Researchers from Mahidol University, spanning across the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, and Ramathibodi Hospital, have dedicated their efforts to finding solutions for treating challenging diseases, such as those related to blood disorders and cancer. Some notable achievements include successful stem-cell transplants for liver and kidneys, the creation of functional artificial organs, the groundbreaking use of Gene Therapy to completely cure thalassemia, and most recently, the development of a medication for B-cell leukemia using the Car-T Cell method. This disease has been increasingly resistant to conventional treatments, necessitating expensive imported medicines. The results of this research have been put into practice, yielding excellent outcomes for patients and meeting international standards for the first time in the ASEAN region—all at a cost more than 20 times lower than that of imported drugs.
Mahidol University researchers are striving to discover various methods for disease prevention. One such approach involves harnessing the potential of circular mRNA innovation, a novel framework for vaccine production that can be rapidly adapted to treat and prevent various diseases. Presently, research teams from the Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital and the Faculty of Science at Mahidol University are actively engaged in the development of circular mRNA for use in COVID-19 preventive vaccines.
Furthermore, in the upcoming phases of this research, these innovations will be extended to develop preventive and therapeutic vaccines for breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer—highly prevalent cancers among the Thai population. This initiative also encompasses almost all types of childhood cancers and autoimmune diseases like SLE. In the future, it may lead to the creation of vaccines to prevent diseases such as malaria and HPV viruses. Additionally, circular mRNA will be employed in genome editing to treat conditions like thalassemia, leukemia, and liver diseases. These groundbreaking genetic-level advancements hold the promise of personalized treatment and prevention, significantly improving the chances of complete recovery compared to conventional treatments. This personalized approach represents the future of medicine.
