Naresuan University

NU NEWSLETTER Volume 5 October 2014 - March 2015

Advisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mary Elizabeth Sarawit,

Dr. Suchart Muangkeow

Executive Editor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manupat Lohitnavy

Editorial Department Mrs. Sirimas Senaruk

Miss Phanngam Laksuchon

Mrs. Suthinee Punketnakhon

Mr. Witoon Thanuthong

Mr. Phongphat Fakfum

Miss Kietnaree Tacheephan

Miss Pataranan Nakakong

Mr. Thiti Singkong

Art Editor Mrs. Supaleka Phanpanya

Mr. Naret Iam-in

Miss Yodwadee Saisueb

Prepared by PublicRelationsOffice,

Division of Central Administration,

Naresuan University, Muang,

Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand

Telephone +66 5596 1118

Fax +66 5596 1005

Email naresuan_pr@nu.ac.th

Website www.nu.ac.th

The Global Struggle Against Infectious Disease 1

Announcement of the Awarding of

Honorary Degrees of the Academic Year 2013 2

NU Innovation: A First Step to

Alzheimer’s Treatment 5

NUResearchersRevealCancer-FightingBenefits

of Somsa in 14th Thailand Innovation Awards 6

- NU Student Wins the 2nd Place Prize

in the International RT Competition 2014

- NU Architecture Alumnus Bags 1st Prize in 2014

Thai National Costume Competition 7

- Naresuan University Welcomes the Ambassador

of Brunei Darussalam to Thailand

- A Warm Welcome to the Director of the

Thailand-China Business Centre in Nanning and

Chinese Traders 8

- NU Collaborates with Three Australian

Universities

- NU Success in Academic Cooperation

with Germany 9

For Year 2015, it is an exciting year for Naresuan University and our community. We shall celebrate our 25th year

anniversary of our establishment or our Silver Anniversary. In the past 25 years, Naresuan University has been contributing

to Thai society through education, research and community services. These activities result in further social and economic

development in the lower northern region of our country and also elsewhere. We aim to gradually transform our campus into

a research university as well as an environmentally friendly or green campus.

To begin our celebration in this auspicious year, we will have a series of academic events both on and off campus.

As a kick-off, we have invited Prof. Dr. Bruce A. Beutler, a 2011 Nobel Prize laureate in Medicine, to deliver a special lecture

entitled “Global Struggle Against Infectious Disease” on February 2nd of 2015.

Subsequently, Naresuan University will host a series of lectures, conferences and seminars throughout 2015.

Certainly, we look forward to seeing you as an important part of our important year and moments prior to, together, stepping

forward steadily towards our ambitious goals awaiting us in our Golden Anniversary in the next 25 years!

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manupat Lohitnavy

Vice President for International Affairs

Table of Contents

editor’s letter

NU NEWSLETTER | 1

Professor Bruce A. Beutler discovered an important

family of receptors that allow mammals to sense infections

whentheyoccur,triggeringapowerfulinflammatoryresponse.

His discovery and contributions to understanding the immune

system and the translation of his research into therapies

have reduced the suffering of millions of patients with

inflammatorydisease.Ithasalsoopenedupnewavenues

for the prevention and therapy of infections and cancer.

The topic “The global struggle against infectious

disease” could not be more relevant as Africa and the world

struggle to contain the reemergence of Ebola. Infectious

diseases, in particular, play their merciless roles to deteriorate

livesorevenexterminatedensegroupsofpeopleinspecific

areas. Recently developed measures to tackle this arch

enemy are public health measures, mass immunisation,

and antimicrobial drugs, which greatly help extend the life

span of mankind. Unfortunately, there are a number of

infectious diseases, whether emerging or re-emerging ones,

The Global Struggle Against Infectious Diseaseby Professor Bruce A. Beutler, a 2011 Nobel Laureate for Medicine

that evolve through time and keep pace with medical

advancement, and this is why we need to carefully probe

into them and come up with sustainable solutions to achieve

better longevity for all of us.

Participants will include medical researchers, doctors,

other health care professionals and practitioners, scientists,

leading academics, and university administrators and faculty

alongwithstudentsinvariousfieldsofhealthcare.

Part of the 5th ASEAN event series “Bridges

– Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace” facilitated

by the International Peace Foundation “The global

struggle against infectious disease” by Professor

Bruce A. Beutler, a 2011 Nobel Laureate for

Medicine and Director of the Center for the

Genetics of Host Defense at the University of

Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas,

USA

2 | NU NEWSLETTER

Announcement of the Awarding ofHonorary Degrees of the Academic Year 2013

Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi started working with Prof. Dr. Puey Ungpakorn as

a visiting fellow at the University of Cambridge and then moved to the Bank of

Thailand as a special academic researcher. After a short period of time, he was quickly

promoted to be assistant to the head of International Business and then advanced

to the head of Supervision and Analysis for Foreign Exchange situated in the International

AffairsDepartment.Shortlyafterwards,hebecamethedirectorofOfficeoftheBank

of Thailand and the director of Regulatory and Observant Institutions for Finance.

Indeed, he was also appointed to be an administrator in both private and government

sectors, such as Chin Sophonpanich Foundation professor at the Faculty of Commerce

and Accountancy, Chulalongkorn University; chair professor of the School of Development

Economics, the National Institute of Development Administration; an honorary member

A former dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, he is a retired

governmentofficerwhoiscurrentlyalecturerintheFacultyofMedicineatBurapha

University disseminating medical knowledge to faculty members in Burapha University

and other associated institutions. Moreover, at present, he is an invited lecturer teaching

Chulalongkorn University’s medical students. Adjunct Professor Suchin Ungthavorn

hasbeendeterminedlyfulfillinghisdutiesthroughteachingandresearching,especially

conducting research on people disabled from birth, focusing on the sources of the

mechanisms for being disabled. Moreover, his diligence and dedication have been

tireless throughout his career, promoting him for appointment in different administrative

1 | Adjunct Professor Suchin Ungthavorn, M.D.

positions,includingatChulalongkornUniversitypositionsofheadoftheAudiovisualEducationCenterattheOfficeof

Academic Resources, head of the Department of Anatomy, and vice-dean for Academic Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine.

After his retirement, he became dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Naresuan University. Nationally, he had various important

responsibilities in different organizations as well as receiving much prestigious recognition, for instance, president of the

AnatomyAssociationofThailand,certificateforbeinganoutstandingstaffofNaresuanUniversity,andtheMedicalCouncil

of Thailand’s trophy for an outstanding medic in morality from Burapha University.

2 | Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi

of the University Council of Prince of Songkla University; president of the Committee of Navathanakij Finance and Securities

Co., Ltd.; president of the University Council of Bansomdej-chaopraya Rajabhat University; executive vice president of the

Thai Military Bank; and a board member of the Industrial Finance Corporation of Thailand. Joining political activities, he became

a member of the House of Representatives under the Democrat Party, elected in Bangkok in 1986. During his time, he played

animportantroleinsettingnationaleconomicpoliciesandwasentrustedtobedeputyministeroffinance,presidentof

the Commissioners for the Economy in the Thai Parliament, a senator, deputy prime minister, and minister of commerce.

As a specialist and a well-known politician who has fully served the people of Thailand and worked for their economic

welfare,MisterSupachaiPanitchpakdiwasselectedtobethefirstThaitoworkasdirectorgeneraloftheWorldTrade

Organization and secretary general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

NU NEWSLETTER | 3

Mr. Dhanin Chearavanont started working as a cashier at Charoen Pokphand

Foods Public Company Limited and then moved to be a poultry manager at the

Union of Cooperatives of Thailand. Mister Dhanin Chearavanont was promoted to

sales manager of poultry at Samakkee Karsad Company Limited then went back to

Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited as general manager and further

advanced to manager of the board for Charoen Pokphand’s networks, mainly taking

partininvestinganddevelopingthefirmtobethebiggestbusinessinThailandand

the largest animal feed provider in the world. In addition, the company expanded

to real estate, the automotive industry, and telecommunications. With his knowledge,

competence, and experience in business administration, Mister Dhanin Chearavanont

was invited to take various positions, for example, member of the National Legislative

Professor Dr. Hans E. Junginger has been conducting research and teaching

in pharmaceutics for over forty years. He was head of the Department of Pharmaceutics

at the Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, retiring in 2004. Since retiring,

Professor Dr. Hans E. Junginger has been a visiting professor at Naresuan University

in Phitsanulok, Thailand; the Faculty of Pharmacy in Ljubljana, Slovenia; the National

University of Singapore; and the German University in Cairo, Egypt. His research has

focused on drug delivery: mucosal barrier modulation and drug absorption control,

skin barrier modulation and drug absorption, and novel synthesized polymers for

delivery systems for peroral peptide drug and vaccine delivery and absorption. He has

3 | Mr. Dhanin Chearavanont

Assembly, senator, advisor to the prime minister, advisor to the minister of commerce, committee member advising on the

King’s projects in Thailand’s northeastern region, advisor to the Agricultural Economics Society of Thailand under royal

patronage, honorary advisor to the Federation of Thai Industries, advisor to the Thailand-China Business Council, and the

firstandnowthesecondpresidentoftheChineseCoastalBusinessPeople’sUnionofthePeople’sRepublicofChina.

Furthermore, he has internationally and nationally received many honors, such as Businessperson of the Year 1990,

Outstanding Business Developer 1991, Outstanding Administrator in Investing 1992, Mahidol Wittayanusorn Royal Award 1992,

Person of the Nation for Economic Development, Corporate Leader of the Year from the Asian Finance Magazine, and

Outstanding Benefactor for Education from Peking University.

4 | Professor Dr. Hans E. Junginger

worked as a consultant to numerous international pharmaceutical companies, including Aruba Aloe Balm, Oranjestad, Aruba,

the Netherlands Antilles; Lupin Research Laboratories, Prune and Mumbai, India; and Procter and Gamble Beauty Research,

Kobe,Japan.Inadditiontohisprolificresearch,Prof.Jungingerhascoauthoredover300publicationsinpeerreviewedjournals,

50 book chapters, 3 books, and 8 patents and 2 recent patent applications. He is a fellow of the American Association of

PharmaceuticalScientistsandscientificsecretaryandmemberoftheexecutivecommitteeoftheInternationalPharmaceutical

Federation (FIP). Professor Junginger has received many honors and awards, including an honorary doctorate from the University

of Ghent, Belgium; an honorary doctorate from the Potchefstroom University, South Africa; the FIP Lifetime Achievement

Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences; and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (ASPS) Dr. Ralph Shangraw

Memorial Award sponsored by the IPEC Foundation in 2012.

4 | NU NEWSLETTER

Professor Bruce A. Beutler, M.D. is a 2011 Nobel Laureate for Medicine and

presently director of the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense at the University

of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, the U.S.A. He also holds the

Raymond and Ellen Willie Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research and since 2011

is the Regental Professor of the University of Texas System. In 1983, he became a

postdoctoral fellow at Rockefeller University in New York City where he was able

toisolatethemousetumornecrosisfactor(TNF);hewasthefirsttorecognizethe

importanceofTNFasakeyexecutoroftheinflammatoryresponse.In1986,he

returned to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, working

as an investigator and professor of internal medicine at the Howard Hughes Medical

5 | Adjunct Associate Professor Dr. David Briggs Adjunct Associate Professor Dr. David Stewart Briggs has spent his life studying

and working to develop health care systems and the management of health services.

In addition to his role in teaching in the management and leadership of health systems,

qualitymanagement,andthefinancialmanagementofhealthsystems,Dr.Briggsis

ChairoftheNewEnglandMedicareLocal,editoroftheAsiaPacificJournalofHealth

Management, president of the Society of Health Administration Programs in Health

Education, and senior advisor to the Centre of Expertise on Hospital and Health Services

Management in the Faculty of Public Health at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok,

Thailand. He is a fellow, life member, and past national president of the Australian

College of Health Services Management as well as founding fellow of the Hong Kong

College of Health Services Executives. Dr. David Briggs received the 2011 Australasian

College of Health Service Management (ACHSM) award for best fellowship candidate from Hong Kong. In 2004, he was

recipient of the Gold Medal from ACHSM for his outstanding effort and achievements in the provision of health services

in Australia. Over the years, he has published numerous scholarly papers in peer reviewed journals. In addition to book

chapters, in 2004 he co-authored Health Care Financial Management.

6 | Professor Bruce A. Beutler, M.D.

Institute.HedesignedinhibitorsofTNFthatarewidelyusedinthetreatmentofinflammatorydiseases.Continuinghiswork

on the immune response, he worked at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California from the year 2000 to 2011,

where he was a professor in the Department of Immunology and later chairman of the Department of Genetics. In 2011, he

returned to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where he continues his work on host defense mechanisms.

Before he received the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his discovery of an important family of receptors that allow mammals

tosenseinfectionswhentheyoccur,triggeringapowerfulinflammatoryresponse;Prof.BeutlerwasrecognizedbytheShaw

Prize (2011), the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research (2009), election to the National Academy

of Sciences and Institute of Medicine (2008), the Frederik B. Bang Award (2008), the Balzan Prize (2007), the Gran Prix

Charles-Leopold Mayer (2006), the William B. Coley Award (2005), the Robert Koch Prize (2004), and other honors. He has

authored or co-authored more than 300 papers, which have been cited more than 46,000 times. Prof. Bruce A. Beutler has

dedicated his professional life to the struggle against infectious disease, and his discoveries have been realized as drugs in

thetreatmentofinflammatorydiseases.

NU NEWSLETTER | 5

The brain is the most important organ of the body,

controlling body functions, such as memory, communication,

and movement. If something negatively effects the brain, it

can impact daily activity and become a health problem, as

Alzheimer’s disease has become. More than 700,000 Thai

people now face this disease, but none of several medications

currently available is able to stop or reverse the disease at

this time. Alzheimer’s patients lose memory capacity due

to brain deterioration. This in turn interferes with a person’s

dailyactivitiesandcanleadthepersontodiewithinfive

years if they do not receive proper treatment. For this reason,

early detection is vital to protect the brain against Alzheimer’s

disease.

NU’s research team from the Cardio-Thoracic

Technology Division, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan

University headed by Ajarn Watchara Keawmahanin, Miss

Kanokwan Phoomcharoen, Miss Supranee Klankasikorn and

Miss Maneerat recognized this problem, and they created a

machine named the “Early Detection of Alzheimer Device”

to help people detect dangerous signs of Alzheimer’s

disease early. Using this concept, people can be tested by

sensors in the machine focusing on brain waves and oxygen

levels. These markers can indicate signs of trouble in the

forebrain,whichisthefirstareatobedestroyedinAlzheimer’s.

The results are quite accurate and can help the patient

guard against Alzheimer’s disease, as well as Parkinson’s

disease and Epilepsy.

This innovation leapt past 700 other participants

from different universities to receive the second prize in

the Idea Seed category of True Innovation Awards 2014 at

Bangkok University, Rangsit Campus. Naresuan University

hopesthisnewcontributionwillserveasthefirststepin

preventing and healing Alzheimer’s disease as well as other

brain diseases.

NU Innovation:A First Step to Alzheimer’s Treatment

6 | NU NEWSLETTER

NU Researchers RevealCancer-Fighting Benefits

of Somsa in 14th

Thailand Innovation Awards

Researchers from Naresuan University Pharmaceutical

SciencesFacultyfoundsurprisinghealthbenefitsfroma

citrus fruit locally called “Somsa.” According to the study

by Ms. Nopparat Sethanakul, Ms. Jeerakit Kerdsiri, Ms. Boontrika

Yoodee and project advisor, Asst. Prof. Ausadang Ponnok,

Ph.D., the fruit “Somsa,” commonly known as “citron” with

thescientificname,CitrusMedica,containsantioxidantsthat

can help repair free radicals, thereby lessening the risk of

damaged cells contributing to cancer. The antioxidants found

in extracted “Somsa” leaf oil are free from mercury and are

good for people with sensitive skin. The research team, then,

proceeded to integrate the leaf oil into the manufacturing

of safe and healthy lipsticks. The study won the 2nd prize at

the 14th Thailand Innovation Awards held at Centara Hotel

in Bangkok.

Lipstickswerethefirstchoiceoftheresearchersin

order to promote the valuable qualities of “Somsa.” Not only

do these lipsticks with antioxidants beautify and moisturize

girls’ lips, they also prevent cancer and serve as anti-aging

cosmetics. To answer the need of the market for variety,

“Somsa” lipsticks were launched in two kinds: glossy and

matte.Theycomeinfivedifferentcolors:pinkishgloss

labeled Happiness, orange-red gloss labeled Enjoy, golden

gloss labeled Classy, purple matte labeled Secret, and red

matte labeled Courage.

The research project advisor, Asst. Prof. Ausadang,

said that “Somsa” is a fruit belonging to the Citrus family

mostly grown in WangSomsa village in Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Aside from its tasty fruit, “Somsa” leaves were utilized as

medicine by Thai people in the past, believing the leaves

havemedicallybeneficialcharacteristics.Presently,however,

unaware of its importance, very few people grow and cultivate

“Somsa.” This is another reason why this project was launched;

it’s not only to add value to “Somsa” but also to preserve

local knowledge, systems, and practices that have helped

Thai people live longer.

Naresuan University picked up another prize when

1 of 3 fourth year students from Radiological Technology,

Allied Health Sciences, Mr. Anupong Kongsa, won the 2nd

place prize for x-ray imaging in the International Competition

Day for RT Students 2014 at Central Taiwan University of

Science and Technology, Taiwan. This international competition

had18representativesfrom18universitiesintheAsiaPacific

region from Taiwan, Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam,

Hong Kong, and Thailand.

NU NEWSLETTER | 7

NU Student Wins the 2nd

Place Prize in the International RT Competition 2014

NU Architecture Alumnus Bags 1st Prize in 2014Thai National Costume Competition

An alumnus of Naresuan University from the Faculty

of Architecture had etched his artistry on the minds of the

judges out of the 614 entries with his traditional costume

design in the recently concluded Thai National Costume

Contest for 2014. Amornwipu “Keng” Injad, who at present

is an architect by profession, artistically translated a costume

that adheres to this year’s theme: “Creative Thai.” He created

a monochromatic traditional Thai attire named “Shadow of

Siam,” of which he drew inspiration from the shadow puppetry

that is embedded in the traditional culture of most of Southeast

Asia. Injad, with his pure talent tastefully made a design that

shied away from the usual colorful and gold hues and went

in for the mysterious black color instead. Moreover, the overall

message is that “Nangyai” the term for the Shadow Puppetry,

is a performance that uses black as the centerpiece color, thus

other colors are solely perceived through the imagination of

the audience. The said contest, which was participated in by

hundreds of talented designers all over Thailand, was opened

by the organizers of Miss Universe Thailand to deliberately

choose a dress that can imbibe the unique Thai sense of style.

Meanwhile, Injad’s winning piece will be Miss Universe Thailand

2014 Pimbongkod “Ellie” Chankaew’s traditional attire for

the 63rd Miss Universe Pageant on January 25, 2015 in Doral

Miami Florida, USA. Injad alongside his minimalistic yet elegant

design only proves that grand designs for the grand stage

need not be obvious but rather should serve a purpose.

8 | NU NEWSLETTER

A group of senior administrative staff members, led

by President Sujin Jinahyon, was privileged and honored to

receive H.E. Dato Paduka Haji Kamis bin Haji Tamin, Ambassador

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to

Thailand.Anexchangeofideaswasmadetowardsfactfilesof

Brunei Darussalam and Naresuan University, including several

research and academic activities that the university has

Naresuan UniversityWelcomes the Ambassadorof Brunei Darussalamto Thailand

A Warm Welcome to the Director of the Thailand-China Business Centre in Nanning and Chinese Traders

October 29, 2014, Naresuan Room, Naresuan University,

the President of Naresuan University Prof. Dr. Sujin Jinahyon

and the board of directors gave a warm welcome to Mr. Xie

Ming Qiang, director of the Thailand-China Business Centre

in Nanning, China and his fellow Chinese Traders. Their aim

is to continue collaborations and increase academic research

links between Naresuan University and Nanning.

committed to in the past years. The university also had an opportunity to bring the group from the embassy to visit the

Faculty of Nursing, Naresuan University International College, and Central Library and observe several other facilities. The

discussion occurred on Thursday, August 14, 2014 at Naresuan Room 1.

NU NEWSLETTER | 9

NU Collaborates with Three Australian Universities

In the week beginning November 3, 2014, Prof. Dr.

Sujin Jinahyon, the President of Naresuan University and the

Naresuan University Board signed memoranda of understanding

with three Australian universities to collaborate in the areas

of innovative knowledge, research, and lecturer and student

exchange. The universities are The University of Western

Australia, Curtin University, and the University of New South

Wales.

NU Success in Academic Cooperation with Germany From 23rd – 28th June 2014, the board of Naresuan

University, headed by the President, Prof. Dr. Sujin Jinahyon,

visited Germany to sign a memorandum of understanding

withEberhardKarlsUniversity,Tübingeninthefieldsof

Allied Health and Cardiovascular research. The NU board

also visited Prof. Dr. Gerlard Schneider, president of the

University of Applied Science in Aalen, to discuss the signing

of a cooperation agreement. While in Germany, the NU board

took the opportunity to visit other well-known universities.