Thai Princess visits UQ today

Thai Princess visits UQ today

The $100 million Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland will come under the spotlight today during a visit by a member of the Thai Royal family.

Director of the Chulabhorn Research Institute in Thailand Professor Dr Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn L Mahidol will visit the University's Senate room in the Brian Wilson Chancellery today, June 17 at 2.20pm.

The Princess, who is the youngest child of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand, will hold high level discussions on the State's biotechnology capabilities and learn of opportunities for collaboration between Queensland and Thailand.

She will also receive a presentation on the Institute for Molecular Bioscience to be established at the University next year.

Princess Chulabhorn founded the Chulabhorn Research Institute in 1987 and developed the CRI as a major Thai research cente with an international collaborative network for basic and applied science, medicine and public health.

She founded the International Center for Environmental and Industrial Toxicology in 1990 and directs the work of this CRI centre. It was designated as the United Nations Environment Programme Centre of Excellence for Environmental and Industrial Toxicology.

Princess Chulabhorn also directs and manages a number of special CRI activities. These include an AIDS program and a program on restoration and integrated development of the environmental management of southern Thailand.

Her educational qualifications include a bachelor of science degree with first class honours from Kasetsart University in Thailand, a PhD in organic chemistry from Mahidol University also in Thailand, postdoctoral training at the University of Ulm in West Germany, and she is a higher doctoral candidate in toxicology at the University of Tokyo Medical School. The Princess also holds 11 honorary doctorates from universities in Japan, Korea, the United States, Egypt, Israel and the United Kingdom.

The Princess is in Australia as an invited speaker at Southern Cross University's Herbal Medicine into the New Millennium conference in Lismore this month.

Media: For further information, contact protocol officer Melinda Seymour telephone 3365 2737.