Volume 15 Number 3 - Mahidol University

eaturesNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2008On 6 October, Prof. Harald ZurHausen, MD, was awarded one-half ofthe Nobel Prize in Physiology orMedicine 2008, for his discovery ofhuman papilloma viruses causing cervicalcancer. Prof. Harald Zur Hausen is aProfessor Emeritus and former Directorof Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum(German Cancer Research Center) inHeidelberg, Germany. He was also the recipient of the PrinceMahidol Award in Public Health 2005 for the same discovery.The human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the leadingcauses of cervical cancer and the third most commonly foundcancer in women. Approximately, 500,000 women arediagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and about 80% ofthose cases are in the developing world. Prof. Zur Hausen’sdiscovery of the correlation between the human papilloma virusand cervical cancer has been instrumental in prevention of thecancer and developing vaccines against HPV.Mahidol University ranks 251st in theTHE – QS World University Rankings 2008The Times Higher Education (THE) in collaborationwith Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has announced the resultsrankings_logoof THE-QS World UniversityRankings 2008. This year MahidolUniversity has been ranked 251stamong the world’s top 400universities, up from last year’s place of 284th. Weightings ofthe overall rankings are compiled based on six distinctindicators: Academic Peer Review 40%, Employer/RecruiterReview 10%, International Faculty 5%, International Students5%, Student Faculty Ratio 20% and Citations per Faculty20%. THE-QS World University Rankings 2008 was alsobroken down by subject, and Mahidol University has beenranked in Life Sciences & Biomedicine at 113th and NaturalSciences at 270th. The full lists of rankings and all details ofmethodological explanations are featured on the QS websiteat www.topuniversities.com and on the THES website atwww.thes.co.uk .Mahidol University : Building Links with NepalDuring 16 – 18 November, President of Mahidol University,Clin. Prof. Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn and a delegation fromMU visited Nepal for the signing of a Memorandum of Understandingfor Academic Cooperation between MU and Kathmandu UniversityKathmandu1(KU). The delegation from MU included Clin. Prof. TeerawatKulthanan, Dean of Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital; Prof. RajataRajatanavin, Dean of Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital;Prof. Skorn Mongkolsuk, Dean of Faculty of Science; Assoc. Prof.Phitaya Charupoonphol, Dean of Faculty of Public Health; Assoc.Prof. Wariya Chinwanno, Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences andHumanities; Asst. Prof. Sittipong Dilokwanich, Dean of Faculty ofEnvironment and Resource Studies; Assoc. Prof. Patcharee Lertritand Asst. Prof. Chanuantong Tanasugarn, Faculty of Graduate Studies; and Asst. Prof. Pongrama Ramasoota, Faculty ofTropical Medicine. Over the 3-day visit the delegation took part in many activities that will contribute to the strengthening of apartnership between Nepal and Thailand.Apart from the MOU signing, the MU delegates met with Nepalese graduates of MU that make up the MahidolUniversity Alumni Association Nepal (MUAAN). Established in 2006 as a non-governmental organization, MUAAN aims tostrengthen academic ties and developmental cooperation between Thailand and Nepal. During the meeting, MU and MUAANdiscussed support for and implementation of MUAAN’s work plan for 2008 – 2009. Furthermore, the President of MU anddelegates met with the President of Nepal to discuss plans for development and collaboration.The trip to Nepal was a stepping stone for future collaboration between Mahidol University and Kathmandu University,as well as cooperation between Thailand and Nepal. The cultivating of this relationship was demonstrated through the warmwelcome extended by Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal ‘Prachanda’, to Clin. Prof. Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, at KU’scommencement ceremony on 18 November. As the Guest of Honor, the President of Mahidol University delivered acongratulatory speech to the Kathmandu University graduates, along with Chief Guest, Dr. ABJ Abdul Kalam, the formerPresident of India, who gave the convocation address.2SPECTRUMMAHIDOL UNIVERSITY