses—and the hidden battles unfolding all around us.

Highlights

·       Decoding Microbes, Designing Tomorrow’s Therapies

·       Bacteriophages: Viruses That Hunt Bacteria

·       Building a Protective “Nucleus”

·       Phage Therapy vs Superbug 

·       The Churi phage: A Discovery Beneath a Fallen Tree

·       Phage: A Promising Future Therapy 

·       Phages in the Global Spotlight 

·       From Human Health to Shrimp Farms

·       Meet the Star Phages: Eric and Ariel 

·       The Phage Cocktail

·       From Research to Commercial Application

·       Shrimp Mortality Control 

·       The Challenges Beyond the Science

·       CAPSiD: Building a Library of Tiny Weapons

·       Beyond Shrimp

·       The Future for Fighting Bacteria

Researchers at Chulalongkorn University are exploring an extraordinary class of viruses called jumbophages—giant bacteriophages that prey on bacteria. Among them are unusual “nucleus-forming” phages that build a protective compartment inside infected bacterial cells, creating a microscopic battlefield unlike anything seen in ordinary phage infections.

These remarkable viruses could open new possibilities for tackling antibiotic-resistant bacteria and diseases that threaten shrimp farming. From the ground beneath our trees to the tiniest arenas of microbial life, researchers are uncovering a hidden world where viruses hunt bacteria—and where new tools for fighting disease may be waiting.

Decoding Microbes, Designing Tomorrow’s Therapies

At Chulalongkorn University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vorrapon Chaikeeratisak of the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, has studied an unusual group of bacterial viruses known as nucleus-forming jumbophages. Since 2018, his laboratory, known as The Microbe Lab, focuses on three interconnected themes: bacteriophages, phage-derived antimicrobials, and antibiotic discovery. 

“Our focus is on understanding how bacteriophages infect bacteria and how they can be used to target multidrug-resistant pathogens. We also develop bacterial cytological profiling methods to see what happens inside bacterial cells when they are exposed to antibiotics or phage-derived proteins. Ultimately, we want to understand how these treatments kill bacteria and uncover new ways to fight difficult-to-treat infections.”

Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon said the ultimate goal of this project is to support alternative ways to treat infections, tackling one of the world’s growing health threats – antimicrobial resistance. Within a decade, that vision has shown to become a reality. His research reveals a remarkable twist: nature’s microscopic predators might just be our best defense against harmful bacteria threatening human health, food supply and sustainable farming.

The Microbe Lab, focuses on three interconnected themes: bacteriophages, phage-derived antimicrobials, and antibiotic discovery. 

Focuses on three interconnected themes: bacteriophages, phage-derived antimicrobials, and antibiotic discovery. 

Bacteriophages: Viruses That Hunt Bacteria

Bacteriophages, or simply phages, are viruses that infect bacteria. They attach to bacterial cells, inject their genetic material and take over the cell’s machinery to produce new phages. Eventually, the infected cell bursts, releasing the new viruses to infect other bacteria.

Phages come in an extraordinary range of shapes and sizes. Some are tiny, while others carry exceptionally large genomes and are known as jumbo or giant phages.

Among the most unusual are nucleus-forming jumbophages.

A giant phage infects a bacterium. A nucleus-like compartment (green) is formed to protect the newly synthesized phage genomes from bacterial defense systems. The capsids (gray) of the new phage travel along filaments called PhuZ (yellow) to be delivered to the nucleus where they dock in order to package phage DNA. Eventually, the bacterial cell lyses and the new phage emerge ready to infect new bacteria.

 A giant phage infects a bacterium. A nucleus-like compartment (green) is formed to protect the newly synthesized phage genomes from bacterial defense systems. The capsids (gray) of the new phage travel along filaments called PhuZ (yellow) to be delivered to the nucleus where they dock in order to package phage DNA. Eventually, the bacterial cell lyses and the new phage emerge ready to infect new bacteria.

Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon first encountered these viruses during his postdoctoral research at the University of California San Diego, where he worked with Prof. Joe Pogliano, Department of Molecular Biology and Collaborative to Halt Antibiotic-Resistant Microbes (CHARM). What fascinated him was not simply their size, but their sophisticated strategy for surviving inside infected bacteria.

Building a Protective “Nucleus”

Unlike most phages, nucleus-forming jumbophages construct a protective protein shell around their DNA after infection. This compartment resembles a nucleus and separates the phage genome from many of the bacterium’s defense mechanisms.

“Bacteria are anything but passive hosts; they possess sophisticated defenses that detect and eliminate foreign genetic material. By forming a protected nucleus-like compartment, phages create an additional layer of defense, enabling their genomes to replicate shielded from some of the host’s antiviral mechanisms.” Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon shared.

Understanding this unusual system could help researchers develop new strategies for controlling bacteria—including strains that have become resistant to conventional antibiotics.

Phage Therapy vs Superbug 

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the world’s growing health challenges. A 2024 Lancet Series on antimicrobial resistance study forecast since 2016 that 10 million people could die annually from AMR by 2050. In Thailand, the Second National Action Plan on AMR 2023-2027, revealed that AMR is attributed to 38,000 deaths annually, and the numbers will continue to rise if no immediate and efficient actions been in place.

The rising death statistics are caused by “Superbug”, a bacterium that has developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, making infections increasingly difficult to treat.

Phages offer a fundamentally different approach. Rather than using a chemical drug to kill bacteria, phage therapy harnesses viruses that naturally infect and destroy specific bacterial targets. 

“The idea is straightforward: when antibiotics can no longer kill a specific bacterium, a naturally occurring phage that targets that bacterium may offer an alternative.” Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon explained.

But phage therapy is not simply a replacement for antibiotics. Phages are highly specific biological agents, and their effectiveness depends on selecting the right phage for the right bacterial strain. Their clinical use therefore requires careful testing, formulation and regulation.

The Churi phage: A Discovery Beneath a Fallen Tree

One of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vorrapon’s most memorable discoveries began in an unexpectedly ordinary place. In 2019, a large Chamchuri tree fell on the Chulalongkorn University campus. Researchers collected soil from beneath it as part of an effort to build a collection of phages found in Thailand.

Among the discoveries was Churi, a jumbophage isolated from campus soil and named after the Chamchuri trees. According to Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon, Churi infects Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen associated with hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance. Churi belongs to the family Chimalliviridae, whose members have genomes exceeding 200,000 base pairs and form a nucleus-like compartment inside bacterial cells.

In simple terms, Churi:

1. injects its DNA into the bacterium;

2. builds a protective “phage nucleus”;

3. replicates its genome inside that compartment; and

4. shields much of its viral DNA from bacterial defense systems.

The discovery demonstrated that Thailand’s own environment could be a rich source of phages with potentially valuable properties.

Phage: A Promising Future Therapy 

On April 2026, the potential medical value of phage research became particularly clear when Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon’s team was contacted by a Thai hospital treating a patient infected with a drug-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. With conventional antibiotics providing limited options, the hospital sought information about phages that might target the bacterium. 

A scenario like this demonstrates the urgent need for researchers to find alternatives to conventional antibiotics. 

“Unfortunately, we could not proceed further because a clear regulatory pathway for clinical phage use in Thailand is not yet established,’’ Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon reflected. “Phage therapy, though considering as a potential option, is still an emerging field. Yet carefully selected phages could eventually give us another way to treat difficult bacterial infections.”

In Thailand, scientific potential faces a regulatory hurdle. Without a framework specifically designed for phage products, there is still a gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical application.

To bridge this gap, Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon together with Prof. Joe Pogliano and Prof. David Pride, a prominent leader at The Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (iPATH), have been working toward strengthening phage research and clinical capabilities in Thailand. The proposed Center for Applied Phage Science and Discovery (CAPSiD) in Chulalongkorn University is part of this broader vision, connecting basic research, clinical needs and future applications.

Phages in the Global Spotlight 

Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon’s story of discovery and research was featured on CNN’s Vital Signs program in an episode titled “How Naturally Occurring Viruses Could Help Treat Superbug Infections.” The international recognition is highly encouraging, Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon said, as it introduces phage research to audiences beyond the scientific community. 

“The feature highlights the potential of naturally occurring viruses, or bacteriophages, in addressing antibiotic-resistant infections and showcases our work and story as part of this important field of research. Being featured on CNN’s Vital Signs provided an opportunity to communicate to a much broader audience that bacteriophages are not simply laboratory curiosities—they may provide practical solutions to major challenges such as antimicrobial resistance and bacterial diseases in aquaculture,” Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon shared.

Watch the full feature here: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/health/2023/12/05/phages-antibiotic-resistance-research-vital-signs-intl-spc.cnn

“For our research group, this visibility has also opened opportunities for international collaboration and discussions with researchers, industry, farmers, and other stakeholders. It has strengthened our motivation to move beyond proof-of-concept studies toward technologies that can actually be used in the field.”

“Perhaps most importantly, greater public awareness helps people understand that phage therapy represents a complementary biological approach to controlling bacterial infections, rather than simply another replacement for antibiotics. This broader understanding will be important as Thailand develops the scientific evidence, regulatory framework, and public confidence needed for future phage applications,” Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon continued.

From Human Health to Shrimp Farms

Beyond human health, the research extends to aquatic animal health, where phage technology targets lethal bacterial pathogens threatening Thailand’s shrimp industry, including acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), commonly known as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS). The disease is associated with pathogenic strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and can cause devastating losses.

In respond to this challenge, Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon’s team has been investigating nucleus-forming jumbophages that target Vibrio bacteria, working with the Department of Fisheries and collecting samples from major shrimp-producing areas including Chanthaburi, Chachoengsao, Krabi, Rayong, Songkhla, Pattani and Phuket. 

The approach is fundamentally different from broad-spectrum antibiotics. Phages can target specific bacterial strains while leaving many other microorganisms untouched. 

The researchers compare the principle to targeted cancer therapy: instead of attacking everything, the treatment focuses on a particular biological target. That specificity can be a major advantage—but it also means that success cannot always be measured simply by whether total bacterial numbers decline. The key question is whether the harmful bacterium has been controlled while beneficial microorganisms remain intact.

Meet the Star Phages: Eric and Ariel 

Among the most promising phages discovered during the aquaculture research were two nucleus-forming jumbophages collected from marine samples near Songkhla. 

They were named Eric and Ariel, inspired partly by Disney’s animation The Little Mermaid and partly by their ocean origins.

Their discovery was closely linked to collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, which works directly with shrimp farmers. When farmers encounter disease outbreaks, fisheries officials collect samples and identify the bacterial strains involved. Researchers can then use those local strains to search for matching phages. 

According to Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon, “This local approach is crucial. Instead of relying on generic solutions developed elsewhere, scientists can identify phages specifically adapted to the bacterial strains present in Thailand’s own aquaculture environments.”

The Phage Cocktail

A single phage may kill one bacterial strain but have little effect on another. To overcome this limitation, researchers combine several phages into a phage cocktail. Each phage acts as a specialist targeting particular bacterial strains. Together, they can potentially provide broader coverage and reduce the risk that bacteria will develop resistance to any one phage.

But developing a successful cocktail involves more than identifying effective phages. Researchers must also determine the right combination, formulation, dosage, delivery method and storage conditions.

From Research to Commercial Application

Currently, the research has advanced toward commercial development with the creation of LeapMicroTech’s “3in1 Jumbophage cocktail”, a phage-based biological solution designed for bacterial disease control in aquaculture. 

“While this cocktail delivers a highly targeted approach for controlling bacterial outbreaks compared to conventional antibiotics, its broader value lies in its exquisite bacterial specificity. By selectively eliminating pathogens, it preserves beneficial microorganisms and provides a viable strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant strains,” Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon said. 

Shrimp Mortality Control 

One of the most dramatic field observations came from a commercial shrimp farm where shrimp disease known as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) had repeatedly threatened production. The team of researchers conducted a field comparison involving two neighboring ponds. One served as a comparison, while the other received phage-treated feed.

Around day 29 of the production cycle, a major die-off occurred in the untreated pond. According to the farm’s estimate, approximately 100,000 shrimp died in a single day. Samples showed evidence consistent with EMS.

The researchers then introduced their phage cocktail into the affected pond. Within a couple days, they observed no further shrimp deaths in the treated pond. Their analysis indicated that the bacteria associated with the disease had been eliminated following treatment.

Shrimp Mortality Control

The neighboring pond receiving phages as a feed supplement also experienced no shrimp mortality during the observation period described by the researchers. While such results require further controlled validation, they illustrate the potential of phage technology as a tool for managing bacterial disease in aquaculture.

The researchers concluded the outcomes of phage cocktail application on shrimp farms as follow:

·       Reduced mortality caused by bacterial infections

·       Potential replacement or reduction of antibiotic use

·       Sustainable disease management for aquaculture

·       Possibility of adapting the technology for other bacterial diseases in animals and humans

The Challenges Beyond the Science

Scientific discovery is only the beginning. For phage technology to become a widely used medical or agricultural product, researchers must also address regulation, intellectual property, manufacturing, quality control, farmer education and distribution.

Biggest challenge is human habits, Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon said and shared his concern that farmers who have relied on familiar products for years may naturally be cautious about a treatment based on viruses. Phages do not work like antibiotics, and their effects may need to be evaluated differently. That makes field demonstrations especially important. Real-world experience can help farmers understand not only what the technology does, but also how to use it effectively.

CAPSiD: Building a Library of Tiny Weapons

The researchers are thinking beyond individual phages such as Churi, Eric and Ariel.

Their longer-term vision includes the proposed CAPSiD Center, which would expand Thailand’s collection—or “library”—of phages available for research and development.

Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon highlighted the prospect of capsids researches, “Capsids are more than protective shells: their structures can potentially be adapted as nanoparticles, delivery systems, vaccine platforms and diagnostic tools.” 

In creating CAPSiD Center, Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon hopes to bring together researchers, clinicians, veterinarians, industry partners, government agencies, and young scientists within one translational platform. 

“My vision for CAPSiD – the Center for Applied Phage Science and Discovery is to create a national hub that bridges fundamental phage science with real-world applications. Thailand has strong biodiversity and significant potential for discovering novel bacteriophages, but discovery alone is not enough. We need an ecosystem that can move promising phages through characterization, formulation, validation, scale-up, regulatory approval, and ultimately commercialization.” – Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon Chaikeeratisak

In the long term, he hopes CAPSiD can help transform Thailand’s unique microbial biodiversity into high-value biological technologies and products. Instead of being only a source of biological resources, Thailand could become a developer and exporter of phage-based innovations, contributing to a sustainable bioeconomy and One Health solutions.

Each phage could potentially become a biological component of a future treatment. Beyond medicine, phages have tremendous potential in aquaculture, agriculture, food safety, and biotechnology. Therefore, the larger and more diverse the library, the more options researchers would have for developing cocktails against different bacterial targets. The idea is ambitious but straightforward: if bacteria continue to evolve, researchers need a diverse collection of biological tools that can evolve with them.

Beyond Shrimp

The same strategy could eventually be applied to other areas of agriculture. 

Researchers have discovered numerous nucleus-forming jumbophages and are exploring their potential against bacterial diseases affecting livestock and poultry, including chickens and pigs.

These applications remain at earlier stages. Researchers must first identify suitable phages, develop cocktails and conduct laboratory testing before progressing to controlled trials in farming environments. This highlights a broader lesson: scientific discovery requires an ecosystem around it.

Researchers need access to bacterial strains, relationships with farmers, regulatory pathways, manufacturing capacity and practical knowledge of each industry. The Department of Fisheries provides an important bridge in aquaculture, and similar partnerships will be essential for expanding phage technology into other sectors.

The Future for Fighting Bacteria

The story of these phages stretches across very different worlds. It begins in soil beneath a fallen Chamchuri tree. It continues in laboratories studying microscopic viruses and drug-resistant bacteria. It reaches ocean samples collected near Songkhla and shrimp farms across southern Thailand. Along the way, it connects microbiologists, fisheries officials, farmers, clinicians and biotechnology researchers. 

“Over the next 10 years, I expect research to move from describing these remarkable structures toward understanding their molecular mechanisms and eventually learning how to harness them. Their unusual biology may reveal new antimicrobial targets, enzymes, delivery systems, and biotechnology tools. Their ability to overcome some bacterial defense systems may also make them particularly interesting candidates for developing robust therapeutic phages.” 

Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon believes that the next decade will be particularly exciting for nucleus-forming jumbophages. These phages have completely changed the perception of how sophisticated viruses can be. By constructing a nucleus-like compartment inside bacterial cells and organizing their own intracellular machinery, they reveal biological principles that we can only begin to understand.

For Thailand, the opportunity is especially significant. An enormous and still largely unexplored reservoir of jumbophages is provided by the country’s rich biodiversity. By integrating discovery, fundamental biology, engineering, translational research, and commercialization, these natural biological resources could be transformed into innovations for human health, livestock, aquaculture, agriculture, and food production.

“Ultimately, I hope Thailand can become not only a place where new jumbophages are discovered, but also a global center where their biology is understood and translated into technologies that contribute to health security, sustainable agriculture, and the bioeconomy.” Assoc. Prof. Vorrapon

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/427670/

As the world faces increasingly complex challenges in sustainability and energy transition, technology alone may not be enough. For Marco de Jong, CEO and Founder of Euralinx and an exchange student alumnus of Chulalongkorn University, meaningful progress depends on collaboration across businesses, policymakers and cultures.

Highlights

·       Collaboration Beyond Technology

·       From Innovation to Real-World Impact

·       Start Small, Build Gradually

·       Lessons from Chula: Learning Across Cultures

·       Watch the videos for this story

“No single region has all the answers. Europe and Asia each has its strengths, and we need each other now more than ever. If we can look beyond our own interests and work together, we can turn global ideas into real-world impact.” — Mr. Marco de Jong

Collaboration Beyond Technology

For De Jong, one of the biggest challenges in addressing sustainability and energy transition is not necessarily technology itself, but collaboration. Bringing together businesses, policymakers and governments requires an understanding of different regulatory environments as well as cultural perspectives.

“Every nation is needed. It all comes together through business, government, and regulations. Action at the national level alone is not enough.” De Jong said.

Through his work with Euralinx, the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce and ASEANCham EU, De Jong connects businesses and innovators across Europe and Asia, exploring how technologies and ideas developed in one region can contribute to challenges in another.

From Innovation to Real-World Impact

De Jong focuses on practical and scalable solutions that can make an impact in the short term. Rather than waiting for technologies that may take 10 or 15 years to become viable, he looks for innovations that are already available and can be implemented today.

One area he has explored is air quality. Technologies developed in the Netherlands, for example, could help reduce fine particulate emissions from trucks in Thailand and other Asian countries.

He also points to the importance of creating a viable business case for innovation. While zero-emission technologies remain an important long-term goal, solutions that can significantly reduce emissions today can also contribute to the transition.

“I prefer to look at innovations that are tangible and implementable in the short term.”

Start Small, Build Gradually

For young entrepreneurs, researchers and students working on sustainability and innovation, De Jong recommends starting with manageable projects and developing them over time.

“Start small and then build it up slowly. Often, when businesses start, the first idea is not necessarily the solution that is going to be successful.” — Mr. Marco de Jong

He believes that innovation is an iterative process. Successful solutions often emerge by testing ideas, learning from experience and adapting them to real-world conditions.

Lessons from Chula: Learning Across Cultures

De Jong’s approach to cross-cultural collaboration is also rooted in his experience as an exchange student at Chulalongkorn University. Originally planning to stay in Bangkok for only six months, he decided to extend his stay after realizing there was much more he wanted to learn.

Living in a dormitory with Thai students from different parts of the country helped him get to know Thai society and build friendships that have lasted well beyond his exchange program. He remains in contact with fellow students and continues to value the international network he built at Chula.

Looking back, De Jong sees his experience at Chula as an important part of his understanding of how people from different backgrounds can connect and collaborate.

“What I’ve learned over time is that no single region has all the answers. Europe and Asia each has its strengths, and we need each other now more than ever.”

For De Jong, the path toward a more sustainable future lies not only in developing new technologies, but in building the relationships, understanding and cooperation needed to turn those technologies into real-world solutions.

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/429415/

Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University, presided over the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Chulalongkorn University and its partner companies—Inspur Cloud Information Technology Co., Ltd., Fuse One Co., Ltd., and PMX Solutions (Thailand) Co., Ltd.—to collaborate on establishing an on-campus Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (Chula AI Lab). The ceremony was held on September 9, 2026, at Room 111, Maha Chulalongkorn Building.

The signing of the MOU marks the beginning of a collaboration to establish the Chula AI Lab within the university. The laboratory is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. Its goal is to develop and advance AI capabilities in ways that maximize benefits for the advancement of knowledge and the development of AI professionals in Thailand.

Under this collaboration, the Chula AI Lab will serve both as a learning center and a hands-on training space for artificial intelligence (AI), providing students and members of the general public with opportunities to learn through practical experimentation using Inspur Cloud’s servers, hardware, and software.

The collaboration will also encompass knowledge exchange and technology transfer related to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) across various industries, including robotics, medicine and public health, logistics, and smart factories.

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/425753/

Chulalongkorn University takes pride in acknowledging four Chula alumni who have been honored by the National Culture Commission as National Artists for 2025 in various fields. They are being lauded for creating works of outstanding artistic value and making significant contributions to society and the nation, as follows:

1. Professor Emeritus Dr. Surapone Virulrak, an alumnus of the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, and former Dean of the Faculty of Communication Arts and the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, is a National Artist in Performing Arts (Film and Drama). A Fellow of the Royal Society of Thailand in the Division of Dramatic Arts, he previously served as President of the Royal Society of Thailand. He received the National Outstanding Researcher Award in Philosophy in 2003.

 

2. Mr. Nat Yontararak, an alumnus of the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, is a National Artist in Performing Arts (Western Music). He has made significant contributions to music education, composition, and the creation and promotion of classical music in Thailand. He was the first Thai artist to be selected as a Steinway Artist, one of the highest honors for pianists worldwide. In 2006, he was named a Silapathorn Artist in Music and became the first Thai pianist to receive a knighthood from Italy.

 

3. Dr. Porntam Thamwimon, an alumnus of the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, is a National Artist in Visual Arts (Landscape Architecture). He is an expert in both the academic and professional fields of landscape architecture. He has created numerous notable works that have received national recognition and acclaim. He is an associate member of the Royal Society of Thailand in the field of architectural arts, specializing in landscape architecture, under the Division of Fine Arts.

 

4. Mr. Somsak Thatti, an alumnus of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University, is a National Artist in Performing Arts (Thai Classical Dance – Khon). He has devoted himself to and made longstanding contributions to the Khon performing arts, having created outstanding and widely recognized works, both academic and artistic, aimed at studying and preserving the art of Khon performance. He has served both as a performer and as a teacher and transmitter of knowledge in this field.

Read more at:  https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/425767/

 

Chulalongkorn University presented its metaverse innovation, “MANGOs,” a three-dimensional virtual-world platform, at the Royal Thai Police Innovation Contest and Exhibition 2026 (Police Innovation Contest 2026) on August 24, 2026, at the Bunyachinda Conference Room, Police Club.

Police Lieutenant General Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, Assistant Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, and chairman of the ceremony described the event as an important platform that gives personnel the opportunity to transform their professional experience into innovations that improve public services and help the Royal Thai Police become a modern, efficient organization capable of providing better care and protection for the public.

Police Major General Kamphon Leelapraphaporn, Commander of the Technology Support Division, Office of Information and Communication Technology, explained that the event aims to enhance official operations through a comprehensive approach to public safety by integrating technology into police work.

The contest therefore encourages police officers to develop inventions based on challenges encountered in their actual work, with the goal of further developing these ideas into innovative solutions that can be implemented at command-level units nationwide.

Assistant Professor Dr. Panyawat Wangyao, Chair of the Defense Engineering and Technology Program, together with Professor Dr. Lunchakorn Wuttisittikulkij of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, and their team, represented the university in exhibiting and demonstrating their innovation, “MANGOs (Metaverse of Academic Nexus for Global Opportunities) for safety applications.”

The team showcased the platform’s capabilities and the university’s research, demonstrating how the technology can be applied to enhance safety operations. One example is the simulation of emergency situations at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (formerly Bang Sue Grand Station), which can be used to improve policies for crowd evacuation in complex environments. The innovation attracted considerable interest from participants at the event.

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/424079/

The Department of Otolaryngology, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, is reaffirming its four decades of success as Thailand’s first medical institution to perform cochlear implant surgery. The department continues to advance hearing-related technologies and innovations to help people with hearing impairments regain the ability to communicate and carry out their daily lives with a better quality of life. 

The journey began in 1986, when Associate Professor Dr. Kanate Vaewvichit performed Thailand’s initial cochlear implant surgery. The first patient is now 84 years old and continues to use the device effectively for everyday communication. 

Assistant Professor Dr. Paninee Charusripan, an otolaryngology specialist, said, “Over the past 40 years, Chulalongkorn Hospital has remained committed to continuously advancing hearing treatment and technology. We have been a leader in introducing hearing-assistive devices and new innovations to Thailand for the first time, including Bonebridge, Vibrant Soundbridge, and OSIA. We have also established collaborations with various networks to strengthen medical capabilities and promote equitable access to treatment for the public.” 

In addition to advanced technological treatments, Chulalongkorn Hospital places strong emphasis on holistic care, ranging from newborn hearing screening to hearing screening for older adults to help prevent cognitive decline. A multidisciplinary team—including otolaryngologists, pediatricians, audiologists, speech therapists, and craniofacial surgeons—works together to provide comprehensive care for patients. 

Social and Charitable Initiatives 

As part of its social mission, Chulalongkorn Hospital has also continued to carry out charitable medical programs, including

• Kaew Ta Jai Project, initiated in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, on the occasion of her 80th birthday. The project has provided cochlear implant surgery to 8 patients.
• 84 Phattha Project in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, on the occasion of her 84th birthday. The project has provided implantable hearing devices to 7 patients. 
• Advanced Medical Services in Honor of His Majesty the King, through which 2 patients have received implantation of an Active Middle Ear Implant. 
• A project in collaboration with the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center, providing implantable hearing devices for patients born without ear canals. The program has continued to the present day and has treated 6 patients. 

The achievements of the past four decades reflect the mission of Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, to provide medical treatment and rehabilitation while improving people’s quality of life through the continuous development and creation of medical innovations in hearing care. The hospital remains committed to advancing hearing healthcare and ultimately promoting sustainable well-being for Thai society.

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/422969/

A Chula Medical Technology lecturer has developed Metaverse Lab-XR, an innovative virtual laboratory that allows students to practice lab procedures and develop the soft skills needed for real-world work in hospitals, preparing them to become skilled and knowledgeable medical technologists.

Highlights

·       Virtual Lab Offers Unlimited Practice While Reducing Infection Risks

·       Fungal Infection Diagnosis as the First Virtual Lab

·       Building Well-Rounded Skills for Future Medical Technologists  

·       Virtual Lab Improves Learning by 20%

·       Inspiring the Future of Medical Technology

For medical technology students, laboratory skills are just as important as theoretical knowledge. However, developing these skills into expertise requires extensive hands-on practice. This “used to be” a challenge for third- and fourth-year students at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, in their Clinical Microbiology classes.

“In this course, students first study the theory before moving on to a three-hour practical session in a simulated laboratory. The department prepares the lab for around 100 students, but not everyone learns at the same pace. Some students pick things up quickly, while others may still be getting familiar with the lab environment when the session ends, leaving them little time to fully understand what they are learning before they have to move on to a new topic.” Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn Worasilchai, a lecturer in the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, explained the challenge that inspired the development of Metaverse Lab-XR, an innovative learning tool for medical technology students. The innovation received the Excellent Innovation Award for Outstanding Innovation in Student Development from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI) in September 2025.

“We want to make sure that all students reach the same level before moving on to the next lesson. With Metaverse Lab-XR, students can learn and practice laboratory procedures in a virtual environment that simulates a hospital laboratory—the setting where they will eventually work after graduation. In this virtual environment, students can practice teamwork among healthcare professionals, laboratory management, the diagnosis of infectious diseases, and other essential skills they will need as medical technologists.”

Virtual Lab Offers Unlimited Practice While Reducing Infection Risks

The Metaverse Lab-XR virtual laboratory has been in use since early 2024, allowing students to test their understanding of course content and practice laboratory skills for diagnosing infectious diseases as often as they need.

“Students can practice laboratory procedures independently in the virtual environment. If they feel they are not yet confident in their lab skills, they can go back and practice as many times as they need. At the end of each lesson, they are assessed to determine whether they have achieved the required level of proficiency.” This approach helps ensure that “no one is left behind,” allowing students to reach a similar level of proficiency before moving on to the next lesson together.

– Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn

Learning through the virtual lab also helps reduce risks and better prepares students for hands-on training in the simulated laboratory.

“Clinical Microbiology is a practical course in which students learn to diagnose infectious diseases using actual patient specimens. Setting up simulated laboratory sessions requires time, personnel, and specimen preparation. We also have to prepare various strains of microorganisms for students to work with, which requires a considerable amount of biological material. Sometimes, however, we are not able to make the most effective use of these infectious materials because students have not yet had enough hands-on practice or experience.”

“With Metaverse Lab-XR, students can first become familiar with laboratory procedures in the virtual environment. Once they become more confident and proficient, they can make better use of infectious biological specimens during hands-on training in the simulated lab, while also reducing the risk of infection.”

Fungal Infection Diagnosis as the First Virtual Lab

Among the various types of infectious diseases, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn chose fungal infections as the first area of diagnostic training for Metaverse Lab-XR.

“Specimens used for fungal testing in the simulated laboratory include tissue, hair, skin, tears, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood, all of which are considered biohazards. Some fungi can also be transmitted through inhalation, posing a risk to students. We therefore have students train in Metaverse Lab-XR first so they can become familiar with the procedures and build their skills before entering the simulated laboratory.”

Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn explained how the training works: “Students work as though they were in an actual hospital laboratory. They have to test for different types of fungi and deal with simulated problems—for example, calling a patient by the wrong name, receiving a specimen that does not match what the doctor requested, or getting a negative fungal test result even though the patient clearly shows signs of a fungal infection.”

“After completing the training, students take part in a debriefing session, which is an important part of the learning process. An expert instructor, or facilitator, reviews the scenario with the students and helps them identify anything that may have gone wrong—for example, a patient’s name not matching the specimen, receiving a specimen different from the one requested by the doctor, or failing to detect a fungal infection despite the patient’s symptoms and medical history clearly indicating one.”

Looking ahead, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn has plans to develop additional scenarios involving bacterial, respiratory, and viral infections, as well as more challenging cases involving patients with underlying conditions and particularly complex diagnoses.

Building Well-Rounded Skills for Future Medical Technologists  

Beyond technical skills, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn explained that medical technologists also need strong non-technical skills. Metaverse Lab-XR is therefore designed to help students develop essential soft skills alongside their professional training.

“Medical technologists need seamless communication and the ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. They need to know how to communicate with doctors and nurses to help ensure that patients receive the most accurate diagnosis possible. “They also need critical management skills. It cannot simply be ‘first come, first served.’ They must be able to assess which patients are in critical condition and whose test results need to be prioritized. They also need that instinct to stop and ask, ‘Something doesn’t add up here.’ If a patient shows clear signs of an infection but the test comes back negative for fungi, what could have gone wrong? Students need to be able to investigate and trace the problem back to its source.”

Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn gave an example of how students learn through the virtual lab: “The process begins with pre-analytical skills. Before accepting a specimen, students need to know what to check, starting with the patient’s name. They then move on to the analysis stage, where they need to know which reagents to use. They must also review the patient’s medical history and determine whether the specimen they have received is consistent with the patient’s symptoms and appropriate for answering the doctor’s clinical question—for example, whether the patient may have a particular type of fungal infection. If something does not make sense, students need to be able to communicate their concerns to the doctor.”

“If we simply go ahead with a test even when something doesn’t make sense, there are consequences for everyone. It adds unnecessary work for the laboratory and delays testing for other patients. The doctor still does not get the answer they need, and worse, the patient may end up paying for an unnecessary test and waiting longer for results when they could have received treatment sooner.”

Virtual Lab Improves Learning by 20%

Through observation and research, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn found that Metaverse Lab-XR improved students’ learning outcomes by approximately 20%.

“We have received very positive feedback from students who have used Metaverse Lab-XR. They say it is fun and challenging. One of the strengths of this generation is that they don’t give up easily. After completing the game, they receive an assessment of their skills in different areas. If they see that their friends have scored higher, they go back and try again because they want to do better.”

Beyond making learning more engaging, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn discovered an unexpected benefit of the virtual environment.

“Students told us they feel psychologically safe. When they are practicing in the lab with an instructor present, they may feel embarrassed in front of their classmates or the instructor if they don’t perform well, even though they want to improve. In the virtual lab, they can practice privately, without anyone watching, until they become more confident and proficient. When they return to the simulated lab, they perform better and feel proud of what they can do.”

Inspiring the Future of Medical Technology

The Metaverse Lab-XR virtual laboratory began in a Clinical Microbiology course at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University. Looking ahead, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn hopes to see virtual labs like this adopted by universities and medical technology laboratories both in Thailand and abroad.

“We hope this innovation will be the starting point for more virtual labs. We developed it for Chula students to use first, but in the future, we would like to see it adopted by other universities and medical technology laboratories across the country. Medical technology involves a wide range of skills and specialized fields. If we all contribute to developing virtual labs, we could bring about significant change in the medical technology profession much more quickly.”

In closing, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navaporn said, “Metaverse Lab-XR will help strengthen both the technical and non-technical skills of medical technologists. It will also help break down the walls that separate the laboratory from other healthcare professions, ultimately benefiting patients.”

For more information about Metaverse Lab-XR, contact [email protected]

Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/422901/