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Chulalongkorn University trains sniffer dogs to detect people infected with COVID-19 in Thailand

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

The Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University (CUVET) unveiled its latest effort in training a pack of sniffer dogs to detect people with COVID–19.  The project reached 95% accuracy, and the dogs are ready for duty at airports in support of the normal screening process.

Temperature screening only works in symptomatic COVID-19 cases, but sniffer dogs are trained to detect asymptomatic people.

The “Sniffer Dogs to Detect Asymptomatic COVID–19 Cases” project is the latest work by CUVET, in collaboration with Chula Faculties of Medicine and Science with funding support from Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production Co., Ltd.

“A dog’s sense of smell is 50 times better than humans, so we thought of tapping into this potential,  particularly in Labrador Retrievers with their long nasal cavity.  They are very sensitive to scents, friendly, and easy to train.  We picked six dogs to be initially trained in this project”, said Prof. Dr. Kewali Chatdarong, Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation, CUVET, and head of the research project.

Tests showed that this pack of dogs was 94.8% accurate in their detection of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases, comparable to other countries, such as Finland, Germany, France, and Australia, etc.

Prof. Dr. Kewali Chatdarong, Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation, CUVET
Prof. Dr. Kewali Chatdarong,

Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation, CUVET

“The research team collected sweat samples of infected persons.  These samples are confirmed secretion with no viral contamination.  We blotted the underarm sweat with cotton pads and socks and stored the samples in a biosafety laboratory. Then, these cotton pads and socks were put in cans for the dogs to sniff. After the dogs smelled these samples, they would immediately sit down identifying an infectious person though asymptomatic.”

“All testing procedures were safe for both the dogs and personnel involved.  The team used sweat samples from people infected with COVID-19 and let the dogs sniff from the distance. All tools were sterilized,” confirmed Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somporn Techangamsuwan, infectious disease veterinarian, one of the researchers.

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somporn Techangamsuwan, infectious disease veterinarian

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somporn Techangamsuwan,

Infectious disease veterinarian

This research was conducted over a period of six months and divided into three phases. The first phase of two months was spent testing the dogs’ ability and training them to distinguish the infected person’s odor with accuracy, speed, and certainty. The preparatory training received support from the Border Patrol Police 43rd Division and PQA Associate Co., Ltd.

Next, came practical trials at the airports, ports, and popular tourist destinations by letting the dogs sniff people’s feet. The third phase focused on new screening tools such as sensors to identify people fitting the infection profile, by the faculty members of the Faculty of Science, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thammanoon Nuchak and Dr. Chadin Kulsing.

“This is Thailand’s prototype project of canine training for medical use. In the future, there will be training to detect other diseases such as diabetes, depression, malaria, and Alzheimer’s,” Prof. Dr. Kewali, the Project Leader concluded.

Thammasat University partners with TCG to offer Finance and Business Administration course

Posted on by Thammasat University

The Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University organized the MOU signing ceremony with the Thai Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCG), a state-owned specialized financial institution serving to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through credit guarantees, represented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Supachai Srisuchart, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Dr.Rak Vorrakitpokatorn, Director and General Manager of TCG on Friday March 12, 2021 at the 5th Floor Meeting Room, Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University, Tha Prachan Campus.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aims to enhance the workforce by employing the strengths of both institutions. The Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University, is a leading educational institution with highly qualified faculty members.

They are devoted to educating and developing future assets of the national workforce. TCG will strengthen the confidence of financial institutions in providing credits and assisting potential SMEs entrepreneurs who have insufficient guarantee by ensuring that they receive sufficient credit

The objective of this collaboration is to strengthen the expertise of students and the public. Faculty of Economics, Thammasat and TCG, therefore, design the course together according to the expertise or experience of TCG and its partners by striving to produce academic outputs that meet the business needs.

In addition, internships and job visits at TCG and SMEs will provide business experiences to students and encourage students to undertake business promotion projects for their own future careers and sustainable growth. The course is expected to be open by May 2021.

Thammasat University inks MoU on climate change

Posted on by Thammasat University

Associate Professor Dr. Suppachai Srisuchat, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University, along with Associate Professor Chol Bunnag, Director of SDG Move, participated in the signing ceremony of the memorandum which outlines the understanding on the development of potential and promotion of knowledge on climate change held at True Digital Park.

It also marked the launching of the Gen C Climate Actions, a project in collaboration with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization) or TGO and participating universities to the younger generation on the digital platform of their choice. The program aims to promote understanding and incorporating the knowledge gained into daily life as a way to battle climate change.

The Gen C Climate Actions project was initiated by TGO as part of the TGO – Climate Action Academy in collaboration with the Global Compact Network (GCNT), SDG Move, The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage, and four universities (Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, Burapha University, and Chiang Mai University).

The aim of the project is to educate the younger generation in order to prepare them for the combat of climate change through various fields of studies. This project will be implemented for three years (2021-2023).

In order to ensure the continuation and cooperation between all parties involved, the memorandum of understanding was signed between TGO and the four universities. The goal of this memorandum is focused on cooperation in the development of knowledge in climate change and promotion of the development of university personnel and student potential in interesting ways.

The enhancement of their capabilities in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adjustments in response to climate change with appropriate practice. Success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including the organizing of e-learning workshops by the TGO Climate Action Academy for dissemination of climate change knowledge among the participating universities.

Towards the end of the event, the “C Generation Together Solving Global Warming” discussion was held with representatives from all four universities participating in exchanges about the roles and importance of the academic sector in raising awareness in society, especially the younger generation, such that they recognize the need to solve global warming.

Each university discussed teaching efforts and integration of environmental issues as part of the curriculum. They jointly agreed that environmental issues are important issues that have created a space for discussions and exchanges among all subject files in order to solve these problems.

From Thammasat University, Associate Professor Chol Bunnag participated in the exchanges and expressed the opinion that global warming is a major challenge to sustainable development goals (SDGs) and that raising the awareness of citizens is necessary but not only to promote initiatives and actions but to also echo the voice of society for policymakers to bring about efforts to solve global warming as part of policy agendas on every level and that these need to be implemented seriously.

As for future projects, activities will be organized to provide information about climate change in E-learning format on the platform of the TGO with participating universities, which includes active learning under the Gen C Climate Actions Program.

Chulalongkorn University successfully uses stem-cell transplantation to treat systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary fibrosis

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

The Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine (CU Medi), Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society (Chulalongkorn Hospital), in collaboration with the Departments of Hematology, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Infectious diseases, held a press conference on “Thailand’s first successful treatment of systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary fibrosis by stem cell transplantation”.

Prof. Dr. Suttipong Wacharasindhu

Prof. Dr. Suttipong Wacharasindhu, Dean of CU Medi and Director of Chulalongkorn Hospital said that both CU Medi and Chulalongkorn Hospital have been developing the services, healthcare innovation, medical equipment, and application of modern technology to patient care to ready themselves for the current and future changes in the field of medicine. They have an extensive body of research and medical innovations on stem cells.

Most recently, the Rheumatology Division, in collaboration with Hematology, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Infectious Diseases Departments were the first in Thailand to successfully treat two systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary fibrosis by stem-cell transplantation.  Such success demonstrates the expertise, specialization, and dedication of the healthcare teams in applying knowledge, research and medical technology on stem cells to help improve patients’ quality of life.

Prof. Dr. Thiraphong Tanthawichien

Prof. Dr. Thiraphong Tanthawichien, Head of the Department of Medicine, CU Medi said that the success in treating systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary fibrosis by stem cell transplantation is a source of great pride for CU Medi.  It is a modern treatment that is made possible because of the cooperation from specialists in various fields and will be optimized to benefit the whole country in the future.

Prof. Dr. Manathip Osiri

Prof. Dr. Manathip Osiri, Head of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, CU Medi said that systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that can cause malfunctions of many internal organs.  It is characterized by the formation of fibrosis on the skin and internal organs. It hardens the skin and causes fibrosis in the lungs, and cardiac muscles, and can lead to an enlarged heart and heart failure. Most patients suffer chronic symptoms, while some can suffer acute onsets and die.

Medications to treat this disease and control its progression include vasodilator drugs, immunosuppressants, used in combination with drugs that help slow down or reduce the fibrosis.  However, these drugs are only effective in patients with gradual symptoms.  In patients with acute and aggressive progression, treatment by regenerating the immune system to regulate its function will help slow down the disease progression, reduce damage to the organs, and prevent premature death.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Udomsak Bunworasate, Head of Hematology, CU Medi revealed that the way to effectively treat this type of autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis in the organs is aiming to eliminate the malfunctioning immune cells and normalize the immune system.  Such treatment is usually not possible with a regular dose of immunosuppressants but should be done with a high dose together with antibody treatment, followed by stem-cell transplantation created from the patients’ stem cells harvested during the treatment.

The hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation will help patients recover faster, and regenerate new immune cells.  In other words, this is a rearrangement of the immune system by stem-cell transplantation.

The first step is to select the right patients for the treatment. The next step is to harvest the stem cells and freeze them. During this period, the patients are kept in a sterilized room and cared for by a team of doctors and nurses specializing in caring for people with low immunity. After the stem cells start to work, patients will have their immune systems restored to normal and can be discharged from the hospital. They will then be periodically monitored, to see the progress of stem-cell transplantation.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamon Kaewkitinarong

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamon Kaewkitinarong, Head of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, CU Medi, observed that most systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary fibrosis also suffer from noninfectious inflammation. Patients often show symptoms of dry coughs and shallow breaths which induce hyperventilation. They are easily fatigued after exertion and become less active.  Disease progression differs for each patient and is unpredictable.

Dr. Chakkapat Vanichanan

Dr. Chakkapat Vanichanan, Lecturer and Transplant Infectious Disease Specialist, Department of Medicine, Chulalongkorn Hospital, concluded that preparing the patients by assessing the risk of infection and screening for latent infection before stem-cell transplantation, as well as prescribing antibacterial drugs are very important preventive steps to reduce the likelihood of infections.

The top concern for systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary abnormality who are candidates for stem-cell transplantation is pneumonitis which may be caused by bacteria, especially drug-resistant bacteria, or fungal infection.  This will worsen the already-troubled respiratory system and can cause early respiratory failure and deterioration of the lungs in the long run.  Therefore, intensive monitoring after stem-cell transplantation plus immediate prescription of antibacterial drugs once there is a sign of infection will reduce the death rate in the patients.

Thammasat University organizes 2021 Puey Ungphakorn Memorial Day

Posted on by Thammasat University

Thammasat University by Thammasat University Library, Faculty of Economics, and the Development Science College Puey Ungphakorn have organized the “2021 Puey Ungphakorn Memorial Day” on March 9, 2021, to honour Professor Dr Puey Ungphakorn. The opening ceremony of Thammasat University Archives was at 100-Year Puey Learning Park Building.

Associate Professor Gasinee Witoonchart, Acting Rector of Thammasat University, said Prof. Dr Puey Ungphakorn played an important role in laying the foundations of Thailand’s economic development.

“He always dedicated himself to the country with integrity and work ethics which UNESCO named him as one of the world’s most important people due to his remarkable achievements in education, social sciences and humanities. It is a great opportunity to open Thammasat University Archives which stand to preserve the historical records of the university,” said Associate Professor Gasinee.

Thammasat University Archives was established in 1991 as a place to store records and important memories and history of Thammasat University.  It is an important source of information service for research and development for students and the community.

For almost 30 years, TU Archives has performed its duties and became one of the departments of TU Library in 2017. This enabled the updates and development of innovative management of archives with the digital file format, international standard document management systems, and internet access to most of paper documents.

Thammasat University Archives is located at the 100-year Puey Learning Park Building which has established its office and service area with the new design for active learning. The key area of the archives is the exhibition “Puey The Commoner: Life, Ideology and Works”.  The exhibition is divided into two sections:  a permanent and a virtual exhibition to honor him as the person who laid the foundation and expanded the university to Rangsit Campus.

The library is now working on the conversion of documents concerning all of Thammasat University’s history onto PDF file for the ease of use and maintenance in research and future study.

Smart light bulbs for better visibility by Chulalongkorn researchers

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Smart LED light bulbs for the elderly, the latest innovation from Chula and its partners, can do more than emitting light.  They enhance the contrast among the primary colors of light thereby improving visibility and reducing accidents in the elderly.  The product is expected to hit the market in May.

If members of your household, especially the elderly, frequently stub and bruise their toes, knees, or shoulders on doors and furniture, do not be too quick to conclude that it is because of their absent-mindedness, or the clutter around them.  The culprit may be poor lighting in your home.

“Older people and those suffering from low vision have difficulty distinguishing the contrast of objects’ surface or uneven pathway, and often trip and fall, “explained Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pichayada Katemake, a representative of the research team from the Department of Imaging and Printing Technology, Chula Faculty of Science, about the rationale behind the ” Living Innovations to Improve Visibility in Seniors and People with Low Vision“ research project supported by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT).

the research team from the Department of Imaging and Printing Technology, Chula Faculty of Science

The research team from the Department of Imaging and Printing Technology, Chula Faculty of Science

Researchers from various disciplines within Chulalongkorn have been collaborating in this project, namely the Department of Imaging and Printing Technology, Faculty of Science; the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; and the Department of Housing, Faculty of Architecture with support from the partners, i.e. the Faculty of Medicine, Metta Pracharak Hospital and Lighting & Equipment PCL.

“Our research found that  ‘white light’ — a combination of three-color wavelengths: red, green, and blue can enhance the contrast of different surfaces enabling the elderly and people with low vision to see more clearly and move around with more agility.  It also gives brighter white light that amplifies the contrast between certain pairs of colors as well.

The findings lead to the development of the smart LED lightbulbs of the future, now ready for the public, that transcends the visual limitations of these vulnerable groups.“We have successfully manufactured long LED bulbs and are now expanding our product lines to other types of bulbs.  A field test is scheduled in May 2021 at the Vision Rehabilitation Center, Metta Pracharak Hospital, and the housing for low-vision people.  The field test will be in line with the ethical research process to ensure safety.”

In addition to the smart light bulb project, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pichayada also elaborated on other projects that are currently under development, such as a vision-simulating application for people with low vision. (The Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Act 2534 B.E. defines people with low vision as those with only 20-feet of visibility compared to 70 feet in people with normal vision).

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pichayada Katemake, Department of Imaging and Printing Technology, Chula Faculty of Science
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pichayada Katemake
Department of Imaging and Printing Technology, Chula Faculty of Science

“This application simulates low-vision visibility and allows designers to see through that vision, complete with the blind spots, so they can select appropriate colors with noticeable dimensionality and contrasts. The app uses the mobile phone camera to photograph desired areas, so that designers can create safe furniture and home appliances for all ages,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pichayada added.

Also under development is Guide Light – an innovative night light with revolutionized color mix and brightness that does not disrupt the elderly’s sleep when they need to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  The color palette, combo, and brightness threshold, as well as saturation and contrast values, are chosen for high visibility, with clear indicators on the color values and matching criteria.  This is perfect for home appliance designers — another alternative product for families with elderly or people with low vision.

Law students of Thammasat University win awards at the national round of Phillip C. Jessup Law Moot Competition 2021

Posted on by Thammasat University

Students of the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University have won several awards at Phillip C. Jessup, Moot Competition 2021.

The competition simulates the fictional dispute between countries before the International Courts for over 100 years and allows students to learn about the real legal proceedings in the court in which participants prepare written submissions and present the oral argument.

In this year, the fictional dispute is the case concerning the J-VID18 pandemic, state liabilities and political asylum issue.

With the supervision of Asst. Prof. Dr. Noppadon Detsomboonrut and Asst. Professor Dr Lalin Kovudhikulrungsri, the winning team received the awards for Best Memorial, Best Oralist, Best New Face, and the most impressive oralist awards. The team of five students comprised of the fourth year students, Natchanun Buapin, Praepailin Siriwohan, Nathada Suwanprakorn, and second-year students,  Supichaya Poonlarp and Proudrawee Manchusri.

Thammasat University team will participate in the international round with other teams from over 600 countries via online channels. The Faculty of Law, Thammasat University would like to sincerely thank the International Law Association of Thailand for hosting this competition.

Thammasat Business School students win first prize at CFA Research Challenge in Thailand

Posted on by Thammasat University

Students from Thammasat Business School (TBS), Thammasat University, once again retained the champion of CFA Research Challenge in the Thailand Championship. This event is the stock analysis competition participated in by students from leading universities across the country to win the championship and become a national representative for international round.

Mr Athipat Siripongpat, a 4th-year student from Finance & Marketing, BBA International Program, Miss Chalermlak Tantiwiwatkul, Finance Major, Miss Darin Laocharoen, Finance Major, Mr Krittapas Siritapaneeya, Finance Major, and Mr Puttinat Krungkraipetch, Finance Major were part of the winning team.

Mr Athipat Siripongpat said “The case we received this year was the “PTG stock analysis” case which the main business is PT gas station.  We had only 10 minutes for report preparation and presentation. We set milestone planning by performing a preliminary analysis and determining the deadlines of each task. It is not easy to do an in-depth and full analysis as we were allowed to use only the existing public information.

The winner of the national round will be the representative of CFA Thailand and participate in the sub-regional, regional and global round. It has been a challenging 5-months competition. The CFA questions are different each year based on a wide range of industries, such as consumer goods, real estate and services.

This year’s question is PTG, which is in the energy industry. The challenge is the complexity and specific data of the energy industry, e.g., oil and gas value chain, marketing margin, and the retail price structure. It took us some time to have a clear understanding of the company and the energy industry.

Knowledge obtained from the BBA class was adopted for the challenging competition. The skills used mostly are from the finance classes, such as financial modelling for price evaluation and recommendation. In addition, economics is also used to analyze the overall direction of the economy.

“Our key success factor is teamwork and great collaboration. We realize that this game requires a lot of preparations. Working individually may save time but work as a team makes all of us understand everything more clearly, equally and simultaneously especially while we are trying to do an in-depth analysis of the information and to minimize errors as much as possible.” added Mr Puttinat Krungkraipet.

Chulalongkorn University launches a campaign to communicate innovations developed for fighting COVID-19

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Chulalongkorn University has taken a bold step in commutating its transformation to an innovation-centric university with its “Innovations for Society” campaign.

The campaign uses a short movie to inform the public about the various innovations that Chula has successfully developed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of Chula’s mission to play a leading role in “Creating Knowledge and Innovation to Promote Sustainable Development for Society”.

The short film, “Innovations for Society: Innovations against COVID,” uses a storytelling technique from the point of view (POV) of an ad agency person who has to dig deep into her creative arsenal to come up with a pitch for the client to approve.

Chula’s target is “to communicate a myriad of innovations against COVID-19 that are full of technical and complicated jargon in a fun and engaging way in 3 minutes.”

The film director is able to successfully tie all the information into a coherent, cute and funny storyline that the audience has to smile at.  The storyline is divided into 3 parts.

First, it starts with “preventive innovations” such as a face-mask spray to protect us from virus and dust, and CU-RoboCovid — the medical-support robot. Then, it describes “screening innovations” such as the Chula Covid-19 Strip Test, Chula Express Analysis Mobile Unit (EAMU), and COVID-19 data incubator website that’s developed with other partners.

Finally, the story concludes with “remedy innovations” such as COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, tobacco vaccine, Chula MOOC (massive open online course), and Quick MBA from home that provides cutting-edge professional knowledge to the Thai people with novel ways to earn a living during the COVID-19 crisis.

Chula’s innovations against COVID-19 are part of the university’s mission to serve society with technological breakthroughs as well as to be a driving force for Thai society to continue along the path of robust growth.

Watch the full clip at https://youtu.be/3gYGcX5H9l8.

Thammasat University collaborates with public and private agencies for community empowerment and sustainability

Posted on by Thammasat University

The School of Global Studies of Thammasat University and 4 other agencies collaborated in the “Community Empowerment and Innovations for Sustainability” project in line with sustainable development goals (SDGs). Public agencies, state enterprises, private development organizations, and private businesses, are all well aware of the need to adhere to the principles of sustainable development. The global community has a mission to meet the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) declared by the United Nations in 2015 by 2030.

Thammasat University’s School of Global Studies and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) have been collaborating in Phoom Chumchon project from 2018 to 2020 in four regions of the country to develop self-reliant model communities and establish community networks for mutual assistance.

Satisfactory results were shown with regards to the allocation and sustainability of natural resources which helped resolved the problem of food security by introducing community-based crops such as rice and organic vegetables. Furthermore, there has been an effort to integrate the strengths of folk healers, traditional Thai medicine and modern medicine to assist both patients fighting diabetes and the elderly.

Due to the promising results, both Thammasat and EGAT agree that the project can be expanded outside of model areas into other communities. In addition, they would like to report the knowledge gained from this project to all other agencies and personnel involved in community development, along with students interested in this area of work. In the hope to empower and strengthen the team, the organizations have invited the Association for Developing Human Potentials and Giftedness (ADHPG) and the Institute for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ISMED) to join the “Community Empowerment and Innovations for Sustainability ” project.

The ADHPG will then provide support with regards to the development of youths and community leaders to increase their creative potential and successfully develop or employ new innovations. They will also provide support in the development of community enterprises through integration of community products with businesses.

In addition to current measures taken, new aims such as promotion of local tourism, raising quality standards for community products, and the development of current and aspiring leaders have been added to the agenda.

All four parties will join hands to promote and support communities in order for them to have the ability to solve their own problems without solely relying on external assistance. this includes preparing them for global changes by supporting innovations and technologies that are based off local knowledge in order to meet the SDGs. From SDGs 1-8, 10, 12-15, 17, they aim to meet at least 10 out of the 14 issues for this project.

By 2023, the project aims that the model communities whose lifestyle will now follow the SDGs goals will act as an example for the nation.