CMU’s Research Development Strategy focusing on “Research Commercialization”
24 December 2018
Corporate Communication and Alumni Relations Center (CCARC)
On October 26, 2018, University President Clinical Professor Niwes Nantachit, M.D., presided over a press conference and noted that the university has received 3,300,000 Baht in Royalty Fees from research on “Sesamin Extraction” in 2017. He went on to say that in “CMU Educational Development Plan : Phase 12 (2017 – 2021)”, the university will focus on 3 pro-active strategies which are Environment and Energy, Food and Health and Lanna Innovation with the aim to produce research based on social needs and benefits.
In the past 6 years the business sectors have earned about 300 million baht from the university’s research on “Sesamin Extraction”. This research successfully proved that sesamin extracts reduced gonarthritis and improved the body’s immunity, and was patented in 2009.
Vice President Associate Professor Sampan Singharajwarapan, Ph.D., added that “The university has various mechanisms to support and develop its research works to achieve its goals of producing innovative, social and commercialized - based research. In this regards, CMU has provided full support in terms of research grants, a commercial evaluation system as well as the protection of intellectual property through various research-support agencies including Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Center, Science and Technology Park (SteP), Food Innovation and Packaging Center (FIN), Societal Engagement Section and the newly-established ‘Angkaew Holding Company’, the holding company to support start-ups/spin-off companies”.
Professor Prachya Kongtawelert, Ph.D., Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, who initiated the sesamin extract research, revealed that apart from the discovery of sesamin’s biological benefits, the research group of Tissue Engineering, Tissue Regeneration and Stem cell recently found that, in the laboratory test, the extraction of Citrus seed; orange, lemon or bergamot, has the quality to stop the growth of cancer cells in the liver, bowel and breast.
“Our research focuses on developing products and bringing them to the people. Right now, we found that Citrus fruit has the important features of ‘Hesperidin’ and ‘Bioflavonoid’ which can kill cancer cells in the liver.” Professor Prachya added that CMU’s research team insists that although this research result will lead to the development of a commercial product in the near future, it will only be a dietary supplement and not a drug, so the patient should use it as an alternative medicine in conjunction with normal medical treatment.