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The Bioassay laboratory holds expertise in the identification of naturally derived bioactive compounds.  In collaboration with other laboratories in the Bioresources Technology Unit, we developed assays and carry out the screening of natural products from microorganisms.  With an emphasis on fungal and actinomycete derived natural products, our goal is to identify potential lead compounds for further development in specific areas; including human infectious diseases, crop diseases, agricultural and domestic animal pests.  Currently, we have collected more than 50,000 extracts from over 8,000 isolates of fungi and actinomycetes in our microbial extract repository.  These extracts are available for future screening of novel biological activities and secondary metabolite profiles.  Through the systematic assessment of microorganisms in BIOTEC Culture Collection, we strive to promote an efficient and sustainable utilization of Thailand natural resources, which ultimately would lead to the discovery of natural product entities with potential for commercialization from our microbial resource.

Fungal diseases and insect pests are the primary causes of economic lost in Thailand’s agricultural sector.  Due to the extent of damage from these causes, synthetic chemical is the only effective measure against these phytopathogenic agents.  However, serious health concerns also arise from excessive chemical usage, which leads to the demand for alternative methods for pest and disease controls.  In the recent years, biological control agents have received considerable attention as potential substitutes for chemical treatment because of their low impact on the environment. 

Fungi in the genus Ophiocordyceps are well known for their ability to attack a wide range of insects. Certain species can invade ant hosts, causing behavioral modification and eventually death. Fungal secondary metabolites, especially polyketides (PKs) and non-ribosomal peptides (NRPs), are believed to play an important role in the pathogenicity of these hyper-parasitic fungi. 

Eicosanoids are lipid signaling molecules derived from 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids.  The majority of eicosanoids, namely prostaglandins and leukotrienes, are generated by the cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways. These lipids are known to have various physiological functions, such as the regulation of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal and reproductive systems.