Yutthapol Samagachandra

In the modern world, where all industrial sectors are incorporating cutting-edge technologies to move forward, including biomedical sciences. Recently, medical services have advanced to the next level where complex treatments are made possible by high-level computer systems, and various kinds of high-performance wearable devices enable more effective medical services. Knowledge networking has been recognized as an effective learning system that has rendered stand-alone learning, including pure medical education, outdated.

Biodesign in Medicine International Program

Siriraj, Biodesign in Medicine (International Program) is an interdisciplinary program of medicine, engineering, and medical technology that provides students with a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of these fields, offering a broad range of knowledge and skills needed to challenges in biological therapy, digital health, and innovative medical products. By bringing together experts from diverse fields, this program brings up a collaborative and dynamic learning environment that encourages students to develop a holistic approach to biomedical innovation.

Who are we looking for?

• Hold a degree in veterinary medicine, pharmacy, medical technology, engineering, science, or other related fields or attending the final semester of major from academic institutes accredited by the Office of the Higher Education Commission
• GPA not less than 3.5
• English Proficiency Examination score regarding the requirement of the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Career Path

• Medical product inventors or innovators at research institutes, government sectors, and industrial organizations
• Researchers/academic staff in biodesign of medical products at research institutes, government sectors, and industrial organizations
• Entrepreneurs/Business owners in biomedicine are becoming significant potential in the medical sector.

For individuals who want to pursue advanced studies, Biodesign in Medicine International Program provides both a master’s degree and a Ph.D. program. Whether you’re looking to develop new medical technologies, conduct cutting-edge research, or become an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry, our program provides the perfect platform for you to succeed in your career and make a meaningful impact on this world.

For more info, please visit : 

Master Program 

PhD. Program 

Program Facebook Page Biodesign in Medicine

LEAN concept is a philosophy and methodology for gradually building an organization’s culture that supports continuous improvement. LEAN involves a long-term approach to daily work that encourages small, incremental changes in process operations to improve both quality and efficiency.

The roots of LEAN

LEAN has its roots in the Toyota production system, which started after World War II. Toyota developed the five principles of Lean management to decrease the number of process steps that were not producing value. As a result, the practice became known as the Toyota Way. By adhering to these LEAN principles, Toyota made significant improvements in cost efficiency, cycle time, and productivity.

The primary objective of LEAN

The primary objective of LEAN is to create value for the customer by optimizing resources and creating an uninterrupted workflow based on near real-time customer demands. In addition, the approach seeks to minimize or eliminate all waste of resources, effort, and time by documenting each step in a business process and then removing or reducing steps that do not create customer value. The concept of LEAN is rooted in manufacturing, but it has been adapted to fit almost every industry.

The core principles of the LEAN

The five core principles of the LEAN approach used as the guidelines to improve processes are:
1. Identify customer value.
2. Map all value streams.
3. Create an uninterrupted workflow.
4. Operate with a pull system.
5. Achieve continuous improvement.

Thailand LEAN Award

Last year (2022), Siriraj Hospital swept all of the top prizes, “Thailand LEAN Award 2022 – Diamond Level” and “Thailand LEAN Award 2022 – Popular Vote” from the most prestigious prize for LEAN Management in Thailand, “Thailand LEAN Award” which is given to organizations that successfully applied the Lean Management Approach efficiently and effectively in the manufacturing sectors and service sectors! The Diamond Level has previously been granted to only two organizations in Thailand. Siriraj Hospital is the third organization and the first healthcare organization in Thailand to win this top-level award!

Prince Mahidol of Songkla (1892-1929) played an active role in laying the foundations for public health and modern medicine in Thailand, with a strong determination to raise the standard of living of all Thais. As a medical doctor himself, he represented the government of Siam in negotiations with the Rockefeller Foundation to secure professional and monetary support for Siriraj. Additionally, he improved the curriculum and sent Thai doctors abroad to study on his own dime. His work and way of life served as an example of what we can all do to better the world and motivate others to do the same.

The beginning of Prince Mahidol Award

To carry on the HRH Prince Mahidol’s altruism and legacy, the Prince Mahidol Award (PMA) was then established in 1992 by royal permission of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King Rama IX of Thailand, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of HRH Prince Mahidol of Songkla. The award has the objective of honoring His Royal Highness and recognizing individuals or institutions with outstanding contributions in the fields of medicine and public health. The award is run by the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, established in 1991. King Rama IX graciously granted Royal patronage to the foundation, currently chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. 

The foundation is responsible for the Prince Mahidol Award as well as the promotion of the memory of Prince Mahidol of Songkla – the Father of Modern Medicine and Public Health of Thailand.

The Prince Mahidol Award Categories

The Prince Mahidol Award is an international award given annually in two categories to international personalities or organizations, including:

1. In the field of Medicine: for outstanding performance and/or research in the field of medicine that benefits the global population.
2. In the field of Public Health: for outstanding contributions in the field of public health for the sake of the well-being of the people.

The Prince Mahidol Award

The award consists of a medal, a certificate, and prize money (US$100,000). Prior to attending the award presentation event, which is held at Chakri Maha Prasat throne hall, Prince Mahidol Award laureates will visit the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, to pay respects to the statue of Prince Mahidol and learn more about HRH’s legacy.

The Prince Mahidol Award Criteria

An individual or group of individuals or an institution may be nominated by national medical or health authorities or by an individual or group of individuals in a nongovernmental capacity as candidates for the award. The candidates are screened by the award’s Scientific Advisors. They are then forwarded to the International Award Committee, which comprises several world-renowned experts in the fields of medicine and public health. The committee will consider them and make recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, who will make a final decision. 

From 1992 to 2022, 94 prizes were awarded, including 43 in medicine and 51 in public health!   Five laureates of the Prince Mahidol Award of the year 2001, 2005, then proceeded to win the Nobel Prize in a later year. Five Prince Mahidol Award winners from 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2016 went on to win the Nobel Prize a few years after.

Last year, the Prince Mahidol Award in the field of medicine was conferred upon Professor Ralph A. DeFronzo, M.D., from the United States, for his exceptional and dedicated work that saved people from Type 2 Diabetes and saved millions of patients from chronic diabetic complications. And the Prince Mahidol Award in the field of public health was awarded to Professor Ian H. Frazer, M.D., from Australia/U.K., Dr. Douglas R. Lowy, M.D., from the United States, and Dr. John T. Schiller, M.D., Ph.D., from the United States, for their achievements in developing the HPV vaccines, which have been internationally implemented. The vaccines have prevented HPV infection, cervical cancer, and other HPV-related cancers and saved countless lives!

Faculty of Medicine of Siriraj aspires to become a medical institute of the nation, a creator of global citizen well-being, delivers the excellent products of the highest reliability, and continuously disseminates the medical knowledge and innovations. After years of hard work, all of Siriraj’s major missions have been completely accredited by international standards, many of which are firsts for Thailand. 

The key success factors of SIRIRAJ team

The key success factors for becoming the quality-assured organization are as follow:

• The direction and goals are clearly stated by the leader. The strategies and policy are well thought out and consistent.
• Team empowerment and co-operation
• The supporting teams help to integrate the quality system using technique “Link-Share-Learn”, connect the experts and consultants to the supporting systems in accordance with the organizational direction. The teams provide the advices and suggestions, assist in designing the quality tools, and operate in 3C manner which are catalyst, collaborator, and coach. During the process, human resources development is focused to develop good systems along with the participation of the members to find out the best multidisciplinary practices as well as the specific knowledge and innovations that are beneficial to a certain sector and achieve the aforementioned goals.
• Careful data collection and utilization which enable the accurate and quick  knowledge and innovations development.
• Systematic assessment and evaluation through regular annual internal audition will enhance the quality management and facilitate the path to the excellence.
• Giving compliment, and encouragement to the working teams via various awards granting such as annual starred-projects awards, Siriraj honorable awards, etc. The awards replenish the vivid energy and boost their pride.
• Ultimately, the altruism mindset of Siriraj people matters most.

Our Challenge during working

The biggest challenge possibly is the internal communication given that Siriraj is a sizable organization with 17,000 employees and a variety of missions. The effective communication, especially two-way communication, will provide better understanding about goals and direction and enables the development of quality systems.

In the future Siriraj aims to maintain its standing as a quality-assured organization and create additional novel innovations to continue providing safe and high-quality products. We want to put the Thailand Quality Class principles into practice, elevate Siriraj to the status of a world changer, and promote wellbeing for all people.

What is Interventional Neuroradiology

Interventional Neuroradiology is a minimally invasive procedure using image-guiding techniques to insert a small tube or microcatheter, along with agents and devices, through a percutaneous route, usually at the groin area, in order to accomplish a wide variety of neurovascular conditions of the central nervous system, the head and neck region, the spine including vascular anomaly of whole body. Hence, this treatment technique diminishes the need for open surgery, leading to short hospital stays, fast recovery time, and decrease procedural risks.

The most common treatments in the practice of our dedicated experts 

• Acute ischemic stroke by navigating clot retriever devices directly to the site of occlusion in the intracranial vessels, the so-called ”mechanical thrombectomy” procedure, which is also benefit in patients who have beyond golden period for intravenous thrombolytic treatment.
• Chronic stroke and/or TIA (transient ischemic attack) from carotid artery stenosis by deployment of the stent at the stenotic site.
• Intracranial aneurysms, both presenting with rupture and non-rupture, by endovascular deploying platinum coils through microcatheters into those aneurysmal sacs.
• Intracranial /intrathecal hemorrhage or other neurological symptoms resulting from arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) or dural arteriovenous fistular (DAVF), by delivering embolic materials to occlude those abnormal vessels.
• Traumatic vascular injury by direct intravascular closure precisely at the torn vessels by using proper embolic materials.
• Venous malformations of whole body by direct intralesional injection of sclerosing agents.

Since the founding of Siriraj Hospital 134 years ago, a number of fields have advanced to ensure that Thai patients receive the best medical care possible. To ensure that Siriraj is of high quality, we have requested an evaluation of its quality from a number of institutions. The received accomplishments may be classified to the group by Siriraj’s primary missions, which include the following:

1. Medical Services

• As the first institution in Thailand, the Healthcare Accreditation Institute endorsed the Hospital Accreditation (HA) standard in 2002 and the Advanced Hospital Accreditation (AHA) standard in 2014 and was approved for reaccreditation in 2017. The AHA standard has been evaluated for the hospital’s quality system, indicating that the institution is a learning, reliable, and high-achievement organization.
• Three sub-organizations of SIRIRAJ, including Knee Joint Transplantation, Liver Transplantation (in 2016), and the Diabetes Center (in 2021), acquired Disease-Specific Certification (DSC).
• Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital passed the Joint Commission International (JCI) assessed in 2014 as the first institute in Thailand.
• All laboratories of Siriraj pass the ISO standards, classified as 40 of ISO 15189, 40 of ISO 15190, and 3 of ISO 17025.
• The Thailand Productivity Institute certifies the quality of various organizations with the Thailand Quality Award. Siriraj acquired Thailand Quality Class (TQC) in 2016, TQC + (Operation) in 2020, and TQC + (Innovation) in 2021, the first of the educational institute and medical school category.

2. Medical Education

Undergraduate Education 

• World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) certified medical program since 2015. SIRIRAJ is 1 of 3 medical schools in Thailand to acquire this standard.
• Bachelor’s Degree Program in Applied Traditional Thai Medicine is Certified by the AUN-QA.
• Bachelor’s Degree Program in Educational Technology in Medicine is Certified by AUN-QA.

Postgraduate Education        

• All Resident training programs have been certified by WFME since 2018 (31 curriculums).
• Master program in Immunology and in Anatomy certified by AUN-QA.

3. Research of SIRIRAJ

• SIRIRAJ was the only Thai institution accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program (AAHRPP) in 2014. AAHRPP accreditation is the global gold standard for research centers involving volunteers and is committed to conducting safe and ethical research that meets rigorous standards for quality and protection. The accreditation assures research participants, researchers, sponsors, government regulators, and the general public that an Organization’s human research protection program (HRPP) is focused on excellence.

4. Others

• In 2019, the Knowledge Management Society (KMS) of Singapore presented Siriraj with the Knowledge Ready Organization (KRO) award, making Siriraj the first organization in Thailand to receive it and the 23rd organization in six countries to do so. This award signifies achievement in the learning and development process for quality management.
• Bangkok GREEN & CLEAN Hospital Plus Award (BKKGC+), Diamond Level, in 2019-2020
• Green Government Building Awards on Wastewater Management
• Low Emission Support Scheme Award

Despite the fact that rewards can help to ensure high level of quality or achievement, Siriraj believes that trust, loyalty, and dependability are more crucial. As a result, Siriraj never stops at the rewards. We prioritize development to provide a fervent service that will win hearts and forge a lasting bond between the hospital and the patients.

Siriraj Center of Research Excellence in Allergy & Immunology (SiCORE Allergy & Immunology) was established in 2017 with the aim to promote excellence in clinical care and higher education through quality research and innovation. The team members include multidisciplinary healthcare professionals from otorhinolaryngology, pediatrics, and internal medicine subspecialties. The other mission is to help local and international doctors advance their studies, so we offer an MS and PhD program in Biodesign in Medicine, as well as Fellowship Training in Rhinology and Allergy, and Allergy and Immunology in relevant departments.

SiCORE Allergy & Immunology’s significant research and innovation.

• The intranasal cockroach allergy immunotherapy was developed to find the non-injection alternative for allergen-specific immunotherapy. After receiving GMP certification and patent, the product is currently under the process of a first-in-human (FIH) clinical trial.
• The Diagnostic test kit for aero allergy, which consists of the 8 common allergens, has been endorsed by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and released on the market.
• House dust mite allergen vaccine for subcutaneous injection was also endorsed by the Thai FDA. It is the only option for allergic treatment with the ability to ‘cure’ the allergic diseases, especially allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, and atopic dermatitis.
• The development of component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) which allows clinicians to identify real allergen sensitization and helps to differentiate between cross-reactivity and co-sensitization. The component identification is also beneficial for the future development of recombinant allergen immunotherapy, which is a new trend in allergic treatment.
• The Siriraj Dust Mite Center, Asia’s only dust mite center, is well known for producing the highest quality pure mite bodies in the world. The center offers services on dust mite production for research, dust analysis, anti-dust mite product test and research design on dust mite study.

The first allergy organization center of ASEAN

Until recently, 4 Patents and 7 Petty Patents related to cockroach and dust mite allergy and allergen extract have been issued to SiCORE Allergy & Immunology, along with 2 FDA-approved products (Therapeutic house dust mite vaccine and Allergen extract for diagnostic purposes). Additionally, in February this year, The World Allergy Organization (WAO), an international umbrella organization whose members consist of 103 regional and national allergology and clinical immunology societies, endorsed SiCORE Allergy & Immunology as a Center of Excellence (COE) for the term 2022-2024. To become the first COE in ASEAN and the 4th in Asia (after China, Japan, and South Korea), we can collaborate with other COE to provide scientific support and educational resources on a global scale. Furthermore, we could form international partnerships for research and education activities.

Although it appears that we are on the right track, we will continue to improve and learn from our mistakes as we progress toward great success. We always keep in mind that our ultimate goal is to transform health care services, not just to finish our research projects!

First center of hip and knee joint replacement surgery

Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital was one of the first center in Thailand that provided the hip and knee joint replacement surgery, about 50 – 60 years ago. As time passes, modern technologies improve, and the functions of new hip and knee joints, as well as their longevity, have significantly increased. During the past decade, robots have become more important in many fields including medicine. Robotic-assisted surgery aids joints replacement surgery, and the relevant software has been developed to its best for not just total hip, total knee replacement, but even many small joints such as a patellofemoral joint replacement can be performed now. 

Robotic assisted joint replacement

Many advantages can be achieved from this advancement such as:

• “The virtual simulation before actual surgery”. A software renders 3D images of the patient’s joint structures, allowing doctors to plan the most precise operation possible for each patient. The virtual simulation could even improve the safety of the surgery.
• “The precision and accuracy”. Especially in complex cases whose bone or soft tissue have been severely damaged or deformed. For example, the arm of the machine will work according to the pre-operative plan and will stop once the procedure is made out of line more than 1 millimeter. This greatly helps in perfect alignment of the prosthesis which is crucial in joint replacement surgery. It also overcomes the surgeon’s experience dependent situation in the past.
• “Fast recovery”. The delicacy of the robot could save the major surrounding tissues, such as arteries, veins or nerves, resulting in smaller wound size, less pain and rapid recovery after surgery. The patient can walk within 12-24 hours after surgery.

Siriraj The first hub of Thailand

Right now, in Thailand, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital is the first one to use this technology. SI Elite Hip and Knee Replacement Excellence Center has been established to serve the patients of the three hospitals: Siriraj Hospital, Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital, and the Golden Jubilee Medical Center. At the beginning, the robot took longer time than conventional technique, but right now after about 6 months training, the surgical time is not over than 5 minutes when compared to the conventional technique. Since we began utilizing the robot last year, we have completed 120 cases of robotic-assisted joint replacement, the majority of which were knee joint replacements, with excellent results.

We hope to become a referral center and a learning center in the near future, employing this robot to improve the quality of life for patients and to allow doctors from other hospitals across the country to learn the new techniques. We also plan to use telemedicine for patients’ follow up during their recoveries at home.