TCELS teams up with TISTR and pre-clinical study directors to upgrade testing laboratories to develop COVID-19 vaccine

04/03/2020
The Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, joined with the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) and more than 120 pre-clinical researchers from all over the country in organizing a training session for national study directors titled “OECD Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Workshop 2020”. The workshop, which was in accordance with the collaborative agreement on the exchange of product safety test data among OECD member countries and 42 associate nations, was held between 4-6 March 2020 at Pearl Bangkok.

The workshop was also supported by Department of Medical Sciences, specialists from Department of Standards Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. It aimed to develop personnel working in the field of life sciences to support testing the safety of healthcare products, particularly drugs and a COVID-19 vaccine in  preparation for disease outbreaks in Thailand. Through such training, TCELS expects to upgrade product safety testing laboratories in Thailand to meet international standards, thus ensuring that Thailand's scientific and technological testing supports health products in achieving international recognition.

The TCELS organized the academic training for pre-clinical researchers, pharmacists,  toxicologists, scientists, veterinarians, officers responsible for the care and use of laboratory animals, researchers, university students and interested people nationwide.

Dr. Sirasak Tepakum, Deputy CEO of TCELS, noted that the world must work together in preventing and treating the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. OECD Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) was a procedure to certify the safety standard of drugs or vaccines. In addition, the GLP id designed to produce qualified human resources and creates consumer confidence as well as economic values through the development of a sound scientific and technological process. In line with the national strategy, Thailand has a goal to provide security of drugs and vaccines, help the health business to prosper and ensure sustainability following Thailand 4.0 policy on science and technology.

Sayan Tanpanich, deputy director of biological industry research and development at the TISTR, expressed gratitude to the TCELS for financial support in organizing this workshop. Both TISTR and TCELS place importance on preventing and treating COVID-19 and on developing human resources and laboratories in Thailand to keep up with the current incidence and create drugs and vaccines.

The TISTR requires its personnel to have knowledge and understanding of the principles of quality systems as well as the capacity to carry out research and pre-clinical studies that will earn international recognition.

The partnership between TISTR, TCELS and pre-clinical study departments nationwide will develop specialists in the fields of cellular testing, laboratory animals, toxicology and pathology to support vaccine testing from all over the world. It represents the efforts being made to upgrade the fundamentals of product safety testing and human resource development in accordance with government policy.
 
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