Pimchai Chaiyen

Pimchai Chaiyen

pimchai.chaiyen@vistec.ac.th
www.vistec.ac.th/chaiyen_p

School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering
Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC)
Address: 555 Moo 1 Payupnai, Wangchan, Rayong 21210 Thailand

Download CV (PDF format)

Read more about Pimchai Chaiyen Biography and work in
Chaiyen P. Pimchai Chaiyen’s biography. Biophysical Reviews 2022; Jun;14:613-7.

Education:
1997
Ph. D. Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
1992
B.Sc. (First Class Hons) Chemistry, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
Research and Professional Experience:
2021-present
Associate Editor, ACS Catalysis
2018-2022
Visiting Professor, Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Japan
2018-2020
Visiting Professor, Biomedical Research Institute, Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST),Tsukuba, Japan
2017-2023
Adjunct Professor, Dept of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
2017-present
Professor, School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC)
2009-2017
Professor, Dept of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
2005
Associate Prof, Dept of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
2001
Assistant Prof, Dept of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
1997
Lecturer, Dept of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
1994
Teaching assistant in Enzyme Kinetics for graduate students, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1993/1996
Teaching assistant in Biochemistry Laboratory for undergraduate and graduate students, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Contribution to Thai Policy in Biotechnology
2020-2022
Member of subcommittee for strategic plan for Bio-, Circular, and Green Economy Policy, Thai Government
2018-2020
Member of Subcommittee for Bio-Economy section, Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)
2015-2022
Executive board member, National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)
2015-2017
Member of Subcommittee for New Economy under the committees of Thailand’s National Reform Steering Assembly
Administration and Leadership Positions:
2023-present
President, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC)
2020-present
Co-founder, BioSynThai Biotechnology Co.
2018-present
Acting Director, Frontier Research Center, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC)
2017-2023
Dean, School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC)
2016
Co-founder, Enzmart Biotech Co.
2011-2015
Deputy Dean for Research, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
2009-2011
Chair, Dept of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
2008-2009
Deputy Chair, Dept of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
Awards and Distinctions:
2023
Excellent Invention Award from NRCT “Biocatalyst for conversion of phenolic compounds to valuable chemicals and pesticide detection technology” from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT)
2023
Research Distinction Award for “Mechanistic studies and rational engineering for increasing catalytic capability of a flavin-dependent halogenase” from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT)
2021
Appointed Associate Editor ACS Catalysis
2020
Research Excellence Award for “Pyranose 2-oxidase as an efficient biocatalyst for sugar conversion” from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT)
2020
Honorable mention invention from NRCT “BioVis fermentation unit for high efficiency biogas and biofertilizer production” (2020)
2020
Honorable mention invention from NRCT “Smart pesticide detection for food safety”
2019
Outstanding Protein Scientist of Thailand
2019
Distinguished Alumni Lectureship, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
2017
L’oreal-Unesco Woman in Science Crystal Award for the most accomplished woman scientist in Thailand (Life Science)
2017
First Place in Final Pitch Session “Leaders in Innovation Fellowship” hosted by Royal Academy of Engineering and Newton Fund, UK
2017
Innovation Award for “Protein Markers” from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT)
2017
Research Excellence Award for “Serine hydroxymethyltransferase as a malarial drug target” from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT)
2016
Received title TRF Senior Research Scholar and Research Team Building Grant from The Thailand Research Fund
2016
Project Bacterial Luciferase as a Gene Reporter invited to participate in Tech Planter Final Grand Prix, Tokyo (A platform promoted by Leave a Nest Co., Japan, to help science professionals develop business skills)
2016
BioTalk Plenary Award from Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering Society of Taiwan
2015
Outstanding Alumni Award from Royal Thai Government Scholarship Alumni Association
2015
Outstanding Scientist of Thailand 2015, Foundation for Promotion of Science and Technology under the Patronage of H. M. the King, Thailand
2015
Speaker at TEDx Bangkok 2015
2014
Chair of the Organizing Committee, IUBMB 18th International Symposium on Flavins and Flavoproteins
2013
Received title TRF Senior Research Scholar and Research Team Building Grant from The Thailand Research Fund
2012
Outstanding Researcher Award (Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy Section) from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT)
2011
Outstanding Alumni Award from Prince of Songkla University
2010
TRF-CHE-Scopus Researcher Award
2010
Taguchi Prize for Outstanding Research Achievement in Biotechnology
2010
Exemplary Lecturer Award from Mahidol University Faculty Senate
2009
Invited to World Economic Forum, Annual Meeting of the New Champions
2009
Faculty of Science Outstanding Lecturer Award (First-Middle Level)
2009
BMB Award from Section of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The Science Society of Thailand under the Patronage of H.M. the King, Thailand
2008-2012
Affiliate Fellow of TWAS (Academy of Sciences for the Developing World)
2005
Young Scientist Award, Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Technology under the Patronage of H. M. the King, Thailand
2003
L'oreal-Unesco Fellowship for Woman in Science in Thailand
1998
Murphy Award from Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (for outstanding publication series)
1995
Chrisman Award from Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (for outstanding Ph.D. candidate)
1985-1997
Scholarship from Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talent Project, Government of Thailand
1989, 1993
Dr. Tap Nilaniti Outstanding Graduate Award
1985
Distinguished Student Award from Princess Sirindhorn
Publications and Patents

>34 Patent applications filed. Three patents granted

>163 publications in leading peer-reviewed international journals;
h-index = 39 (Google Scholar)
Total citations = 4984 (Google Scholar)
(Details at https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5CrtozgAAAAJ&hl=en))

Selected publications

1x Chem Rev; 2xNature Catalysis; 1x Nat Biomed Eng; 2x J Am Chem Soc; 4x Angewandte Chemie; 3xPNAS; 1xTiBS; 1x Chemical Science; 1x ACS Catalysis; 1x Chem Catalysis; 23x J Biol Chem.; 13x FEBS J.; 14x Biochemistry; 1x ACS Chem Biol; 2x Chemistry-A European Journal; 2x J Med Chem; 1x J Mol Biol; 2x J Bacteriol; 14x Biochemistry; 1x Biosens Bioelectron.; 1x Anal Chem; 1x ACS-Sensors; 2x Molecular Catalysis; 2x Biotech J; 1x Biotechnology Journal; 2xJournal of Biotechnology; 1x J R Soc Interface.; 5x ChemBioChem; 1x ChemMedChem; 6x Arch. Biochem. Biophys; 2x Journal of Bioetchnology; 3x J. Photochem. Photobiol; 1x Chem Eng Trans.; 2x PLoS One; 4x J. Chem.Edu

Book and Book Chapter

Editor of the Book: The Enzymes, Volume 47.
Flavin-Dependent Enzymes (published on 1st October 2020)

9 chapters in books published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Springer-Verlag Berlin-Heidelberg, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co, Academic Press, Elsevier, Humana Press (Springer-Nature).

Recognitions from International Communities

>59 Invited lectures at international symposiums and institute overseas (Including four talks at Gordon Research Conferences)

>20 Invited talks at overseas universities
3 Talks at international leading companies (BASF (Germany) and Amano (Japan))

Associate Editor:

ACS Catalysis (2021-present)

Editorial Board:

eLife (2019-2023), The Journal of Biological Chemistry (2012-2022), Archives Biochemistry and Biophysics (2012-present)

Reviewer:

Nature Chemical Biology; Nature Communication; JACS; ACS Catalysis; Chemical Science; eLife; The Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC); Energy Conversion and Management; Acta Crystallographica Section F; Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis; Applied Catalysis A; Applied Environmental Microbiology; Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology; Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Biochemistry; Biochimie; Biochimica Biophysica Acta; Biofuel Bioproduct Biorefinery, Bioresource Technology; Biotechnology Advances; Biotechnology Advances; Biotechnology & Bioengineering; Biotechnology Journal; Briefing in Bioinformatics; Chemistry & Biology; ChemCatChem; FEBS Journal; FEMS Microbiology Letter; Nature Chemical Biology, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; Journal of Chemical Education; Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic; Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS); Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B; Microbial Cell Factory; PNAS; Trends in Biochemical Science; Catalytic Science and Technology; Current Opinions in Green and Sustainable Chemistry;International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents;ACS-Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering;Molecular Microbiology;Natural Product; Applied Catalysis A; International Journal of Macromolecules; Analytical Chemistry

International Grant reviewer:

National Science Foundation (NSF) - Chemistry of Life Processes USA; Austrian Science Fund, Austria; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft German Research Foundation

Chair of Organization Committee:

IUBMB, 18th International Symposium on Flavins and Flavoproteins 2014

Contributions to Life Science Innovations

>34 patents filed (three patents granted)
- Cofounder of a Biotech Startup, EnzMart Biotech (www.enzmart.com). The company produces and sells laboratory reagents at competitive prices to local Thai researchers.
- Cofounder of a Biotech Startup, BioSynThai Biotechnology (biosynthai.com). The company develops and operates frontier biotechnologies and process engineering to support circular economy.

Contributions to Science Applications in Community Development

Developed Synthetic Biology technology to turn food waste into valuable bioenergy and biochemicals. This technology has been rolled out on a pilot in “Zero Waste” concept to a community in Nan (province in the Northern part of Thailand). The goal is to scale and expand this technology for implementing a countrywide comprehensive and sustainable waste management program.
(www.c-ros.org/en)

Service to Scientific Organizations:

Thailand:

Grant reviewer: Thailand Science Research and Innovation; National Research Council of Thailand,The Thailand Research Fund (TRF), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), National Research Council of Thailand, Commission on Higher Education (CHE), Ministry of Education, Mahidol University

Subcommittee member: New Economy under the committees of the National Reform Steering Assembly, Government of Thailand

Committee member: Development and Promotion for Science & Technology Talent Project (DPST), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)

Executive board member: BIOTEC (National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology), NSTDA (National Science and Technology Development Agency)

Invited Lectures at International Symposiums:
  1. "How the reductase and oxygenase work together in a two-component flavoenzyme, p-hydroxyphenylacetate". 16th International Symposium on Flavins and Flavoproteins, Jaca, Spain, June 2008.
  2. Gordon Research Conference 2010: Enzymes, Co-enzymes & Metabolic Pathways "What is necessary for C4a-hydroperoxy-FAD formation in pyranose 2-oxidase reaction?", Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire, USA, July, 2010.
  3. “Oxygenation mechanism of p-hydroxyphenylacetate hydroxylase, a two-component flavin-dependent monooxygenase”. The 3rd Asia Pacific Protein Association (APPA) Conference, Shanghai, China, May 2011.
  4. “Use of Kinetic Isotope Effects and Transient Kinetics to Unravel the Mechanism of H2O2 Elimination from C4a-Hydroperoxy-flavin in Pyranose2-Oxidase”. The IXth European Symposium of The Protein Society. Stockholm, Sweden, May 2011.
  5. “Understanding reaction mechanisms of two-component flavin-dependent mono-oxygenases through a model of p-Hydroxyphenylacetate hydroxylase”. 17th International Conference on Cytochrome P450, at University of Manchester, UK, June 2011.
  6. Gordon Research Conference 2012: "Biocatalysis by Flavoenzymes: From Enzyme Mechanisms to Rational Engineering”, Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, USA, July 2012.
  7. "Control and Versatility in Catalysis by Flavin-dependent Enzymes" Enzyme Engineering XXII: Emerging Topics in Enzyme Engineering, Toyama International Conference Center, Toyama, Japan, September 2013.
  8. "Mechanisms of Oxygen Activation by Flavin-Dependent Enzymes" at 15th IUBMB - 24th FAOBMB-TSBMB International Conference, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Oct 2014.
  9. (Plenary Lecture) "Mechanism and Biocatalysis of Flavin-Dependent Oxygenases" at 9th Joint Conference on Chemistry Program Semarang, Indonesia, Nov 2014.
  10. Gordon Research Conference 2015: Enzymes, Co-enzymes & Metabolic Pathways "Oxygenation and Beyond by Two-component Flavin-dependent monooxygenases" at Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire, USA, July 2015.
  11. “Biotransformation of Aromatic Compounds by Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases” at the 12th Biotrans, Vienna, Austria, July 2015.
  12. “From Mechanisms to Application of Two-component Flavin-Dependent Mono-oxygenases” at Regional meeting of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, Toyama Prefectural University, Toyama, Japan, Sept 2015.
  13. "Two-component Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases: Challenge and Opportunity" at BallouFest Symposium 2015 in honour of Professor Dr. David P. Ballou, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, Oct 2015.
  14. "Bacterial Luciferase as a Eukaryotic Reporter System" at 19th International Symposium on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, Tsukuba, Japan, May 2016.
  15. (Plenary Lecture) "Oxygenation and Beyond by Two-Component Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases" 21th BEST Conference, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, June 2016.
  16. "From Mechanistic Understanding to Applications of Two-Component Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases" at 8th European Meeting on OxiZymes, The Netherlands, July 2016.
  17. (Plenary Lecture) " Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases:One Intermediate for Many Reactions " The Fifth International Conference on Cofactors (ICC-05) and Active Enzyme Molecule 2016 (AEM 2016)” Unazuki, Toyama, Japan, Sept 2016.
  18. (Plenary Lecture) "Insights into Mechanisms of Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases and Beyond " 19th International Symposium on Flavins and Flavoproteins, Groningen, The Netherlands, July 2-6, 2017
  19. "Beyond Monooxygenation by Flavin-Dependent Enzymes " 20th International Conference on Cytochrome P450: Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Düsseldorf, August 27-31, 2017
  20. "From Fundamental to Novel Detection Technology of Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases" 2018 Protein Science Society of Japan Annual Meeting, 26-28 June 2018, Niigata, Japan.
  21. “Novel Enzymatic and Cascade Reactions for Biocatalysis and Biodetection” at EMBO workshop: Enzymes, biocatalysis and chemical biology: The new frontiers, 09 – 12 September 2018 Pavia, Italy. University of Pavia, Italy 9-12 September 2018
  22. “Flavin-dependent dehalogease and halogenase”at 25 Year Biochemistry Workshop at Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany, 28 September 2018
  23. “Versatile Reactions of Two-Component Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases” at Symposium in honor of Prof. Willem van Berkel “45 Years of Yellow Fever” Department of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2 November 2018
  24. "Novel Enzymatic Cascades for Biodetection, Biocatalysis and Biofuel" at Southeast Asia Catalysis Conference (SACC), National University of Singapore, Singapore, 23-24 May, 2019
  25. “Enzymatic Cascades for Biocatalysis, Biodetection and Biofuel” at Biotrans 2019, Groningen, The Netherlands. July 7-11, 2019.
  26. Invited lecture at 27th FAOBMB & 44th MSBMB Conference and IUBMB Special Symposia, Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 19-22 August 2019.
  27. Invited lecture at International Symposium on the Genetics of Industrial Microorganisms (GIM 2019), Pisa, Italy, 8-11 September 2019.
  28. Invited lecture at An Annual Symposium of Japan Association for Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence (JABC). Tsukuba, Japan. 5 October 2019.
  29. Invited lecture at Multistep Enzyme Catalyzed Processes Conference (MECP2020+1), Aachen, Germany. September 13-16, 2021.
  30. Invited lecture at AFOB 2021 Virtual Conference, November 1-4, 2021.
  31. Invited lecture at Pacifichem 2021, Hawaii (online conference), December 16-21, 2021.
  32. Invited lecture at 21st International Symposium on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence & XIX International Symposium on Luminescence Spectrometry, Gijon, Spain, May 31 – June 3, 2022
  33. Keynote lecture at the 17th Conference of the Asian Crystallographic Association (AsCA), October 30 – November 2, 2022
  34. Invited speaker at EBRC Global Forum for Engineering Biology 2.0: Review of Synthetic Biology/Engineering Biology National Strategies, Hotel Fort Canning, Singapore
  35. Gordon Research Conference 2023: Protein Engineering. "Mechanism-based approach for engineering of flavin-dependent and other related Enzymes " at Bryant University, Rhode Islands, USA, July 23-29, 2023.
  36. Invited lecture at Society of Biotechnology Japan at Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan, September 4, 2023
  37. Invited lecture at Beilstein Enzymology Symposium, Rudesheim, Germany, September 12 -14, 2023
  38. Invited lecture at ECI Enzyme Engineering XXVII, Singapore, October 1-5, 2023
Lectures at Academic Institutes Overseas:
  1. University of Pavia, Italy. June 12, 2006.
  2. Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. July 2010,
  3. BioMedical Research Institute, AIST, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. September 2013
  4. Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. May 2014.
  5. The Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany. May 2014
  6. BioMedical Research Institute, AIST, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Sep 2015
  7. University of Bristol, Department of Chemistry, UK, March 2017
  8. University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, UK, March 2017
  9. Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), Cambridge, UK, March 2017
  10. Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), 29 June 2018, Kyoto, Japan
  11. Department of Experimental Biology & RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, 1 November 2018
  12. Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA 23 April 2019.
  13. Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA 25 April 2019.
  14. Institute of Biomedical Science, AIST Tsukuba, Japan 7 October 2019.
  15. Technical University of Graz, Graz, Austria, 8 June 2022.
  16. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 19 August 2022.
  17. University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan, September 1, 2023
  18. Denmark Technical University, Biosustain Institute, September 18, 2023
  19. A-STAR Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation, Singapore, October 6, 2023
Lectures at Companies Overseas:
  1. BASF-The Chemical Company, Ludwigshafen, Germany. May 2014
  2. R&D Headquarter, Amano Enzyme, Gifu, Japan. September 2016 and September 2023