NSTDA takes part in BIO 2008

NSTDA takes part in BIO 2008 to promote Thailand as "Medical Hub of The World"

The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) is joining the Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS), the Board of Investment (BOI), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to show off Thailand’s medical potential at the international convention of biotechnology or BIO 2008 held in San Diego, USA, on 17-20 June 2008.

Thailand’s exhibit at BIO 2008 will showcase recent advances in biotechnology research that have interesting applications in medicine, agriculture, energy and public health. Many of them have already attracted the attention of scientists around the world, such as the development of disease-free breeding shrimp, the development of new breeds of rice and seeds for the food export industry, and the establishment of a microbe bank for research. The exhibit will also include information on Thailand’s readiness to act as ”Medical Hub of the World”, thanks to the great strength of Thailand’s medical service industry, which is as advanced as any of other countries in the world. Some of the medical advances shown at the exhibit include the compilation of a database of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms or SNPs (pronounced “snips”), which shows the differences in the genetic code that cause physical differences in people and make some people more susceptible to certain diseases; rapid model building technology that can be used, for instance, to make artificial skulls for preparing facial surgery for accident victims; and new diagnostic kits developed in Thailand like a white blood count test kit for HIV/AIDS patients.

Thailand’s participation in BIO 2008 will not only allow Thai scientists to show off their capabilities in genetic engineering and biotechnology, it will also be a forum for creating ties for international collaboration in research and sounding out opportunities for joint investment in biotechnology projects.

BIO 2008 is one of the largest and most important biotechnology conventions in the world. It is well respected by researchers and industrialists. The BIO convention is held once a year in different cities in the USA and each year about 20,000 people attend, including high-level executives from the genetic engineering and biotechnology field all over the world.