BIOTEC, the French Embassy in Bangkok and CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) organized Thai-French Seminar on Natural Substances and Drug Potential on 27 September 2005 at BIOTEC Auditorium, Thailand Science Park. The Seminar focused on biodiversity study and natural substances that have potential in pharmaceutical industry, shared by eminent scientists from France and in Thailand. A roundtable discussion among key scientists was held on 28 September 2005 and tentative topics of collaborative research between Thai reseachers and CNRS scientists were identified, which should lead to a formation of institutional collaboration between BIOTEC and CNRS in the near future. This event was oragnized in collaboration with the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHE).
 
Presentations from the Seminar (click presentation title to download file):

• Tropical biodiversity: Inexhaustible sourc of new hits by Dr. Marc Litaudon, Research Engineer, CNRS 
• Bioactive substances from thai insect pathogenic fungi by Prof. Dr. Yodhathai Thebtaranonth, Senior Expert, BIOTEC.
• Understanding natural substances: Using chemical ecology as a predictive tool by Dr. Martine Hossaert-McKey,  Director, GDR on Chemical Ecology and Coevolution group
• Plant and animal interactions by Dr. Warren Brockelman, Senior Expert, BIOTEC
• Two examples of bio-guided isolation, synthesis and pharmacomodulation of natural products fromA Annonaceae and Rutaceae by Dr. Bruno Figadere, Director, Lab of Pharmacology, CNRS
• The use of chemcistry and biotechnology to modify the structures and enhance the biological activities of natural products by Prof. Dr. Apichart Suksamrarn, Professor, Ramkhanhaeng University
• Defence molecules in microbial ecosystems: microcins, a model of parasitism of iron-import pathways by Dr. Sylvie Rebuffat, Scientific Adviser of the Director General, French Museum of Natural History
• Accessing the diversity of polyketide synthase genes in fungal isolates of Thailand: Potential for production of novel natural compounds by Dr. Supapon Cheevadhanarak, Associate Professor, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT)
• Introduction of CNRS by Dr Minh-Ha Pham-Delegue, Office of International Relations, CNRS

From left: Prof. Yodhathai Thebtaranonth, Dr. Bruno Figadere and Dr. Martine Hossaert-McKey

H.E. Mr. Laurent Aublin  hosting a reception to the French delegations and organizers.