The GCRF Biopharma team had the great pleasure of welcoming stakeholders from government, industry and academia to their showcase event in Bangkok on the 28thof November. The event began with a workshop at the Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit hotel, attended by 85 people, that included a number of excellent talks around the theme of biopharmaceutical and vaccine development in SE Asia. Members of the GCRF Biopharma team, Panit Kitsubun (National Biopharmaceutical Facility) and Peera Jaru-Ampornpan (BIOTEC), addressed the development of biopharmaceuticals and vaccines in Thailand and their talks were followed by presentations from Dr Pongrama Ramasoota (Mahidol University) on the development of monoclonal antibodies against Dengue virus and Prof. Brendan Wren
(London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) on the production of glycoconjugate vaccines. Dr Tim Connelley (University of Edinburgh) introduced the International Veterinary Vaccinology Network, which aims to facilitate new collaborations to improve animal vaccine design and production in low and middle income countries. A talk from Nicola Willey (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Singapore), who is Regional Director of the SE Asia Science and Innovation Network, gave an overview of GCRF, the Newton Fund and the activities of the Science and Innovation Network in SE Asia. The workshop also included a poster session that provided a great opportunity for all attendees to discuss their interests in biopharmaceutical and vaccine development with other stakeholders, garnering new and useful connections.
The workshop was followed by a reception hosted by the British Embassy that was attended by 110 people, including senior representatives from the Thai government, major Thai and international companies, and representatives from Thai and Malaysian Universities. The welcome address was given by the Deputy British Ambassador, Margaret Tongue, who spoke about the importance of building international collaborations. Prof. Prasit Palittapongarnpim, Acting Executive Vice President of NSTDA, continued on the same theme, emphasizing the value of collaborations such as the GCRF Biopharma project, which brings together Thai and UK expertise with the aim of improving human and animal health in Thailand and beyond.
The showcase event as a whole was a remarkably effective mechanism for disseminating the aims and progress of the GCRF Biopharma project, but perhaps more importantly, will act as a springboard for new collaborations and partnerships that will further develop biopharmaceutical and vaccine production in SE Asia.