Mission:

• To conduct the researches involving the biology, biochemistry and genetic diversity of malaria parasites and other organisms by using biomolecular technology.
• To train the students or researchers who are interested in molecular biology techniques.

Focus Areas: 

Activities involve the basic studies on biology, biochemistry, molecular genetics of Plasmodium falciparum and other organisms.

General Description of Student and Researcher Activities:
Students and researchers will use the techniques which have been well developed in our laboratory to analyze and characterize the genetics of malaria parasites or others interested organisms. Such techniques can be divided into 2 groups. The first group involves techniques for the cultivation of parasites, the second group involves the study on molecular biology of malaria parasites. Techniques related to cultivation such as in vitro cultivation of malaria asexual stage, in vitro drug susceptibility test etc. and the techniques related to the study of molecular biology such as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), RT-PCR (Real Time- Polymerase Chain Reaction), DNA fragment analysis by using microsatellite markers etc. The students will learn to conduct high quality research and are able to publish the scientific paper in high impact international journal.

Examples of Projects:

• The surveillance of Artemisinin Based Combination Therapies efficacy by using molecular markers
• Cytochrome b mutation in Plasmodium falciparum collected from Thai-Cambodia border
• Atovaquone/Proguanil in vitro susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum from Thai-Cambodia border and the nucleotide sequences of their cytochrome b and dihydrofolate reductase genes
• Population structure of Plasmodium falciparum endemic in southern provinces of Thailand
• Molecular analysis of Pfmdr1 gene in Plasmodium falciparum in Thai-Cambodia border
• The genetic diversity of Plasmodium falcipaum and Plasmodium vivax in Thai-Myanmar and Thai-Malaysian borders