Tag: Thailand

Chula’s researchers have garnered themselves a world-class reward for their latest solar cell project which increases the capacity of electricity production and can be applied to numerous types of merchandise. These new solar cells are guaranteed to meet international standards and develop clean energy for society.

What used to wow us in sci-fi movies is now coming true as a reality. The day when we all become electric humans who can produce our electric currents using our clothing with built-in solar cell fibers or our wristwatches, cellular phones, or even your favorite hat.

These are the merits of research like “Developing the Stability of Perovskite Solar Cell” by Dr. Rongrong Cheacharoen of the Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Chulalongkorn University who was one of the three researchers from the ASEAN region to recently win in the Green Talents Competition 2021 in Germany. The research has succeeded in overcoming the limitations of current solar cells and increasing the diversification of various types of products.

Limitations of current solar cells
Current solar cell panels have several limitations such as production problems, large panel sizes, and diminished performance in hot and humid environments.

As Dr. Rongrong explained, “most of the solar cell panels on the roofs of houses or those found in solar farms are the silicon type. Their capacity reduces by about 15% when the panel temperature reaches 60-70 degrees Celsius.”

Moreover, the solar cell panels production process is also highly complicated and relies on high temperatures which could pose a serious problem if the world would require more solar energy.

“The research question is how to find solutions to materials, production, and solar cell panels efficiency in a hot and humid country like Thailand.”

A new type of heat-resistant solar cell panel at maximum production capacity
Other than the silicon panels, another type of solar cell panel that is gaining popularity and merits further study is the Perovskite Solar Cell which has the same capacity to produce electricity as the silicon type but requires fewer materials and works well in a wider range of temperatures than the silicon type or as high as 65 degrees Celsius.

“What is special about the Perovskite Solar Cell, aside from the flexible and thin materials (a mere 500-nanometer thinness) it is also fast and easy to produce since the forming of the Perovskite Solar Cell uses a solution process similar to printing which makes it possible to be used on surfaces of any type whether it is fabric, bent surfaces, or even tiny tools making it possible for this type of solar cell to be used in a vast range of products like wristwatches, fabric fibers, and hats.”

Solar Cells with High-Quality World Standards
With all its advantages, the new type of solar cell still has certain limitations such as stability. Damp weather or UV rays can make the materials or solar cell fringes alter their appearance after an extended period of use. Dr.Rongrong has tried to address these problems leading to her endeavors since 2015 to work with leading academic institutions both in Thailand and abroad to study the stability of the Perovskite Solar Cell by putting it to use in an environment with UV rays, humidity, and voltage difference to determine whether the capacity is equivalent to normal circumstances. This research led to the design of the tools and the selection of materials that have been developed as encapsulation that would enable the Perovskite Solar Cell to pass the IEC 61215 industrial standards (first world standards for solar cell panels).

“In terms of testing standards, we conduct an accelerated test which involves replicating various conditions anticipated to happen in the next 25 years and noticed certain problems. However, the encapsulation and materials for this research enabled us to pass the test.”

Dr. Rongrong takes great pride in the fact that winning the Green Talents Competition 2021 from Germany is an affirmation of the standards and efficiency that meet the Sustainability Development Goals. Currently, the Netherlands and many other countries are adopting the new Solar Cell and adapting it to different forms of Solar Cell structures. For Thailand’s future in clean energy, Dr. Rongrong believes additional research is needed on the stability of new solar cells that suit our hot and humid climate. She is certain, however, that we will be seeing various forms of solar cell products being manufactured here in Thailand.

The increased longevity happening all over the world means we are likely to live longer than our parents and grandparents.

According to the United Nations, the world’s population age structure will continue to shift due to increasing life expectancy and decreasing levels of fertility. The global number of older persons is expected to more than double over the next three decades, reaching over 1.5 billion in 2050.

As one of the countries with a rapidly increasing aging population, especially this 2022, Thailand is now becoming an ‘aging’ society and will likely become a ‘super-aging society’ by 2031. To better meet the needs and provide services to the nation’s aging society, experts from various fields at Chulalongkorn University have conducted research to produce and develop innovations for the elderly.

To read more about Chula’s innovations that support healthy aging, follow the links below:

– Chula Dementia Day Center Can Help You Prepare for Old Age with a Clear Mind and Away from Alzheimer’s
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/73820/

– DeepGI AI – A Thai Innovation for the Precision in Colorectal Polyp Detection
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/73670/

– “Intestinal Microflora” as Health Indicator, A National-level Research Project by Chula Doctors in Response to Problems of an Aging Society
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/71551/

– Chula Launches PDPlus Application to Monitor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Patients for a Better Quality of Life
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/71287/

– A Success for Thai Medical Doctors! Producing Hip Prosthesis for the First Time – Enabling the Aged to Walk Again and Enjoy a Better Quality of Life
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/68527/

– Chula Medical Breakthrough! RED-GEM Molecules to Reverse Aging
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/59580/

– How to Sleep to Ensure Good Health – The Excellence Center for Sleep Disorders (Nidra Vej Center) Has the Answers
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/48356/

– Continuing Education, Skills Enhancement, and Self-Reliance: Essential Ingredients for an Aging Society
https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/46792/

– Chula Ari, an Innovation Driving the Model Society to Support the Thai Aging Community
http://www.sustainability.chula.ac.th/report/2547/

A startup under the umbrella of CU Innovation Hub in collaboration with the Chula Faculty of Science has developed an innovative “Detachable and Dissolvable Microneedle” that makes any injections easy and painless for everyone, while also significantly reducing medical wastes.

Those afraid of needles and injections rejoice! Today, getting an injection is no longer scary or painful, because we have a “Detachable and Dissolvable Microneedle”, an innovative microneedle patch that can be implanted, fully detached, and dissolved under your skin! A product from Mineed Technology Co., Ltd., a startup under the umbrella of the Innovation Hub of Chulalongkorn University (CU Innovation Hub) with Prof. Dr. Supason Wanichwecharraung, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University.

“Injection is one form of a typical treatment and prophylaxis that everyone has to deal with, whether it’s vaccination, insulin for diabetics treatment, or even a typical injections to treat facial acnes. In contrast, for people with Trypanophobia, the injection can significantly causes distress, in some cases, severe physical trauma, such as hyperhidrosis patients, who would require 30 injections under each armpit,” Prof. Supason explained about the kickoff ideas of the microneedle patch.

From Problems to the Development of “Detachable and Dissolvable Microneedles”
Microneedles were invented and have been used globally for a while, but they have not been as popular as they should be. Prof. Supason revealed the problem of the previous generation of microneedles “the needles do not dissolve immediately so that patches have to be left on for 2-6 hours. In addition, the levels of moisture on each person’s skin are different, causing the active medication embedded in the needles to absorb at a different rate, not completely dissolve, or do not penetrate the skin of the users.”

“So, we developed this innovation that once the needle patch is in place, the implanted needle can be instantly detached itself into the skin, similar to implanting a splinter into human skin, but in this case, it doesn’t hurt, 100% safe, and a lot quicker than other typical dissolving microneedles.”

Small but full-performance needles
The innovative microneedle contains active medication in a tiny needle of no more than 1 millimeter (1,000 microns). It can quickly dissolve into the skin giving a different sensation than an injection with a typical syringe.

Mr. Chokchai Puangsiri, Director of Business Development, Mineed Technology Co., Ltd., who frequently try the microneedle, described the experience of using the patches, “although it feels like something is touching the skin, it feels far less painful than a typical syringe injection, more like touching the prickly part of the velcro tape. The microneedles can also be self-administered anytime, anywhere without the need for any medical expert anymore.”

In addition to reducing the pain and fear of the syringe, another advantage of using microneedles is that the dosage of medication is much lower. Prof. Dr. Supason gave an example of the COVID-19 vaccination, “there are two types of COVID-19 vaccinations, intramuscular vaccinations, and subcutaneous vaccinations. Subcutaneous injections are better at stimulating the immune while using lower doses than intramuscular injections, but subcutaneous injections are more difficult to inject and, if done frequently, it can cause scarring.”

The innovative soluble microneedles, therefore, make subcutaneous injections a simple matter and eliminate the likelihood of “scarring” from injections with syringes, especially among patients who need regular subcutaneous injections, such as diabetics. Also, dissolving microneedles help significantly reducing the amount of hazardous medical waste like needles and syringes as well.

Microneedles are easy to use. Anyone can give themselves an injection.
Microneedles cater to those who need to have frequent subcutaneous injections so that they do not have to waste their time and money traveling to receive services from healthcare profession. It is also a suitable for those who are afraid of needles or do not dare to give themselves injections.

“In the past, many diabetic patients died because they did not dare to give themselves insulin injections, and therefore, were not properly treated. Therefore, microneedles are the answer for this group of people, because patients can inject themselves easily.”

“Microneedles also help extend drugs’ shelf life, as liquid drugs are solidified to be used in the microneedles, thus their shelf life is extended for up to 1-2 more years.

With various microneedle properties, Mr. Chokchai said the innovation will help healthcare profession in providing telemedicine services without patients having to come to the hospitals for their injections in the future, which is really cost inefficient.

How to use “Detachable and Dissolvable Microneedles”
The Detachable and Dissolvable Microneedle set consists of two components: a microneedle patch, and a moisture patch resembling a wet tissue. The application starts with placing the microneedle patch on the skin where the injection is needed. Use your fingers to press all over the sheet so that the needle containing the drug is embedded under the skin. Place the wet patch over the microneedle patch to dissolve it. Leave it for at least 2 minutes for those needle to be detached and dissolved under the skin. Then, peel off the wet and microneedle patches, and it’s done – both conveniently and quickly.

For people who are worried about allergic reactions, Prof. Dr. Supason explained that “the microneedle is made from hyaluronic acid, which is a polymer that is already exist in any human body, so it surely doesn’t cause any allergic reaction. The needle can be used by anyone, but it also depends on the type of drug or vaccine that is injected. If the user is allergic to the drug or vaccine, it is inevitable that there is a chance for an allergic reaction.”

Group of medicines suitable for microneedles
Microneedles can be used with all types of drugs and vaccines injected subcutaneously, whether they are topical, such as anti-acne, anti keloid scarring medicines, or drugs for bodily systems, such as diabetes, migraine, contraception, etc.

“In our Detachable and Dissolvable Microneedles, we can exactly control the dosage, the depth of the skin layer to be injected, and the time for dissolution rate appropriate to the drugs,” Mr. Chokchai said.

Unsuitable drug types for microneedles are those with high dosage, because of the limited size of patches and needles making them too small for high-dose drugs. The proper dose is 1 mg per square centimeter.

Marketing opportunities for microneedles
Mr. Chokchai mentioned that the current development of microneedles is for two markets: the cosmetics market and the pharmaceutical market.

In the cosmetics market, hospitals and cosmetology clinics, both local and overseas, have ordered and used the microneedles, which have already been registered with FDA in Thailand and Europe, with vitamins and skincare agents. In the future, interested parties with drug formulas can commission the company to develop microneedles.

For the pharmaceutical market, the process is at the Proof of Concept stage, and clinical trials are underway in collaboration with the company’s partners before the products are launched at general pharmacies.

“We tested a variety of medications, such as anti-inflammatories for the skin, acne medicines, and blood-glucose-lowering medicines for diabetics, and it worked well. But to sell them, we need to comply with the Food and Drug Administration’s regulations,” Chokchai said.

The innovative Detachable and Dissolvable microneedles can be developed for many types of medicines, such as herbal patches for mosquito bites. The characteristics and components of the microneedles can also be adjusted to match the performance of any specific medicines, such as the size of the needle, or the duration of dissolution.

Dissolvable microneedles will give people wider access to treatment and preventive medicine because there’s no need to be afraid of needles or pain any longer. Now, needles are only minute matters.

On April 21, Cloudbae Company and Chulalongkorn University held the signing ceremony of the MoU on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Cooperation for Overseas Talents at the China-ASEAN Smart City Collaborative Innovation Center. Assoc. Prof. Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, Vice President of Strategic Planning, Innovation and International Cooperation of Chulalongkorn University, and Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulcha, Executive Director of Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation (BAScII), attended the signing ceremony and delivered speeches.

The advantage of this MoU is to:

• Jointly research and work on entrepreneurial venture projects in areas of entrepreneurship, smart city solutions, and emerging technologies, including AI, machine learning, and data science.

• Recruit the next generation of employees for consecutive implementation

• Exchange knowledge and talents

Cloudbae Company, started in March 2017, is dedicated to the development and operation of new Smart Cities. The company focuses on Smart City collaborations among Chinese and ASEAN cities and delivers the building, operating and upgrading of smart city collaborations with local governments.

“I-Nanning APP” is the first product launched by CloudBae company in Jan 2018. It is a Municipal Public Service Platform connected with 47 government departments, offering more than 100 services.

By Jan 2021, Cloudbae has accumulated 6 million registered users, out of which more than 600,000 are daily active users. Some highlights of the application are the E-Identification, Once Code Smart Pass, and Real Estate E-Services.

At about the same time that a new type of green frog was found in the forests of Myanmar, Dr. Panupong Thammachoti a lecturer at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University has also found two new types of stream frogs in the Bago region to the north of Yangon, Myanmar.

For Dr. Panupong, a taxonomist and ecologist who has continuously researched reptiles and amphibians in this region, the discovery of these frogs in Myanmar is a reflection of the biodiversity in Southeast Asia which we all should be aware of and work together to ensure its survival.

Genome technology reveals the heredity of a new species of frogs

This discovery is a result of the collaboration between research teams from three countries – Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Science, East Yangon University of Myanmar, and Germany’s Senckenberg Forschungs institut und Naturmuseum led by Prof. Dr. Gunther Köhler, an expert in taxonomy and genome technology for reptiles and amphibians.

“We took two years to conduct our research and most of the time was spent collecting specimens both in Thailand and Myanmar after which the frogs were sent for analysis at the Senckenberg laboratory in Germany. The process involved applying our knowledge in physics that’s applied to biology to examine the DNA, analyze the vocal variations of frogs, as well as study the genome, or the entire genetic data of these frogs until we found two of the world’s newest species of frogs.” Dr. Panupong explained the process of the research project on the diversity of stream frogs in Myanmar, and the mountain range in the western and southern part of Thailand which began in 2019.

The study that led to the discovery of the two species of stream frogs has been documented and published in the international journal, Diversity, in August of 2021.

The characteristics of the world’s new stream frogs

Dr. Panupong explained the general characteristics of the stream frog that “their habitat is in the streams of tropical forests like the jungles in the western and southern part of Thailand. The size of each frog is about 3-5 centimeters. Their bodies are brown and appear much like a leaf which is a form of camouflage. These frog species only make mating calls at night. As tadpoles, they live around the streams where the gush of water isn’t very strong and when they are fully grown will move to the side of the stream. They are found mostly in the rainy season which is their mating season.”

The two newly discovered species of stream frogs are the Bago Stream Frog (Limnonectes bagoensis) and the Bamboo Forest Bago Frog (Limnonectes bagoyoma).

“Both types of frogs are similar in that their skin is slippery, they are dark brown or brown mixed with olive green. Their forelegs have four toes without connective tissue while the hind legs have five toes with connective tissues that enable them to swim. The skin on their backs is quite smooth with only a few lumps while the skin on their stomachs is white or cream-colored, very smooth and not lumpy.”

“In terms of differences, the Bago Stream Frog has a black strip from the end of its nose to the side of the ear and its body size is 30-49 centimeters. It is larger than the Bamboo Forest Bago Frog which measures 23-29 centimeters.”

Relationship between frogs and the ecosystem

The discovery of these new species of frogs is a good indicator of the fertility of the forests in Southeast Asia since the habitat of these frogs are natural bodies of water that are clean, clear, and always flowing.

Although there are still some stream frogs remaining, Dr. Panupong reminds us that the numbers are dwindling and if deforestation continues the changes in forest conditions could eventually lead to the frogs’ extinction.

“We hope that the knowledge generated from this research will let people see the importance of forests and refrain from cutting down trees and destroying forests. It is also important to find ways to develop the appropriate form of ecotourism that also leads to the conservation of forests.” Dr. Panupong added.

The future of other species discoveries

Dr. Panupong continues to study and disseminate knowledge on reptiles and amphibians in Thailand. He plans to further his research on stream frogs and frogs in the south of Thailand which have features that are similar to frogs found in Myanmar. Research will also be carried out on other reptiles such as the world’s new skink found on the mountains of Indonesia, the Kukri snake which isn’t poisonous but often likes to eat the eggs of poisonous snakes, and the rattlesnake which is highly poisonous. We often hear news of people being bitten by this type of snake.

Dr. Panupong ended by sharing his opinion that “The discovery of new animal species is an indicator of the fertility of forests in our region.

I believe there are still a large number of reptiles and amphibians waiting for us to discover and study. Research on these animals will enable us to understand the significance of the animal life that coexists with humans in the ecosystem. Some of the reptiles and amphibians can be beneficial in terms of science and technology.

Even if their appearance isn’t as attractive as other animals and some are also poisonous but they are important to the ecosystem, the study and research on natural history and biology which also includes the way of life of these animals will help us humans to be able to sustainably maintain the balance of the ecosystem.”

Chulalongkorn University Technology Center (UTC) urges Deep Tech researchers to push forth deep innovations onto the market, promote business ventures, and be the driving force in the Thai economy.

DeepGI artificial intelligence detection of colorectal cancer, Aqua Innovac needle-free aqua vaccine for farmed fish, ReadMe by eikonnex.ai, an artificial intelligence device that reads texts, images, and videos and transfers them to digital documents.

These are but a few of the 30 outstanding innovations from in-depth research or Deep Tech by Chulalongkorn Universities researchers and their networks supported by Chulalongkorn University Technology Center: UTC.

According to Dr. Pravee Kruachottikul who heads Chulalongkorn University Technology Center (UTC) “Good research not only contributes towards cultivating academic knowledge but can also be of added value when it is put to actual use. UTC is determined to provide a platform to accelerate Deep Tech research works onto the market by creating impactful research that sustainably addresses social and economic questions.”

Deep Tech is in-depth technology that is highly complex and cannot be easily imitated within a short time which proves advantageous in the highly competitive business arenas. Dr. Pravee also added that there are a large number of Deep Tech research in Thailand that have been published and are widely accepted internationally, but unfortunately, haven’t been utilized fully. Moreover, if researchers were to work on their own, they might not be able to add the commercial dimension to their work in a more substantial manner. UTC was therefore established to address this gap.

“Innovations deriving from Deep Tech can be patented, and are therefore able to add social and economic value following Chula’s Innovations for Society concept.”

How does UTC provide support for Deep Tech research?

Currently, UTC concentrates on working with three types of Deep Tech research, namely Artificial Intelligence (AI), Medical Technology (MedTech), and Biotechnology (BioTech). Its work begins with a search for Deep Tech research, after which UTC will work closely with the research team to improve its capacity for commercialization and specific technology readiness by UTC’s qualified specialists as well as its alliance of experts comprising experts in innovation project development, and business planning.

They will help in offering advice at various stages such as business model development, market testing, selection of commercial models, etc. Experts in business laws and patent strategies can offer advice on such matters as the IP landscape or food and drugs registration.

Specialists in specific areas, such as applied AI in medical technology will offer their advice on how to conduct clinical trials, disbursement systems, or strategies for ensuring physician’s adoption of technology, etc. There are also coaches from outside Chulalongkorn University who provide advice on innovation development, some of whom are Chula alumni, business practitioners, and those working on social projects.

Developing Deep Tech for the Innovation Market

Dr. Pravee explained that turning research into a commercialized innovation should not extend over 12 months. The process entails the three major steps:

1. The search for available research
UTC is constantly on the lookout for and welcomes submissions of research and has committees to consider plausible research projects. Once the research has been accepted, another team of experts on innovation development will oversee the project to enhance its business potentials alongside technological development until a primary business model is derived. They are then able to assess the potential of the research in providing solutions for the target market and whether there are interested customers.

2. Product Development and field testing with potential customers or actual product users.
With the derived business plan, the research team can soon develop a model that can then undergo actual market testing with the target group. UTC’s experts or coaches in various dimensions are there to provide advice after which the test results are applied to make changes or improvements as needed so that the product follows the direction set within the determined timeframe.

3. Proceeding with the commercial aspect
Once the desired product has been developed, the next step is to plan how to handle its commercial aspect to derive the highest benefits. UTC’s experts are there to provide such useful information as legal matters, patent application, the transmission of technology/patents from the university, negotiations with business partners, and fundraising for example.

UTC’s Deep Tech Innovations

For almost three years (2019 onward), the UTC has played a part in cultivating more than 36 Deep Tech research projects. At the end of 2021, the UTC Deep Tech Demo Day was organized to showcase outstanding AI and MedTech Innovations from 15 teams that showed the potential to become Thailand’s Deep Tech Startups in the future. The event had online booths displaying more than 30 AI and MedTech innovations and also featured a Business Matching activity with agencies from both the government and private sectors. Internationally renowned experts were invited to share their expertise on matters related to Deep Tech. Some of the innovations presented at the event are as follows:

ReadMe by eikonnex.ai
by researchers from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Engineering — an AI innovation with the ability to read texts in Thai and English along with symbols on documents, images, and videos and transform them into digital documents that can be used in various ways, such as company’s financial documents storage, credit scoring for bank loans, etc.

Aqua Innovac
a needleless vaccine for farmed fish by researchers from the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University. An innovation that prevents infection from a bacterium that causes Branchiomycosis or “gill rot disease”, and reduces deaths in fish caused by stress after vaccination with needles.

DeepGI
by a joint research team from the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Medicine that features AI detection of colorectal cancer that improves diagnosis and reduces the number of examination errors.

How does one join UTC projects?

Not only does UTC lend its support to researchers affiliated with Chulalongkorn University, but it is also open to Deep Tech researchers from elsewhere, especially in the fields of AI, MedTech, and Biotech which are UTC’s main concentrations. Other Deep Tech research works are also welcome.

Dr. Pravee concluded that students who are interested in Deep Tech but do not have any research works can also join the UTC team to undergo practical training.