English ไทย

Understanding and outbreak mitigation of zoonotic disease in declining biodiversity hotspot in Southeast Asia

Leaders

• Woottichai Khamduang, PhD Assistant Professor, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University

• Dr. Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong, researcher, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)

• Dr. Sabrina Locatelli, researcher, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)

Background and Rationale

The current COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how the zoonotic emergence and spread of a novel virus severely affects health, economic, and social systems. The most striking issue was the difficulty to rapidly deploy reliable diagnostic tests to identify the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Future spillover events of similar or different pathogens are a near certainty and could threaten public health beyond the country or region of emergence if not recognized and contained. Reducing the impact of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases will depend on better preparedness and developing more effective response strategies and the transmission cycles from reservoirs to intermediate/incidental hosts and detailing the role of environmental factors in spillover events. In addition, without a heightened awareness of the likelihood of zoonotic emergence and the development of diagnostic tests, early cases of HIV/AIDS, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Nipah virus encephalitis, SARS, and COVID-19 went undetected for weeks, months, or years before pathogen identification. New diagnostic technologies have proven key in decreasing the lags in pathogen identification, but access remains restricted chiefly to high-income countries. To better Protect from, Detect, and Stop spillover and spread of pathogens, we propose PRESTO, a joint multidisciplinary collaboration of experts and researchers from France, Laos, and Thailand, based on an ongoing long-term partnership, sharing the common goal of preventing and fighting emerging infectious diseases in the Greater Mekong region. Bringing together the complementary knowledge, experience, and expertise in biodiversity science, bioinformatics, disease ecology, epidemiology, molecular biology, public health, social sciences, and virology.

Primary Objectives

1) Determine the characteristics of the molecular biology, genetic diversity, and spreading of zoonotic viruses.

2) Identify animal reservoirs, both in wildlife and livestock.

3) Identify biodiversity-rich areas and potentially outbreak risk areas.

4) Identify behavior risks of exposure.

5) Develop detection tests for both animals and humans.

6) Develop community surveillance to prepare for future outbreaks.

IJL PRESTO Scientific Advisory Board Meeting at Chiang Mai University

On October 14–15, 2025, Asst. Prof. Dr. Woottichai Khamduang, in collaboration with Dr. Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong, coordinator of the PRESTO International Joint Laboratory (IJL), Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, organized the Scientific Advisory Board Meeting of IJL PRESTO at the University Academic Service Center (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University.
The meeting was opened by Prof. Dr. Sakorn Pornprasert, Dean of the Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, who welcomed Dr. Xavier Mari, IRD Representative in Thailand, along with experts from Thailand and abroad.
Key speakers included Asst. Prof. Dr. Woottichai Khamduang (Faculty of AMS, CMU), Dr. Nicole Ngo-Giang-Huong (Researcher, UMR 224 MIVEGEC), Dr. Dorothée Missé (Research Director, UMR 224 MIVEGEC, IRD, France), Dr. Sabrina Locatelli (Co-coordinator of IJL PRESTO in Laos, Researcher, UMR 224 MIVEGEC, and IRD Representative in Laos) and Asst. Prof. Dr. Marco J. Haenssgen (Faculty of Social Sciences, CMU).
The meeting provided a platform for exchanging academic knowledge, sharing research progress and achievements under the PRESTO project, and defining strategic directions for future collaboration. Discussions focused on One Health, preparedness for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, and the strengthening of international academic cooperation networks.
The event was further enriched by valuable insights and recommendations from distinguished advisory board members, including: Emeritus Prof. Dr. Suwat Chariyalertsak (Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saengduen Moonsom (Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tsan-Yuk Lam (School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran (School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong), Asst. Prof. Sysay Palamy (Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Health Sciences, Lao PDR).

lunch Seminar on the topic "Arbovirus Transmission and Pathogenesis" featuring Dr. Dorothée Missé

On December 9, 2024, the LUCENT International Collaboration team organized a lunch Seminar on the topic "Arbovirus Transmission and Pathogenesis" featuring Dr. Dorothée Missé,co-head of the Biology of Viral Infection department at the IRD MIVEGEC Unit, France. The lecture took place in Meeting Room 1, Building 2, Faculty of Medical Technology, Chiang Mai University.

IJL PRESTO Brainstorming Meeting 2024

On 2nd Apr 2024 Faculty of Medical Technology Chiang Mai University in collaboration with the Institute de Researche pour le Developpement (IRD) organized the IJL PRESTO Brainstorming Meeting at The Emplace Premier Hotel, Mueang Chiang Mai Province. Chiang Mai,

IJL PRESTO 1stsymposium at The Empress Hotel

On 22nd - 24th May 2023 we attended a symposium at The Empress Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand in the topic "Collaborative Strategy for One Health Projects Building"

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