Center of Excellence for Biodiversity

Center of Excellence for Biodiversity

Basic information
          The Research Center for Academic Excellence in Biodiversity is responsible for creating knowledge on biodiversity and sustainable utilization of biodiverse resources and creating high-potential researchers with national and international talent. In addition, the Center has established collaborations in biodiversity research between researchers of Naresuan University and other agencies to support the development of innovations to drive development of the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy, as well as to develop the well-being of society. It fundamental mission is also to help conserve the national biodiversity of resources, which is important for the country.

Focus Areas
          Research on the biodiversity of local bioresources. To build knowledge in the study of plant, animal and microorganism biodiversity. Create research management guidelines for bioresource conservation and innovations for the sustainable use of biological resources, as well as establishing academic cooperation with other agencies and create a new generation of high-potential analysts.
Research Highlights
1. Diversity of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema and Heterorhabditis) and symbiotic bacteria (Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus) and their applications in intermediate snails, mosquito vectors and biological control.
2. Population genetics of intermediate host snails and their parasites.
3. Molecular diagnosis of Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
4. Isolation and identification of Entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema and Heterorhabditis) and their bacterial symbiosis (Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus) and their applications for antimicrobial activity.
5. Genome analysis of biosynthetic gene clusters in Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus.
6. Natural products from symbiotic bacteria.
7. Diversity and species identification of sand fly and Leishmania spp. using morphological and Molecular techniques.
8. Trends and impacts of microplastic contamination in local freshwater fishes and other aquatic life.
9. Ecomorphology of freshwater fishes.
10. Diversity of local algae for biological product production.
11. Development of processing for producing biological products from algae.
12. Using of local herbs for value-added in aquaculture business.
13. Feed supplement for stimulating growth performance and immune system gene
expression in aquaculture.
14. Food safely- O. viverini-free traditional food.
15. Ecology and epidemiology of parasitic infections and soil-transmitted parasites.
16. Microscopic and molecular diagnosis of parasitic diagnosis.
17. Adrenal gland anatomy and physiology in animals.
18. Electrophysiology and electrochemistry of chromaffin cells.
19. Electrochemical device development.
20. Molecular techniques for plant pathogen detections.
21. Developing isothermal amplification test kit for field diagnostic sex identification of Avians.

Partnerships
National Partnerships
1. Center of Excellence in Biodiversity, Office of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Thailand
2. Animal Systematics Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
3. Center of Excellent in Biology of Insects and Mites, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
4. Parasitology and Tropical Medicine Association of Thailand
5. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
6. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
7. Biodiversity Research Center, Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR)
8. Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University.
9. Department of Department of Veterinary Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Technology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

International Partnerships
1. Jérôme Depaquit, Professeur de Parasitologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, France
2. Professor Hirotomo Kato, Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity,
Jichi Medical University, Japan
3. Dr. Ramarat Sathasivam Department of Crop Science, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
4. Professor Dr. Ader R Dillman Department of Nematology, University of California, Riverside, USA.
5. Prof. Dr. Helge B. Bode Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Department of Natural Products in Organismic Interactions, Marburg 35043, Germany
6. Dr. Yi-Ming Shi Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, Frankfurt am Main 60438, Germany
16. Dr. Sacha J Pidot Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
7. Dr. Ricardo A. R. Machado Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000 Neuchâte
8. Professor Dr. Julia Walochni Medical University of Vienna Center of Pathophysiology Infectiology and Immunology, Wien, Austria.
9. Professor Dr. Shin-ichiro Kawazu Director and Professor of the National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
10. Professor Dr. Makoto Igarashi National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
11. Associate Professor Dr. Adrian Miki C. Macalanda Department of immunopathology and microbiology, college of veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, Cavite state university, The Philippines.

Publications National & International
According to the annual report of CoE 2023

Key Contact Person
Name Associate Professor Wandee Wattanachaiyingcharoen, Ph.D.
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University
Tel 055 963331
Email wandeew@nu.ac.th