The Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, is strongly committed to high-quality research into the tropical diseases. Research activities range from molecular studies to community level, covering more than 20 diseases, including vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue, melioidosis, soil- and water-borne diseases, and other communicable and non-communicable diseases endemic to the Tropics. The current research programs include clinical trials, laboratory research, field and epidemiological studies, vaccine trials, assessment of future drugs for avian influenza, and assessment of the health effects of unpredicted natural hazards and disasters. The Faculty is a pioneer research hub in conducting HIV/AIDS vaccine trials, assessment of the efficacy of antiretroviral therapies, assessment of treatments for opportunistic infections, epidemiological surveys, and analyzing social risk factors. The Faculty is well placed to conduct high quality research, having a well-established Ethics Committee, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, a state-of-the-art Biomedical and Public Health Informatics (BIOPHICS), a board of research consultants, and the dedicated support of the Research and Academic Services Unit.

Malaria :: The Faculty of Tropical Medicine has provided a significant proportion of the biological, economic and clinical basis for the change in global antimalarial treatment recommendations to artemisinin combination treatments. We have been responsible for publishing 9.4% of all antimalarial trials since 1966, and enrolled 22% of all patients in such studies worldwide. Following a series of PK-PD studies in severe malaria, and a pilot comparison, we started the largest ever trial in severe malaria, in a multi-country prospective study to compare mortality in patients treated with intravenous artesunate or intravenous quinine. We have developed a mathematical-economic model of drug resistance which has been influential in guiding international recommendations.

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Melioidosis :: The Faculty of Tropical Medicine has improved the accuracy and rapidity of the diagnosis of B. pseudomallei infection. Our studies of treatment for melioidosis have provided the currently recommended acute and eradication treatments for this important cause of lethal community-acquired infection in this region. Significant progress has been made in understanding the biology of B. pseudomallei since full sequencing of the genome. We demonstrated that horizontal gene acquisition was an important feature of its recent evolution and we have validated typing schemes based on MLST that will be essential for our understanding of disease epidemiology and pathogenesis.

Leptospirosis :: In a large prospective study, we identified scrub typhus (caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi ) and leptospirosis as major causes of febrile illness leading to hospital admission in rural areas of Thailand and Laos, and also an important and unrecognized cause of encephalopathy. We have conducted the largest ever randomized trial of antibiotic treatment in severe leptospirosis. We have conducted the first in vivo pharmacodynamic comparative assessment of antifungal drug treatment for cryptococcal meningitis.

Influenza Clinical Research :: The Faculty of Tropical Medicine is a partner in the research project “Pharmacologic study of Oseltamivir in Healthy Volunteers”.

Dengue :: Several dengue research projects have been conducted by Faculty staff. The “Epidemiological Study of Dengue Infection in Children in Ratchaburi Province”, a cooperative project between the Faculty of Tropical Medicine and the Ministry of Public Health; is being supported by the Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative (PDVI); the study will prepare for future dengue vaccine field trials, which will recruit in large population sizes in 2007-2011. The establishment of the TROPMED Dengue Diagnostic Center (TDC) is necessary for strengthening the Faculty's dengue research, applied research, and services.