Dr. Sumalee Kamchonwongpaisan, Director of the Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, and her research team was awarded the 2017 NSTDA Research Chair Grant for the project proposal titled “From molecule to medicine: Rational basis for target discovery and drug development to overcome drug resistant malaria”. The award presentation ceremony was held on 7 December 2017 at NSTDA Headquarters, located at Thailand Science Park.
NSTDA Research Chair Grant is a funding program to support high quality research projects that will create significant social and economic impact. Priority is given to strong research teams led by senior scientists who can foster junior science talent, including university students. Each grant is worth up to 20 million baht for a period of five years.
Dr. Sumalee Kamchonwongpaisan’s team will address the problem of drug-resistant malaria by identifying new antimalarial targets using a reverse-genetic technology they developed. They will also make novel compounds to inhibit known protein targets in folate metabolism, using their experience of rational molecular design and medicinal chemistry. It is anticipated that the output of this project will have broader impact beyond new antimalarial drugs by paving the way for the development of new drugs against other diseases in Thailand. Another recipient of the 2017 NSTDA Research Chair Grant is Prof. Makoto Ogawa from Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Engineering (VISTEC). He will be working on nanohybrid material and the design of artificial photosynthesis.
The NSTDA Research Chair Grant program was initiated in 2009, which has awarded 15 grants to high quality research projects.