Krisana Kraisintu ( th, กฤษณา ไกรสินธุ์, , ) is a Thai

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

and pharmacist, as known as the "Gypsy pharmacist". She was pharmaceutical consultant in the local production and increased access to life-saving medicines in Africa, in particular, malaria and HIV/AIDS-related drug production. She was formerly Director of Research and Development Institute of the

Government Pharmaceutical Organization The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) ( th, องค์การเภสัชกรรม; ) is a Thai state enterprise which manufactures pharmaceutical products in Thailand. In 2011, the GPO netted a profit of 1.6 billion baht fro ...

(GPO), Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. Between 2002–2007 Kraisintu worked as a pharmaceutical consultant for Action Medeor, a German aid organization dealing with the production and distribution of medicines in Africa. Kraisintu is the Honorary Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Medicines,

Rangsit University Rangsit University ( Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยรังสิต) (RSU) is a private university in Pathum Thani, Thailand, focusing mainly on music, design, Information technology, and public health including independent professions ...

, and a visiting professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand. She is also a

visiting professor In academia, a visiting scholar, visiting researcher, visiting fellow, visiting lecturer, or visiting professor is a scholar from an institution who visits a host university to teach, lecture, or perform research on a topic for which the visitor ...

of oriental medicines at the Harbin Institute of Technology, China. In 2009, she was given the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

HIV/AIDS drugs

Krisana conducted research on anti-retroviral drugs without much support and successfully formulated a generic version of

zidovudine Zidovudine (ZDV), also known as azidothymidine (AZT), is an antiretroviral medication used to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. It is generally recommended for use in combination with other antiretrovirals. It may be used to prevent mother-to-child ...

(AZT), which treats HIV and reduces the risk of mother-to-child transmission, in 1995. The product was introduced to the market at a fraction of the cost of the branded product. Her achievement raised the pharmaceutical and health profile of Thailand as the first developing country to manufacture generic HIV/AIDS drugs.

Education

Kraisintu earned her bachelor's degree in pharmacy from

Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai University ( CMU; th, มหาวิทยาลัยเชียงใหม่) is a public research university in northern Thailand founded in 1964. It has a strong emphasis on engineering, science, agriculture, and medicine. It ...

, Thailand in 1975; a MSc in pharmaceutical analysis from

Strathclyde University The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal c ...

in 1978; and a PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry from the

University of Bath (Virgil, Georgics II) , mottoeng = Learn the culture proper to each after its kind , established = 1886 (Merchant Venturers Technical College) 1960 (Bristol College of Science and Technology) 1966 (Bath University of Technology) 1971 (univ ...

in 1981. She was also awarded an Honorary DSc (

Doctor of Science Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...

) from the University of Bath in 2009. She has worked in the pharmaceutical industry in various roles of quality assurance, manufacturing, research and development and business development for the discovery, development, and commercialization of chemical and natural pharmaceutical products.

Honors

References

External links

2009 Magsaysay AwardeesOne Woman’s Quest To Fight AIDS
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kraisintu, Krisana Living people Ramon Magsaysay Award winners 1952 births Krisana Kraisintu Krisana Kraisintu Krisana Kraisintu Krisana Kraisintu Women pharmacists Krisana Kraisintu Academic staff of Harbin Institute of Technology