Chula Signs MoU with National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Japan

More research and academic cooperation overseas is underway as Chulalongkorn University signed an MOU with the National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Japan. Executives from both institutions, including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pannee Cheewinsiriwat, Assistant to the President for Research, Chulalongkorn University; Prof. Junichi Nabekura, M.D., Ph.D., Director of NIPS; and Prof. Yoshihiro Kubo, M.D., Ph.D., Deputy Director of NIPS participated in the signing ceremony, led by Prof. Dr. Bundhit Eua-arporn, President of Chulalongkorn University,   on May 3, 2023 at the room Meeting 202, 2nd Floor, Chamchuri 4 Building, Chulalongkorn University.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Punnee Cheewinsiriwat, Assistant to the President of Chula, stated that “Chulalongkorn University, as one of the leading institutions in Thailand, has three missions: to create future leaders, conduct impactful research, and develop innovations that can have positive impact on society and create sustainability in the future. These are similar to the missions of NIPS, Japan; therefore, this is a great opportunity for both institutions to exchange knowledge and expertise, work together to explore new research areas in science and technology, and achieve the most eminent research results.”

On this occasion, researchers from both institutions presented their work, namely “A Novel Pathophysiological Mechanism of the GIRK Channelopathy” by Prof. Yoshihiro Kubo, Ph.D., Deputy Director of the National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Japan, and “Neural Mechanisms of Retrospective Fear; Revisiting James-Lange Theory of Emotion with Optogenetics in Mice” by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thongchai Suksawate, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University.

The Chula-NIPS collaboration initially started when Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thongchai Suksawate, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, received a short-term research grant at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), Japan, and jointly conducted a research. In 2011 the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and NIPS first collaborated at the faculty level, then expanded collaboration to the university level by Prof. Dr. Suchinda Malaivijitnond, Director of the National Primate Research Center, Chulalongkorn University. 

Collaboration has formed and is underway, as a total of seven science experts from the faculties of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dentistry, and Veterinary Science at Chulalongkorn University have visited NIPS, Japan, to conduct research. Furthermore, the two schools have collaborated to exchange doctoral students, co-host international conferences and seminars, co-organize IBRO meetings, and publish findings in well-known journals. Currently, 12 articles by Chulalongkorn University researchers have been published and NIPS has offered scholarships to support faculty members and graduate students for their research. For further details, visit https://www.nips.ac.jp/eng/.  

The National Primate Research Center, Chulalongkorn University (NPRCT-CU) has also received accreditation from AAALAC International for the breeding and use of laboratory animals in science. It is the first and only primate research center in Southeast Asia to be certified with the OECD-GLP standard for humane animal care and good practices, as well as good occupational health and safety for personnel working. The research and validation in trials are of the highest quality to ensure that it is dependable and fully traceable, and to support the research and development of new pharmaceuticals in order to produce income and build Thailand’s biotechnology-based economy. 

For more information about the National Primate Research Center, call 0-2218-9473 or visit 

Website: https://nprct.org/ 

Email: nprct.cu@chula.ac.th 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NPRCTCU

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