Research Impact/Research Interest
At present, there is little basic biomedical research on calcium and bone metabolism in Thailand. One of the reasons for this lack of interest in this field is that metabolic bone diseases are mostly chronic, not easily diagnosed in the early stages, and are not life threatening compared to other diseases such as cardiovascular or infectious diseases. However, incidence of bone diseases has been known to increase dramatically in recent years with prolonged life expectancy and the increase in the elderly population in both developed countries and developed countries including Thailand. Undoubtedly, bone diseases will have a negative socioeconomic impact in Thailand in the very near future. It is thus necessary for Thailand to encouraged basic research in the field of calcium and bone metabolism which will ultimately lead to better understanding of the etiology and mechanisms of bone diseases, effective treatment and prevention. Multidisciplinary research approach is the best way to tackle complex research problems because it provides alternative views as well as ways to solve the problem.
Our research group known as the Consortium for Calcium and Bone Research or COCAB was established in 2003 as interdisciplinary research unit in the Center of Excellence of the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University. The present members include academicians from the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, as well as from other universities.
We carry out research in two major projects; Prolactin, its role in the regulation of calcium and bone metabolism and The regulation of bone remodeling in health and disease.
Scope of Research
Our interdisciplinary research focuses on study of calcium metabolism in health and disease, from the whole body level to molecular leveling three major organs, that is, intestine, bone and mammary gland. We are currently investigating cellular and molecular mechanisms of intestinal calcium transport, mammary calcium transport and regulation of bone remodeling by using in vivo and in vitro techniques. We investigate the biophysical and physiological characteristics of calcium transport in the intestinal epithelium at cellular and molecular levels by interdisciplinary approach in certain conditions such as pregnancy and lactation. Currently, we are also investigating effects of exercise on calcium absorption and expression of calcium transporter genes and tight junction-associated proteins that are important regulators of the paracellular transport of calcium.
We also study some medical conditions that result in deranged calcium metabolism in Thai patients such as chronic metabolic acidosis (CMA) and postmenopausal osteoporosis and how they affect the intestinal calcium transport mechanism and bone remodeling.
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Members
Prof. Dr. Nateetip Krishnamra
Prof. Dr. Narattaphol Charoenphandhu, M.D.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Nattapon Panupinthu, M.D.
