Current Research

No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12024Developing Standard Criteria and Applications for Identifying Antimalarial Drug Treatments Based on the Blood Stage Morphology of P. falciparumWellcome Trust (iTP)Prof. Kesinee Chotivanich
22020การประยุกต์ใช้เทคนิคการสร้างภาพฟลูออเรสเซนต์จากอนุภาคนาโนในการดูผลของยารักษามาลาเรียต่อเชื้อมาลาเรียในระยะติดต่อในตับMahidol University
(Government Budget)
Prof. Kesinee Chotivanich
No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12025A Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of CH505M5 N197D mRNA-gp160 followed by CH505 TF mRNA-gp160 in adults in overall good health without HIVFred Hutchinson Cancer Center Prime Award :NIHProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
22024AIDS Clinical Trials Group for Research on Therapeutics for HIV and Related InfectionsNational Institutes of Health (NIH) Prof. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
32021Randomized, Double Blind Evaluation of Late Boost Strategies with IHV01 (FLSC in aluminum phosphate) and A244 with or without ALFQ for HIV-uninfected Participants in the HIV Vaccine Trial RV306 / WRAIR 1920 (RV546)The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc.Prof. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
42020The Military HIV Research Program (MHRP) Clinical Trial UnitNational Institute of Health (NIH)Prof. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12025การต่อสู้โรคด้วยวัคซีน:NRCT9-3 ประสิทธิผลของวัคซีนป้องกันการติดเชื้อเอชพีวี หลังจากได้รับวัคซีนหนึ่งเข็มหรือสองเข็มในวัยรุ่นและผู้หญิงวัยเจริญพันธุ์Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc./Prime Award: NIHProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
22020A Phase 3, International, Multi-center, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial to Study the Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of the 9vHPV Vaccine, a Multivalent L1 Virus-like Particle Vaccine, in the prevention of oral persistent infection with HPV Types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, or 58 in adult males, 20 to 45 years of age (V503-049)MSD (THAILAND) Company LimitedProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum

Other Infectious Diseases (Chikungunya, Melioidosis, Rabies, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection, Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hand, Food and mouth disease, Pneumococcal)

No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12024การประเมินโอกาสการเสียชีวิตของคนไข้โรคเมลิออยโดซิสจากพันธุกรรมของเชื้อและคนไข้Health Systems Research InstituteDr. Chewapreecha Kamolchanok Claire
22023บทบาทของการรั่วของโมเลกุลของเชื้อโรคจากลำไส้จากการให้แอลกอฮอล์ในหนูที่เป็นโรคลุปัสจากการขาดโมเลกุล FcgRllbMahidol University (MU’s Strategic Research Fund)Assoc. Prof. Wiwat Chancharoenthana
32023Blood microbiome and metabolome in cecal ligation and puncture mice support a better impact of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria than other probioticsMahidol University
(Specific League Funds)
Assoc. Prof. Wiwat Chancharoenthana
42023An update on nationwide surveillance of hospitalized pneumococcal disease burden among Thai adulta 2011-2023: an bidirectional cohort studyMahidol University
(Specific League Funds)
Assoc. Prof. Thundon Ngamprasertchai
52022A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase 3 Efficacy Study of an   
Ad26.RSV.preF-based Vaccine in the Prevention of Lower Respiratory Tract Disease  
Caused by RSV in Adults Aged 60 Years and Older
Government Pharmaceutical OrganizationProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
62022Controlled Study of Immunogenicity and Safety of the Investigational vYF Candidate Vaccine in Comparison to Stamaril® in AdultsSanofi Pasteur Inc.Asst. Prof. Wasin Matsee
72021A Phase II/III Adaptive Seamless Design, rancomized, controlled Trial To Evaluate And Immunogenicity of 2 Dose-Regimen of BBV87 Chikungunya Vaccine in Healthy Subjects Aged 12 to 65 years in Panama, Colombia, and Thailand International Vaccine Institute, KoreaProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
82021Incidence and clinical characteristics of Respiratory syncytial Virus Infection in influenza-like illness among adults in ThailandMahidol University
(New discovery and Frontier Research)
Assoc. Prof. Chayasin Mansanguan
92021The integration of single cell analysis for immune profiling study inactive tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infectionThailand Science Research and InnovationAssoc. Prof. Wiwat Chancharoenthana
102021A Phase 2b Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Rilematovir (JNJ-53718678) in Adult Outpatients with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection who are at High Risk for RSV-related Disease ProgressionJanssen-Cilag limitedAsst. Prof. Sant Muangnoicharoen
112021Tracking transmission of Enterovirus causing hand, foot and mouth disease between index cases and their close contacts in kindergarten schools using the viral next-generation sequencing dataMahidol University
(Specific League Funds)
Dr. Janjira Thaipadungpanit
122021Non-sputum based tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment monitoringMahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit: MORUDr. Janjira Thaipadungpanit
132020Development, production and clinical evaluation on safety and immunogenicity of recombinant pertussis vaccine (recombinant DTaP) for pediatricsNational Science and Technology Development AgencyProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
142020A randomized, observer-blind, active-controlled study to assess safety and immunogenicity of a licensed tetanus-diphtheria-recombinant acellular pertussis vaccine (TdaP, Boostagen®) and a pediatric diphtheria-tetanus- recombinant aP (recombinant DTaP) vaccine when administered to healthy children aged 3-7 yearsBioNet-AsiaProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
152020A phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of catch-up vaccination regimens of V114 in healthy infants, childrenMSD (THAILAND) LTD. Prof. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
162020Immunogenicity and Safety of a Purified Vero Rabies Vaccine-Serum free (VRVg) Assessed with the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC :2-2-2-0-0) and the Thai Red Cross (TRC : 2-2-2-0-2) Intradermal Regimens as Simulated Rabies Post Exposure Prophylaxis in Healthy Subjects in Thailand (VRV-009)Sanofi Pasteur Inc.Prof. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
172020A phase II/III randomized, observer-blind, active-controlled study to compare non-inferior immunogenicity of a combined Diphtheria-Tetanus-recombinant acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine to a licensed DTaP based vaccine (nonrecombinant),when administered to healthy toddlers aged of 15-36 months old (DTA201)BioNet-AsiaProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12022A Phase 2/3, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, Placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 2 regimens of orally administered PF-07321332/ritonavir in preventing symptomatic sars-cov-2 infection in adult household contacts of individuals with sars-cov-2 infectionPAREXEL International (Thailand) Co. Ltd.Assoc. Prof. Weerapong Phumratanaprapin
22021A Phase 1/2 Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Observer-blind Trial to Assess the Safety and Immunogenicity of NDV-HXP-S Vaccine in Thailand (GPO NDV-HXP-S)Government Pharmaceutical OrganizationProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
32021A Phase 1/2 Study to Evaluate the Safety Reactogenicity and Immunogenicity of Ad26.COV2.S Administered as a Heterologous Booster Vaccination in Adults 18 Years of Age and Older Following Single- or Two-Dose Vaccination with an Inactivated COVID-19 VaccineJohnson & JohnsonProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
42021Development and evaluation of serological assays for COVID-19 by ELISA technique : the implication of the use the ThailandMahidol University
(New discovery and Frontier Research)
Assoc. Prof. Viravarn Luvira
No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12023การศึกษาวิจัยในศูนย์การศึกษาหลายแห่ง ระยะที่ 2 แบบสุ่ม ปกปิดข้อมูลทั้งสองด้าน ควบคุมด้วยยาหลอก มีแนวทางการให้ยาด้วยการจับคู่ยาหลอก (แบบดับเบิลดัมมี) เพื่อประเมินประสิทธิผลและความปลอดภัยของยาเจเอ็นเจ-64281802 สองแบบแผนการให้ยาสำหรับการป้องกันการติดเชื้อไข้เลือดออก Janssen Research & Development LLCAsst. Prof. Sant Muangnoicharoen
22022A Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial to evaluate pharmacoki/netics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of AT-752 in patients with dengue infectionAtea Pharmaceutical, IncAssoc. Prof. Weerapong Phumratanaprapin
32021Enhancing Diagnostic Value of Dengue NS1 in Plasma by Viral Enrichment Sample Preparation and Exosome ExtractionMahidol University
(Specific League Funds)
Assoc. Prof. Viravarn Luvira
42020Relationship between immune profiling and leaky gut syndrome in dengue infectionThailand Science Research and InnovationAssoc. Prof. Wiwat Chancharoenthana
52020DEN/Zika/CHIK infection among febrile patients in Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, ThailandUniversity of ColoradoAsst. Prof. Wasin Matsee
No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12023A Phase I/II Randomized Double Blind Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of GPO Seasonal Quadrivalent Inactived Split Virion Influenza Vaccine in Healthy ThaisGovernment Pharmaceutical OrganizationProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
22021A Phase 3, Randomized, Observer-Blind, Controlled, Multicenter, Clinical Study to Evaluate Immunogenicity and Safety of a High Dose MF59-Adjuvanted Quadrivalent Subunit Cell-derived Influenza Vaccine (aQIVc HD) in Comparison with a Non adjuvanted Quadrivalent Recombinant Influenza Vaccine (QIVr) and an MF59-Adjuvanted Quadrivalent Subunit Egg-derived Influenza Vaccine (aQIV), in Adults Aged 50 Years and AbovePAREXEL International (Thailand) Co. Ltd.Prof. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
32020A Phase III Double Blinded, Randomized, Controlled, Non-inferiority Trial to Evaluate the Immunogenicity and Safety of Tri Fluvac, a Seasonal Trivalent Inactivated Split Virion Influenza Vaccine, in Healthy Thai Subjects Aged 65 Years and above (GPO Tri Fluvac Vaccine Phase III_Elderly)Government Pharmaceutical OrganizationProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12020A Multi-country Varicella Economic Burden Study (MARVEL II) – ThailandMerck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a Subsidiary of Merk & Co., Inc.Asst. Prof. Supitcha Kamolratanakul
No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12022COVID-19 International Traveler Sentinel Surveillance (CITrSS)International society of Travel Medicine (ISTM)Asst. Prof. Wasin Matsee
22020Analysis of the gut microbiome among western travelers in ThailandGlobal emerging infectious disease surveillance (GEIS) sustainment fund FY18-19Assoc. Prof. Kittiyod Poovorawan

General Medicine (Gastrointestinal, Chest, Liver, Kidney, Cardiovascular, Diabetes Mellitus, Cancer, Pharmacology)

No.YearResearch TitleGrantPrincipal Investigator
12024การศึกษาทบทวนเพื่อรวบรวมข้อมูลวัคซีนสำหรับการสนับสนุนการตัดสินใจเชิงนโยบายNational Vaccine InstituteProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
22024A phase 2b, open-label study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and treatment regimens of VTP-300 combined with low-dose nivolumab in Chronic Hepatitis B InfectionVaccitech (UK) Ltd,Assoc. Prof. Kittiyod Poovorawan
32023การต่อสู้โรคเขตร้อนด้วยวัคซีนNational Research Council of ThailandProf. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
42022การแยกลักษณะของเซลล์ในสไลด์สเมียร์เลือดด้วยปัญญาประดิษฐ์ระหว่างผู้ป่วยไข้เฉียบพลันและผู้ป่วยโรคมะเร็งโรคเลือดMahidol University
(Specific League Funds)
Assoc. Prof. Supat Chamnanchanunt
52022Bacterial-free DNA in blood from bilateral nephrectomy mice enhanced uremic inflammation through cGAS and aryk hydrocarbon receptorMahidol University
(Specific League Funds)
Assoc. Prof. Wiwat Chancharoenthana
62021A Prospective, Multi-Centre Study (B-Sure) to Evaluate Long-Term Durability of Sustained Virologic Response in Chronic Hepatitis B Participants With and Without Nucleos(t)ide Therapy Who Have Received and Responded to GSK3228836 in a Previous Treatment StudyGlaxoSmithKline Research & Development LimitedAssoc. Prof. Kittiyod Poovorawan
72021A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled, Single and Multiple Dose Study Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of AB-836, an HBV Capsid Inhibitor, in Healthy Subjects, with Chronic HBV InfectionNovotech Clinical Research (Thailand) Co., LTDAssoc. Prof. Kittiyod Poovorawan
82021A Phase 2 Multicenter, Randomized, Open-label Study to Investigate the Safety and Efficacy of BRII-835 (VIR-2218) and BRII-179 (VBI-2601) Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) InfectionNovotech Clinical Research (Thailand) Co., LTDAssoc. Prof. Kittiyod Poovorawan
92021The prototype digital vaccination registry study: turning clinical data into favorable platformMahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit: MORUAssoc. Prof. Thundon Ngamprasertchai
102020A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Active Comparator-controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of Catch-up Vaccination Regimens of V114 in Healthy Infants, Children, and Adolescents (PNEU-PLAN)Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a Subsidiary of Merk & Co., Inc.Prof. Emeritus Punnee Pitisuttithum
112020Phase 1/2 Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Antiviral Activity of VIR-2218 Alone or in Combination with Pegylated Interferon Alpha-2aVir Biotechnology, USAAssoc. Prof. Kittiyod Poovorawan
122020Phase IIb Multi-Center, Randomised, Partial-Blind Parallel Cohort Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Treatment with GSK3228836 in Participants with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (B-Clear)GlaxoSmithKline Research & Development LimitedAssoc. Prof. Kittiyod Poovorawan

Current Research Activity

The research focus of the Department is on interdisciplinary research programs related to tropical diseases. The research programs are pursued in collaboration with other departments in the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, other faculties within the university, and other national and international institutions and organizations.


The Department has released more than 1,000 international and local academic publications more than 300 articles. The overarching research themes of the Department are clinical research emphasized on several major tropical infectious diseases.

Malaria
Research activities have been focused on clinical trials, pathophysiology, clinical pharmacology, immunology, molecular biology and molecular genetics of drug resistance.

The Department studied about 2500 admitted malaria cases. Most of the cases were falciparum malaria and vivax malaria and a few cases were mixed infections of malariae malaria and ovale malaria. The major interest has been focused on clinical trials of multidrug resistant falciparum malaria in uncomplicated and complicated cases. Combinations of various antimalarial drugs were carried out continuously; halofantrine, mefloquine, quinidine, amodiaquine, artemether and artesunate in combination with mefloquine. We found that sequential treatment with artesunate or artemether followed by mefloquine is effective, well-tolerated and suitable as an alternative treatment for multidrug-resistant malaria.

Besides extensive clinical studies, we also carried out interdepartmental and institutional collaborative studies of antigens in cerebral and non-cerebral malaria patients, of lymphocyte subpopulations during the acute and convalescence phases of malaria, and qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction to predict Plasmodium falciparum treatment failure. Pathophysiologic alteration in malaria has been widely investigated. Interesting results were the dynamic alteration in splenic function during acute falciparum malaria, in erythrocyte survival following clearance of malaria parasites, defective production of and response to IL- 2 in acute falciparum malaria, cytoadherence and ultrastructure of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes from splenectomized patients and hepatic blood flow and metabolism in severe falciparum malaria.

Studies of stage specificity of quinine, chloroquine, mefloquine, artesunate, artemether and halofantrine were carried out in vivax malaria. The antimalarial efficacy of tetracycline, doxycycline, rifampicin and azithomycin was also studied.

Melioidosis, Leptospirosis and Scrub typhus
Longstanding research activities are concerned with clinical drug trials, pathophysiology, clinical pharmacology, environmental and molecular epidemiology of the diseases.

Parasitic Diseases
Clinical researches, such as drugs trials and diagnostic laboratory investigations for gnathostomiasis, strongyloidiasis, opisthorchiasis, paragonimiasis and taeniasis etc.

HIV/AIDS
Clinical researches, involving drug trials including new antiretroviral and herbal medicines for AIDS, cohort studies on asymptomatic HIV individuals, cohort studies on common opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, cryptococcosis, microsporidiosis, and other fungal diseases.

Skin diseases
Clinical studies in many aspects; the epidemiology of cutaneous manifestations in HIV patients in Thailand, fungal infections in leukoplakia patients, superficial fungal infections in normal population and HIV patients, such as PPE, dermatophytes, leukoplakia, and PCP. Disease burden including psychological impact of cervical cancer due to HPV and genital wart lesion is also underway.

Vaccine trials
Various phases of vaccine trials of newly developed vaccines such as HIV-1 prophylactic vaccine trials, Cholera, Shigella and Human Papilloma Virus vaccines are being studied.