| วัตถุประสงค์
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1.To expand and strengthen research teamCurrently we have recruited 4 new young researchers into our team, i.e., Dr. Panan Suntornsaratoon, Dr. Kornkamon Lertsuwan, Dr. Wacharaporn Tiyasatkulkovit and Dr. Pissared Khuituan. Therefore, our current team is well organized, consisting of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, new academic staffs (lecturers and senior researchers), post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students. Since calcium and bone physiology is a multidisciplinary research discipline, researchers in this field must be fostered to form a collaborative team with various research skills, including electrophysiology, biophysics, molecular biology, materials science, nanotechnology, etc. Our research team consists of researchers from various universities in Bangkok and other provinces, i.e., Mahidol University, Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University, Burapha University, and Prince of Songkla University.
2.To explore an unseen area in the field of calcium and bone physiology
Currently we focus on the discovery of novel local and systemic control of calcium homeostasis, and provide explanation as to how dietary nutrients, microbiota, luminal minerals, various local factors and systemic hormones interact to modulate calcium and bone metabolism. We aim to publish 20 international papers in high-quality journals.
3.To apply basic knowledge for future research utilization as well as commercialization
We have already known that simple calcium supplementation (e.g., calcium tablet) is not an effective procedure to supplement calcium. Calcium-fortified formulae have to contain dietary nutrients or small molecules (e.g, amino acids or microbiota-derived organic molecules) that can enhance calcium absorption. Our acquired knowledge can also help increase awareness for better understanding of how to consume calcium-rich products (e.g, which forms of diets are suitable, or do healthy individuals need to supplement calcium before aging?).
4.To perform a target-based research in the fields of bone-like materials and calcium-rich food
Some sub-projects aims to produce bone-like materials for treatment of osteoporosis fracture. We also aim to acquire a suitable proportion of components in calcium-fortified products (e.g., appropriate ratio of amino acids, short-chain fatty acids, zinc, and calcium in the product).
5.To foster collaboration between national and international researchers
Our research group currently collaborates with several research leaders in Thailand and abroad. For example, we are working with Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University (Associate Professor M.L. Saovaros Svasti and Professor Suthat Fucharoen for thalassemia-related sub-project), and Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University (Professor Nipon Chattipakorn and Professor Siriporn Chattipakorn for sub-projects related to microbiome and metabolic diseases). We also have a strong collaboration with Professor David N. Sheppard at the University of Bristol, UK in a project related to intestinal ion transport. We are planning to expand our collaborative network with other world-leading research groups that are adept at sophisticated bone-related techniques, such as high-resolution micro/nano-computed tomography.
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