For Marisa Ponpuak, calling her office a second home is simply an understatement.
"I used to spend time in the laboratory 12-14 hours a day, 6.5 days a week. But for me, this was normal. It was fun," recalled the 39-year-old scientist and assistant professor at the Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University's Faculty of Science.
"Sometimes we carry out four or five experiments all at the same time and in the end we come up with new findings, which make us feel so accomplished and ready to move on to the next puzzle."
Marisa was chosen this year as one of the three recipients of the long-established L'Oreal Thailand's For Women In Science fellowship. Her research, the first of its kind in the world, works on new drugs for malaria and tuberculosis -- diseases that are endemic in tropical, developing countries including Thailand. Two other recipients are Assoc Prof Napida Hinchiranan from the Department of Chemical Technology, Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Science; and Pussana Hirunsit from the National Nanotechnology Centre, the National Science and Technology Development Agency.
Asst Prof Marisa Ponpuak. L'Oreal (Thailand)
Now in its 15th year, L'Oreal Thailand's For Women In Science fellowship continues to reflect the company's focus in recognising female scientists whose works are paramount in improving the quality of life around the world. To date, the programme has offered fellowships to more than 2,500 female scientists and researchers in 112 countries. In Thailand, the grant is given each year for three categories: Life Science, Materials Science and Chemistry. Marisa's research is in the Life Science category. She receives 250,000 baht from the programme, which has so far granted fellowships to 61 Thai female scientists.
A scientist often projects a nerdy stereotypical image, thick glasses, white gown, lab safety glasses and speaking an emotionless language that laypeople could never make sense of. Marisa is the opposite of this. In fact, she could speak plainly when asked to elaborate on her research. Besides, her gaiety and childlike chattiness makes it hard to recognise her -- especially at first glance -- as a scientist who loves to read research papers in her spare time.
Marisa's passion for science has its roots in her childhood. A native of the northern province of Lampang, she was a scholarship student of the Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talents Project under the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) since grade 10 through her doctoral degree. This means her academic and career path had been well planned since -- she was going to study in a foreign land and return to her home country to work as a scientist.
"Neither mum nor dad worked in science. But it's all because of my own interest and happiness. When I was young, somebody asked why not becoming a doctor instead of a scientist. But I guess I prefer the flexible work schedule. Scientists do not need to clock in and out. Their jobs are not routine."
After her first-year study in Chiang Mai University, Marisa was sent to continue her bachelor of science in molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before doing her doctorate in molecular cell biology at Washington University in the United States. Marisa returned to Thailand in 2010 and started off as a lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University's Faculty of Science before serving as an assistant professor from 2013 until present.
Marisa spends most of her time in the lab. L'Oreal (Thailand)
Marisa took her academic and career inspiration from the work of Dr Daniel Goldberg, a prominent US professor in infectious diseases and molecular microbiology whom she met and worked closely with at Washington University. Prof Goldberg's work centres on the biochemistry of the parasite that cause malaria.
"When I was studying for a PhD in the United States, I was at the same time trying to answer my own question as to which medical field in Thailand could best benefit from the knowledge that I have. At first, I was thinking of cancer. But then again Thailand has been battling four major infectious diseases: HIV, dengue fever, tuberculosis and malaria. So I turned my direction towards tuberculosis and malaria because they mostly affect people in poor countries."
Marisa's research focuses on the immune mechanism as a means towards curbing malaria and tuberculosis in humans. These two diseases somehow are facing multi-drug resistance -- a threat not just to life but also to national budget and public health in general. Take tuberculosis, for example. According to the researcher, treatments for a tuberculosis patient with no drug resistance usually take around six-to-nine months with expenses of thousands of baht. But suddenly if such a case turns out to be resistant to certain drugs, new medication needs to be prescribed, which also means more unwanted side effects, a longer treatment period and, worst, medical expenses of hundreds of thousands baht.
Here is where Marisa's work can come into play as it strives to develop new supplementary medicines to help lessen treatment time and reduce unwanted side effects.
This year's L'Oreal Thailand's For Women in Science laureates are, from left, Asst Prof Marisa Ponpuak, Pussana Hirunsit and Assoc Prof Napida Hinchiranan. L'Oreal (Thailand)
The end result would be a supplementary to function as a prevention against malaria and tuberculosis which, according to her, would be available on a commercial scale within three to five years.
Research for the development of medication is extremely time- and budget-consuming, Marisa said, making her feel specially grateful to L'Oreal Thailand who has for 15 years provided financial aid for scientists and researchers across the country even though the grant is not life-changing money.
"Every research fund is meaningful -- big or small," she stressed. "The government has its own burden to bear, so the budget for research becomes less and less. In western countries, they have billionaires like Bill Gates, Howard Hughes and Mark Zuckerberg who give back to society through funds and financial assistance. They become philanthropists. I wish more Thai millionaires did likewise."
The female researcher doesn't see science as a male-dominated industry anymore.
"I think this has become a global trend of having more female scientists and researchers. In some particular scientific fields such as life science or biology, there are always more females than males. In Thailand, gender equality and discrimination is not an issue in science. And we should consider ourselves lucky.
Her major responsibility as an assistant professor at Mahidol University is to teach. L'Oreal (Thailand)
"But after all, female researchers and scientists deserve to be recognised and respected in this regard. This job is time- and energy-consuming. It requires huge determination. Especially if you are female with family members to take care of, your responsibility is double. And it can be tough."
Marisa lost her mother when she was young. Her father passed away two years ago. She has one younger sister who works as a registered nurse in Bangkok. So in terms of family responsibility, she admitted she has less when compared to her peers, many of whom are married or have parents to care for.
But most of her time is being spent on her students and the research which she hopes can one day benefit mankind.
"Although it's not easy, this is part of my life," she concluded.
Her major responsibility as an assistant professor at Mahidol University is to teach. L'Oreal (Thailand)
