In the second of a five-part series, The Nation honours this outstanding scientist who has applied biotechnology for effective use in industry.

Since 1974, Professor Amaret Bhumiratana has been a member of Mahidol University's Faculty of Science, where he teaches and carries out research into microbiology and biotechnology. He plays an active role in supervising both undergraduate and graduate students.

Amaret played an important role in establishing Mahidol University's Department of Biotechnology, and its Centre for Biotechnology. In 1990, he became a founder member of the Thai Society for Biotechnology and was its first president. The society is well known among Thai biotechnologists and their counterparts in Asean countries.

Amaret has received research grants from a number of national and international agencies, and his research has been published in over 60 international scientific journals. His scientific honours include the 1987 Outstanding Research Project Award (from the National Research Council of Thailand) and the 1991 Mahidol University Award. In 1992 he won the Outstanding Scientist Award (of the Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Technology, under the patronage of His Majesty the King), and in 1997 he was the Thailand Research Fund Senior Research Scholar.

Amaret was invited to be the visiting professor at Osaka University's International Centre for Biotechnology in 1997.

He serves as the International Foundation for Science's (IFS) scientific adviser and is a member of the IFS's Scientific Advisory Committee in Food Science.

As well as serving as editor in chief of the Thai Journal of Biotechnology, Amaret is also an editorial board member of other scientific journals including the Asean Food Journal, the Journal of Fermentation and Bioengineering and the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology.

His research can be categorised into two major areas concerning the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis and its application in biopesticides, and improvements in manufacturing techniques for Thai soy sauce.

His research on B. thuringiensis-based biopesticides led to the development of locally produced liquid-based biopesticides. This technology has been transferred to TFI Green Biotech Co Ltd. His research on soy sauce has led to improvements in manufacturing techniques at more than 10 small and medium-sized soy sauce factories in Thailand.