Since the official start of our collaboration with National Science and Development Agency, NSTDA, Ambassador H.E. Mr. Prügel and his successor – the current German Ambassador H.E. Mr. Georg Schmidt – have followed and supported our activities. For example, it was the official duty of the ambassador to brief HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn about FZJ and IBG-2 before her visit in 2018. Although the ambassadors are involved in our activities, the regular exchange between IBG-2 and the German embassy is based on updating the counsellors for food and agriculture of the embassy and the scientific attachés of the German Foreign Ministry (based in the German embassy in Singapore). IBG-2 developed over the years close working relationships with the counsellors and attachés, who inform not only the German Foreign Ministry, but also BMBF and BMEL on scientific topics and our related bioeconomy activities. Furthermore, they also interact with Thai authorities – such as Department of Agriculture (DOA) – informing and inquiring about the legal frameworks of planned projects and exchange of plant materials between IBG-2 and Thai partners. Additionally, the counsellors and attachés introduce potential new partners through events at the German embassy such as the AGRI Science Slam that took place in the embassy in 2019.

The exchange with the German embassy were limited to online participation of conferences and workshops organized by NSTDA and IBG-2 during COVID 19 restrictions but were revived by Dr. Bernd Christiansen – counsellor for food and agriculture – when he visited the NSTDA-Jülich Joint Lab on Bioeconomy and Food Innopolis, NSTDA in August 2022. He was impressed by our current activities in Thailand and posted in social media of the embassy accordingly. Due to our strong relationships in Thailand and to the German embassy, IBG-2 / FZJ was invited to join the festivities at the German embassy on the 3rd of October 2022 celebrating 160 years of diplomatic relationships between Thailand and Germany. FZJ was represented on this occasion by our colleague – Ms. Tanapon Glingaysorn who used this opportunity for networking strengthening our visibility in Thailand.

NSTDA –JÜLICH Joint Lab, 18 July 2019 –17 July 2024

The NSTDA-Jülich Joint Laboratory on Bioeconomy is a framework established between the National Science and Development Agency, NSTDA and Forschungszentrum Jülich to foster collaborative projects in research, technology demonstration and capacity building, with the focus on precision, smart and digital agriculture; phenotyping platform and automation development; enabling technology development; and value added products and a sustainable bioeconomy.

The following areas are of joint interest:

Theme 1: Precision, smart and digital agriculture

Theme 2: Phenotyping platform and automation development

Theme 3: Enabling technology development

Theme 4; Value added products and a sustainable bioeconomy

NSTDA - JÜLICH joint lab office (Thailand Science Park):

Tanapon Glingaysorn, Thailand Science Park

NSTDA Guest Professorship for Dr. Tobias Wojciechowski starting August 2022

Dr Johannes Postma and Dr Tobias Wojciechowski are Guest Lecturer at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, KMUTT since 2020

Miss Porntip Chiewchankaset
PhD Thesis topic: Genome scale metabolic model of carbon metabolism in cassava roots
Cassavatore

Miss Nattharat Panyasu
Master Thesis topic: Multi cellular and multi scale modelling of source sink carbon allocation in cassava under different water conditions
Cassavatore

Miss Hathairut Jindamol
PhD Thesis topic: Hyperspectral Imaging as a Non-Destructive Method for Secondary Metabolites Quantification in Holy Basil (OcimumtenuiflorumL.)

Mr. Khathawut Lohawet
PhD Thesis topic: Nano coating for Plant phenotyping Plate: Solution based coating for Scratch resistant