Monday November 8, 2021 from 15:00 to 16:00 p.m. – Khon Kaen University, Ministry of Public Health, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), and Suranaree University of Technology signed an MOU for medical research and development collaboration using the Artificial Intelligence (AI), by Dr. Sophon Iamsiritaworn, M.D., Deputy Director of the Department of Disease Control; Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University; Dr. Chai Wutthiwiwatchai, Director of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC, NSTDA); and Assoc. Prof. Anan Thongra-aa, Ph.D., President of Suranaree University of Technology. The signing ceremony was performed on Zoom Meeting.
The Memorandum of Understanding on medical research and development using the artificial intelligence (AI) is aimed at promoting and supporting research and development in medicine with the use of artificial intelligence or AI in order to develop the quality of life, such as in disease diagnoses, disease analyses, parasitological analyses, and propel the use artificial intelligence to screen, diagnose worm disease, and identify the worms from images of helminth eggs. Artificial Intelligence can also be used to improve the quality of life and solve public health problems for people so that every one’s health will be better.
Dr. Sophon Iamsiritaworn, M.D., Deputy Director of the Department of Disease Control, Acting Director (for Dr. Ophas Karnkawinpong), said that the Department of Disease Control, by the Contagious Disease Division has been performing the eradication work of liver fluke and cholangiocarcinoma under the merit making mission for His Majesty King Rama IX and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
“In order to extend the mission, the project of screening and diagnosing liver fluke disease and cholangiocarcinoma using artificial intelligence have been ongoing since the occasion of the Royal Coronation Ceremony. The purpose is to promote and support the research and development in medicine with the use of artificial intelligence in order to improve the quality of life of people. The research is conducted by specialists in parasitology. Training and workshops have been held for studying of worms while budget has been allocated for the purpose, which was meant to be data collection of the prototype images of worms.”
Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University said that Khon Kaen University sees the importance and always keeps on strengthening medical and public health works. The Excellence Medical Hub has been established with the use of AI as the key item in medical development. Diagnoses of diseases are now based more on artificial intelligence, such as high-accuracy reading of parasitological biopsies or reading of X-ray films that will lessen errors, while at the same time making interpretation more precise. In addition, there will be a master degree program opened on medical artificial intelligence. Under this MOU, the Department of Parasitology of the Faculty of Medicine is taking responsibility in preparing helminth eggs from the full-grown worms, preparing microscopic images, and other academic information under the project.
The MOU is effective for 3 years. The AI-based research and development is an integration of knowledge, expertise and collaboration of the 4 institutions that will expedite the work and discovery related to the screening and precision in the diagnoses of liver fluke and other worms from the images by AI technology. This will help support the work of the medical professionals, especially in areas where there is shortage of medical personnel in the diagnosis work. More importantly, the risk group in remote areas in Thailand will have more access to medical screening for liver fluke disease and other parasites with great accuracy. The risk of cholangiocarcinoma will in turn be reduced, leading to higher quality of life and healthiness of the people.
