Walailak and Kunming Medical University Explore Joint Research on Environmental Exposures and Maternal–Child Health
On 25 October 2025, the School of Public Health, Walailak University, held research discussions with the Epidemiology of Maternal Health group at Kunming Medical University, China, to explore a new research collaboration examining how environmental pollution may affect maternal and child health. The Walailak delegation was led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Supabhorn Yimthiang, Dean of the School of Public Health, together with Asst. Prof. Dr. Prasert Makkaew, Vice Dean, Asst. Prof. Dr. Noppadon Preecha, Head of the School's Research Unit, and faculty members with expertise in preclinical sciences and toxicology. They met with the research group led by Prof. Dingyun You of Kunming Medical University. More than 50 faculty members, researchers, medical and public health professionals, and MPH and PhD students participated in the discussion. The meeting explored how complementary expertise across the two institutions could support collaborative studies at the intersection of maternal and child health epidemiology, environmental health, preclinical science and toxicology. Particular attention was given to research questions concerning environmental pollutant exposure and its potential effects on maternal and child health outcomes, as well as opportunities to develop joint proposals for international research funding. Kunming Medical University has an established research base in maternal and child health in Yunnan, including epidemiological studies of pregnancy outcomes and postpartum health. Prof. Dingyun You’s work in epidemiology and biostatistics includes research on the prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes and causal inference. The discussion provides a starting point for a cross-disciplinary research partnership between Thailand and China, bringing together population-based maternal health research with environmental and toxicological expertise. The next stage will focus on developing shared research questions and identifying opportunities for joint research proposals and international funding.
