Clinical Immunology

 
Clinical Immunology Laboratory
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
 
Head of Laboratory:
Assoc. Prof. Mongkol Kunakorn, M.D.,
Certificate of Proficiency in Clinical Pathology
Research themes: Immune function, Immune deficiency, Ig evaluation, Autoimmune diseases, Allergic diseases, Infectious serology, Tumor markers
 
 
Immunology Research

Autoimmune Disease

 

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic immune disorder which mainly results in joint inflammation. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are a group of medication for treating RA. RA patients with DMARDs reduction needs a tool for careful monitoring. Our project aimed to determine the number and suppressive activity of Treg and plasma cytokines from peripheral blood (PB) of RA patients with DMARDs reduction.
 
Immune deficiency & Allergy
Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is a heterogeneous group of primary immune deficiency disorders. We developed a real time PCR assay to detect T cell receptor excision circles (TREC). TREC are small circular fragments of DNA that form as T cell receptor rearrangement occurs during maturation of T cells in the thymus. Once a child is identified to have very low to absent TREC, further diagnostic tests including flow cytometry to quantify total T cells (CD3), helper T cells (CD4), suppressor T cells (CD8), B cells (CD19/20), naïve T cells (CD45 RA), memory T cells (CD45 RO) and NK cells (CD 16/56) is performed.
 
Changes of Regulatory T cells after Allergen-specific Subcutaneous Immunotherapy, Rush Protocol, in Children. Moreover, we interest immunological biomarker for diagnosis of Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) in patient with a fibrosing alveolitis produced by inhalation of diverse antigens.
Immuno-Oncology Research Using Flow Cytometry

 

Immuno-oncology is the study of the immune system within a tumor microenvironment. Identification of biomarkers in cancer immunotherapy that predict therapeutic response and/or limit adverse events are a critical need in the field. We focus on renal cell carcinoma and lung cancer.
 
We recently establish use flow cytometry for quantitative measure immune cells, especially regulatory T cell (Treg), T cell CD8+ PD1+ etc. Moreover, the function of Treg by suppressing assay are evaluated and correlated with clinical characteristics for cancer patients. Including the immune checkpoint inhibitor (anti-PD1, anti-CTLA4) and cytokines panels.
 
Infectious Serology
 
Research application of viral serology including HIV, Hepatitis virus (HAV, HBV, HCV), TORCH infection, Bacterial serology e.g. Melioid titer, ASO titer, Leptospira Ab, Scrub typhus Ab, C. difficile toxin, H. pyroli (Ab/Ag), fungal serology e.g. cryptococcus Ag, galactomannan, mannan (candida Ag), and Pneumocystis jiroveci (by IF), serologic testing for syphilis e.g. VDRL, RPR, TPPA, FTA-ABS, and Syphilis TP (CLIA), Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs) included T-SPOT.TB (Tuberculosis), QuantiFERON-TB, and QuantiFERON-CMV.
Microbial pathogenesis & Host responses to endemic pathogens
 
Infectious diseases pose threats to human health, and this problem has become more concerned, as drug-resistant and endemic pathogens increasingly exist.
 
Our research focuses on microbial pathogenesis and host responses to endemic pathogens, such as Pythium insidiosum, with attempts to better understand how the disease occurs at the cellular and molecular level.
 
We also search for a new drug and vaccine target for a particular pathogen. Many sophisticated immunological, biochemical, and molecular techniques have been employed to achieve our research goal.
 
The obtained knowledge will pave a way to development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, which could promote a better prognosis of patients with the infectious disease.
 
So far, we have published a number of publications, regarding about microbial pathogenesis and host responses, in many impacted journals as to demonstrate our contribution to the schematic community.
 
Contact details:
 

For more information please contact us via
Clinical Immunology Laboratory
Department of Pathology,
Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
270 Rama 6 Road, Rachathewi, Bangkok, Thailand 10400
Tel. +662011379 and Fax +6622011267
E-mail: putthapoom.lum@mahidol.ac.th

 
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Associated Professor Mongkol Kunakorn, M.D.
Research: HbA1c for screening of prediabetes, Urinalysis parameter for screening of glomerulopathies. Screening of CA Colon from fecal specimen by detection of cancer gene and microbiome profiles.
 
 
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Professor Theerapong Krajaejun, M.D.
Research: Endemic fungal pathogen, Molecular mycology, Microbial pathogenesis, Host-pathogen interaction.
Goal: To obtain new knowledge and innovation that warrant scientific advancement and clinical application in regard of medical microbiology and immunology.
Current funds: Thailand Research Fund, Royal Golden Jubilee Grant toward PhD scholarship, Ramathibodi Hospital Grant, and Mahidol University Grant
 
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Assistant Professor Putthapoom Lumjiaktase, PhD.
Research: The Regulatory T cells to treat immune-mediated disease (Autoimmune, Allergy and Tumor immunology).
Goal: To study the number and function of the regulatory T cells for used to biomarkers of immune-mediated disease, which we focus on Rheumatoid arthritis, Hypersensitivity and Renal cell carcinoma, non-small lung cancer carcinoma. By use Flow cytometry, real time PCR, ELISA and Fluoro-SPOT technique.
Current funds: Thailand Research Fund, Ramathibodi Hospital Grant, and Mahidol University Grant.
 
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Apirom Vongsakulyanon, M.D., PhD.
Research: Diagnostic Test Development
Goal: To develop medical diagnostic tests based on immunoassay or molecular techniques for application in routine laboratory tests e.g. anti-IFN gamma Abs detection, molecular diagnosis of intestinal parasites.
Current funds: Ramathibodi grant for research