On June 30, Yao Ruyu, Director of HPRD LAB at Kunming Institute of Botany, and Qian Jie, Deputy Director, led a delegation to visit the School of Traditional and Alternative Medicine (STAM), Chiang Rai Rajabhat University in Thailand. They held in-depth academic discussions in the morning and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony in the afternoon, building a new Sino-Thai research cooperation platform for natural medicines.
The morning academic exchange was hosted and opened by Dr. Nisara Chaiwong, Dean of STAM. Deputy Director Qian Jie shared the long-term research achievements of Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB), Chinese Academy of Sciences, in ethnobotany, medicinal plant resource exploration and natural product development. Director Yao Ruyu introduced the core mission of HPRD LAB. Founded only one year ago, the lab focuses on cross-border biological resource surveys, and strives to advance the standardization, modernization and industrialization of traditional medicines. He also presented the lab’s research platforms, research priorities and latest progress in international cooperation projects.
Assist. Prof. Dr. Yingyong Taoprasert, Founder of STAM, reviewed the school’s development and research outcomes on Lanna traditional medicine in northern Thailand, as well as its years of cross-border academic partnerships. He stated that the cooperation with HPRD LAB carries great practical value, thanks to geographic, resource and disciplinary strengths of both sides. He outlined key future cooperation areas: joint database development, collaborative research, resource sharing, scholar exchanges and new product development. Both sides held thorough discussions on medicinal plant databases, herbal new drug development and talent training, reaching consistent cooperation plans.
In the afternoon, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University and KIB formally signed the international cooperation MOU. The agreement covers joint research and talent training in traditional medicine, ethnobotany, biomedicine and biodiversity conservation. The signing was completed by Associate Professor Pairoj Duangnakorn, President of Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Associate Professor Nisara Chaiwong, Dean of STAM, Associate Researcher Yao Ruyu, Director of Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Health Plant Resources Development (HPRD LAB), and Deputy Director Qian Jie. Management and research staff from both institutions witnessed the ceremony.
Rooted in shared medicinal plant and ethnic medicine resources across the Lancang-Mekong region, this cooperation leverages KIB’s decades of research experience and HPRD LAB’s expertise in cross-border resource studies. It creates full-chain communication channels spanning traditional medical culture, basic research and clinical application. The two sides will jointly apply for research grants, share lab facilities, build international talent training systems, advance innovative development of distinctive Southeast Asian medicinal plants, drive high-quality modernization of regional traditional medicine, and support UN sustainable development goals for health, education, industrial innovation and cross-border collaboration.
Assist. Prof. Dr. Yingyong Taoprasert, Founder of STAM, delivers a presentation
Director Yao Ruyu delivers a special report
Scene of the academic exchange meeting with STAM
Signing ceremony
Group photo after the signing ceremony