NSTDA researchers actively carry out research collaboration with foreign partners with financial support from international organizations. Here are some outstanding examples:
MYCOBIOMICS (Joining forces to exploit the mycobiota of Asia, Africa and Europe using -OMICS techniques) is an international network and staff exchange project, funded by the European Commission’s H2020-MSCA-RISE framework. The project focuses on both basic and applied mycology to explore beneficial secondary metabolites for the development of antibiotics and eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. MYCOBIOMICS explores two distinctive fungal genera that are crucial in global agriculture: Fusarium spp. and Trichoderma spp. The consortium consists of eight leading organizations in Europe, Africa and Asia using complementary approaches in the fields of chemistry and engineering to study fungal biodiversity, ecology, and biotechnology applications. BIOTEC-NSTDA is a member of this consortium. For more information, please visit: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101008129.
Train-the-Trainer Program under Lancang – Mekong Cooperation to Enhance Production Capacity and People’s Livelihood by Improving the Value Chain for Cassava Cultivation and Application: Clean Cassava Chips, Native Starch, Modified Starch, Ethanol and Biogas Production aims to transfer technology from Thailand to countries in Lancang-Mekong sub-region in all steps of the cassava value chain, including cultivation, processing, and waste treatment. The training components cover best practices for cassava cultivation and disease control, cassava starch effective production processes and management, bioethanol production, and waste management and utilization. This project is supported by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund. Project Synopsis: https://youtu.be/yuKrmwVJEnE.
Microbial-based Index to Assess the Ecological Status of the Lancang-Mekong River based on Molecular Approaches and DNA Barcoding (MekongDNA) aims to apply integrative metagenomics and DNA barcoding methods to develop microbial indices for effective biomonitoring of water quality in the Mekong-Lancang River Basin. Metagenomics and DNA barcoding techniques are utilized for a comprehensive assessment of the diversity and abundance of all microbes or microbiomes present in water samples from three main areas of the Mekong-Lancang River Basin: the upper course of a river in China, the middle part of the river that flows through Thailand and the lower section in Vietnam where it flows into the South China Sea. Data obtained from this microbiome analysis will be further integrated with other physical and chemical data to analyze spatial and seasonal changes of the freshwater microbial diversity and their abundance and to develop a biological index for the determination of river water quality, which will be advantageous for sustainable development and the policy design and decision-making concerning water resource management. Project Synopsis: https://youtu.be/0o5hfpBfc40.
IRRIGATION4.0 (Strengthening agriculture 4.0 technology in a Thailand-Myanmar-Germany collaboration: development of a plant-based irrigation platform) is a collaborative project carried out by researchers from NECTEC-NSTDA, Chantaburi Horticulture Research Center, Khon Kaen University, the University of Computer Studies Yangon (Myanmar) and Forschungszentrum Jülich. The project aims to improve a soil moisture and evapotranspiration-based irrigation scheduling system in a wireless sensor network (WSN) platform, by means of high temporal resolution data informing about plant water status. Initiated under the NSTDA-Jülich Joint Laboratory on Bioeconomy, this project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of Germany and NSTDA under the framework of the Southeast Asia-Europe Joint Funding Scheme for Research and Innovation. For more information, please visit: https://www.international-bioeconomy.org/irrigation_eng.
CASSAVASTORe (Utilization of genetic and phenotypic variation of storage root development of cassava to improve an important bio-economy crop) is a joint project among institutes in Thailand and Germany, namely BIOTEC-NSTDA, NECTEC-NSTDA, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Rayong Field Crops Research Center and Forschungszentrum Jülich. Under this project, scientists investigate phenotype, genotype and physiology of cassava root storage which will lead to precision breeding. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of Germany and NSTDA. For more information, please visit: https://www.international-bioeconomy.org/cassavastore_eng.
Capacity Building on Circular Economy, Resource and Energy Efficiency for Productivity and Sustainability of Cassava Chain to High Value Products: Cassava Root, Native Starch, and Biogas in Mekong Countries (CCC) aims at enhancing the competitiveness of cassava industry of the Mekong region by developing capacity of players throughout the cassava production value chain – from cassava farmers to manufacturers. CCC’s training program involves technologies in the upstream (cassava cultivars and crop management to achieve cassava properties as demanded by the cassava processing industry), midstream (resource and energy efficient processing technologies for cassava starch production) and downstream (biogas production from waste streams). The project expects to train 100 personnel, representing both the public and private sectors in the Mekong region. This project is a collaboration between BIOTEC-NSTDA and Thai partners which include King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and the Thai Tapioca Development Institute. It is generously supported by the Mekong-Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund.
The Molecular Rice Breeding Program for the Mekong Region was launched in 2004 by BIOTEC-NSTDA and Kasetsart University, with the aim to promote the implementation of marker aided selection (MAS) into the current rice breeding program in the Mekong region, particularly Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar through a comprehensive hands-on training program and sharing of genomic information (genetic data for several traits and the molecular markers for several genes) and research facilities. The project has been financed by several sponsors, including the Rockefeller Foundation (2004), the Generation Challenge Programme (2007-2014), Kasetsart University, BIOTEC and NSTDA. Partners of this Program include the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, (CARDI), National Agricultural and Forestry Institute (NAFRI) from Laos, the Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) from Myanmar and the Ubon Ratchathani University from Thailand. For more information, please visit: http://www.biotec.or.th/en/index.php/global-networks/molecular-rice-breeding-program-for-mekong-region.
The Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP) Hub of South-east Asia is hosted by BIOTEC-NSTDA since 2014 with a mission to promote the use of Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP) in this region. IBP was developed by the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme, in collaboration with a broad range of partners from CG Centres, universities and national programs, serving as resources that plant breeders need to design and manage plant breeding projects. For more information, please visit: http://www.ibphubbiotec.kps.ku.ac.th/.
SAFE-Aqua (SustainAble Farming for Effective Aquaculture) is an international consortium research project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The project aims to provide scientific solutions to solve disease-related issues in aquaculture using shrimp as a model. The work is conducted by a group of multidisciplinary research teams from leading research institutes in France, the UK, Thailand and a private-company in Spain. BIOTEC-NSTDA is a member of this research consortium. For more information, please visit: http://www.safeaqua-project.net/.
The Establishment of Biopharmaceutical and Animal Vaccine Production in Thailand and Neighbouring South East Asian Countries is a collaborative project between the University of Kent and BIOTEC-NSTDA. With funding from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) from 2017-2021, the project aims to build up capacity to manufacture low-cost vaccines and biopharmaceuticals for applications in public health and agriculture for Thailand and its neighboring countries. For more information, please visit: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FP02789X%2F1.
Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP) is a project implemented by Kyoto University with funding from Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). NSTDA is one of the partners joining this project, which aims at promoting sustainable development research between Japan and ASEAN countries. Collaborative research projects between NSTDA and Kyoto University are conducted by researchers from BIOTEC, MTEC and NANOTEC on the topics of biomass conversion and applications of biomass for materials used in energy devices. For more information, please visit: http://jastip.org/en/.
Gratitude-Gains from Losses of Root and Tuber Crops was a European Union Framework 7 funded project with an aim to help find solutions to reduce waste from post-harvest losses of root and tuber crops, focusing on cassava and yam, and turn waste into something of increased value. The project was executed between 2012-2014 by a consortium of 15 organizations, a mix of academic, research and industry drawn from Europe, Africa and Asia, in which BIOTEC-NSTDA was a member bringing with it the expertise on cassava. For more information, please visit: http://www.fp7-gratitude.eu/.
PCATDES (Photocatalytic Materials for the Destruction of Recalcitrant Organic Industrial Waste) was a European Union Framework 7 funded project with an aim to develop a cost effective solar powered photocatalytic waste-water treatment system capable of mineralizing the recalcitrant organic matter that is not removed by current biological methods, with an emphasis on generating novel materials and new understandings of photocatalytic materials and processes. The project, lasted from 2013 to 2017, involved 11 organizations from 7 countries in Europe and ASEAN, including MTEC-NSTDA. For more information, please visit: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/106542_en.html.
Network-based ASEAN Languages Translation Public Service was a project implemented between 2012-2015 by NECTEC-NSTDA in collaboration with academic and research institutes in ASEAN countries. The project has developed network-based ASEAN language machine translation for the public use in order to connect ASEAN people and support the ASEAN Community integration. For more information, please visit: http://www.aseanmt.org/index.php.
Innovation on Production and Automotive Utilization of Biofuels from Non-food Biomass was a collaborative project between National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Waseda University, Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok and MTEC-NSTDA. The project was funded from 2010-2015 by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) Program, under the patronage of the Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Under this project, higher blend of biodiesel (H-FAME) was achieved with successful on-road test results. Following this project, H-FAME technology has been transferred to Thai biodiesel producers.