Thai scientist gets Gates grant
Written by Writer on Thursday, October 23rd, 2008
BATTLING DENGUE FEVER
Thai scientist gets Gates grant
APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL
Bangkok Post
Thursday October 23, 2008
A Thai scientist has been awarded a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct further research into the prevention of dengue fever. Pattamaporn Kittayapong, an academic at Mahidol University’s Faculty of Science, received a US$100,000 (3.4 million baht) grant from the Grand Challenges Explorations funded by the US computer tycoon’s foundation to study the Wolbachia bacteria strain that is found in mosquitoes carrying dengue.
Pattamaporn: Scholar at Mahidol University.
Additional funding of $1 million or more is also available if the scientist’s research project proves promising.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presided over the announcement of the awardees at the Royal Thai Navy Convention yesterday.
Ms Pattamaporn was the only scientist from Southeast Asia chosen from more than 4,000 candidates around the world to receive the funds aimed at fostering innovation in global health research.
Ms Pattamaporn’s grant-winning research project is aimed at identifying anti-dengue viral proteins from mosquito cells infected with Wolbachia after exposure to the dengue virus. Recent studies have revealed the bacteria living in mosquito cells could inhibit dengue virus infection, possibly via some proteins.
”Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne virus. The disease is mostly reported in less-developed countries. However there is no vaccine or anti-viral therapy against dengue available. Therefore the discovery of anti-dengue viral agents is the first step to seek medical solutions to lessen the emergence of anti-dengue resistance and to effectively treat the disease,” she said.
More than 68,000 cases of dengue have been reported throughout the country, with 82 deaths so far this year, according to the Public Health Ministry.
In August, three districts of Ratchaburi province were declared emergency red zones after at least 1,400 people contracted dengue fever and four died.
The World Health Organisation estimate 50 million people could be stricken by dengue each year around the world.
