Mahidol University to adopt VR for medical training

The Royal Mahidol University in Thailand has tied up with Japanese VR company Jolly Good to start a virtual reality programme for training students on ​​infectious disease treatment.

Based on a press statement, Jolly Good will provide the university with VR equipment and facilities that enable the self-production of VR-based teaching materials. 

These will be introduced in four educational departments: Mahidol University's Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital's School of Nursing and Faculty of Medicine, and the Educational Simulation Center at Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute.

An initial demonstration of the VR educational materials will verify its effectiveness before it can be expanded to regional hospitals in Thailand.

Jolly Good noted that many doctors in Thailand are not receiving sufficient training or education on infectious diseases after they graduate. 

"After the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, we faced difficulties teaching infectious diseases to students and medical staff. We have been seeking new technologies to provide high-quality medical education, and now, Thailand educators are more concerned about VR," emphasised Dr Aongart Mahittikorn, associate professor in the Faculty of Tropical Medicine at Mahidol University.

The demonstration project is also supported by Juntendo University's IT-based Human Resource Development Project for Infectious Diseases and Community Medicine in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Indira IVF to roll out Presagen's AI for identifying viable embryos 

Indira IVF is rolling out Presagen's AI technology for identifying viable embryos across its more than 100 clinics in India.

Life Whisperer is an AI-based tool that analyses images of patient embryos and supports the selection of an embryo most likely to lead to a pregnancy.

"We are delighted to be able to include this new technology for all our patients as part of their IVF cycle at no additional cost. This will ensure couples can receive the best IVF treatment possible, and the greatest chance of starting a new family sooner," said Srinivas Madabusi, Indira IVF chief of International Business and New Initiatives.  

Genomics Thailand augments sequencing capacity

Genomics Thailand has received two high throughput sequencers from Shenzhen-based MGI Tech Co. to augment its capacity to sequence the genomes of 50,000 Thai people and generate new biological insights into complex diseases like cancer.

The MGI DNBSEQ-T7RS sequencer is a four-chip sequencing platform that can generate 6 terabytes of data per day and complete up to 60 whole human genomes daily. The sequencing and automation platform was also recently selected by the Indonesian Ministry of Health to support its National Genome Project.

The five-year Genomics Thailand initiative seeks to establish a comprehensive medical database of the local Thai population to help researchers better understand their unique genomic complexity. The database will also serve as the foundation for the development of personalised diagnostics, drug selection, and treatment in the fields of cancer, infectious diseases, rare and undiagnosed diseases, non-communicable diseases and pharmacogenomic diseases.