The Official Newsletter of the University of Puthisastra (UP)-Vol.92 July 2022 Download

Come and find out more about UP!

The University of Puthisastra (UP) will be organizing the Discovery Festival on its campus in Phnom Penh from 20th to 21st July 2022, to showcase its course offerings in Health Sciences, Technology, Research, English and Employability.

The Discovery Festival is designed to provide high school students with an opportunity to find out more about university life and exciting careers in Health Sciences, Science, Technology and English

High school students visiting the Discovery Festival will get to interact with the current undergraduates as well as the teaching Faculty members to find out more about the majors available, career possibilities, and to try some experiments related to the degree courses offered at UP.

UP provides top quality education and is the top performing university in National Exit Exams with: 100% in Dentistry, 100% Medicine, 100% Nursing, 100% Midwifery, 100% pharmacy and 98% for associate degrees.

More than one third of the academic staff are foreigners who come with international expertise – which are very important in providing graduates with international exposure and job opportunities.

In addition to quality teaching, UP has many other qualities to help undergraduates such as free fast Wi-Fi, canteen, Student Clubs, and an excellent E-Learning center that allows easy access around the clock for undergraduates doing research. UP also has more than 100 international publications so far.

As an internationally focused university, UP also provides free intensive English tuition customized for the healthcare and technology – students get the convenience of a holistic education in their major without having to spend extra time and money going to an external English school for additional classes.

Indeed, the opportunity of receiving good quality education is priceless because it lays the foundation for a promising career after graduation and opens the doors to many opportunities for professional growth in the future.

UP extends an invitation to all parents and high school students to visit the Discovery Festival and find out more about the learning environment and the quality of the courses offered.

UPs Faculty of Pharmacy is launching a Master’s Degree Programme in Medical Biology for the new Academic Year, 2022-2023. Students will spend 2 years (or 4 semesters) to complete this programme.
Classes are normally held from Monday to Friday, but in some semesters, classes and internships will also be held on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Faculty of Pharmacy will start to accept applications from 15th July, 2022 to 31st July, 2022.
Selection criteria:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine, Pharmacy or Medical Laboratory studies.
• Good English proficiency: completion of General English or IELTS with a score of 5.0 or higher (or B1 Level or higher).
Graduates will have the knowledge and skills to:
• Analyse and interpret the results of medical laboratory tests for various diseases.
• Have good laboratory management skills, such as: human resources management, budget management, planning skills, equipment management, reagents, waste, data, quality assurance, etc.
• Use and understand the requirements of various biomedical test equipment and techniques, and have a good under standing of the mechanisms of medical biology.
• Students who successfully complete their Master of Biology degree will become highly qualified specialists in the field of medical biology with potential future careers in/as:
• Management of medical biology laboratories in both the public and the private sectors.
• Senior technicians working in medical biology laboratories to ensure the highest standards of laboratory quality.
• Candidates for PhD studies in Medical Biology.
For more information: Please contact Ms. Sreng Nalen (098 811 856).

UP DENTAL STUDENTS RETURN FROM TRIP TO USA

Recently 7 UP Dental Students who are members of the Rotaract Club based here at UP returned from a 2 week trip to Texas where they attended the Annual Convention of Rotary International, which also hosted a meeting of Rotaractors from around the world. One of the students, Houn Maradin, wrote the following piece describing what he got out of the trip:

“In many ways, our two weeks in America was a fantastic experience. We met many people from various countries and cultures during our trip to the United States, which allowed us to gain a better understanding of many cultures. From our first flight out of Cambodia to our final flight back to Phnom Penh, we made a lot of friends. Through our attendance at the International Rotary Convention, we could see that developed countries prioritize human resources and do a lot to keep improving them, as well as trying to create an environment that can have a positive impact on daily lives. As a result, we could understand the importance of standing up for those around us and assisting those in need in order for society to progress. The meeting prompted us to think about how we can help one another for the greater good. We are very grateful for this opportunity because we can show that young Cambodians do have the heart to help others and can proudly show some of our culture in the form of traditional costumes. On top of that, some of the participants learned about the beauty of our country and some of our Cambodian traditions. We are looking forward to having more opportunities again in the future”.

Paragon International School have Study Tour to UP (Faculty of Dentistry)

University of Puthisastra collaborated with Bright Education to arrange a study tour for a group of primary and secondary school students from Paragon International School.

On June 17, 2022, University of Puthisastra warmly welcomed a group of students to tour around the campus, particularly the Faculty of Dentistry.

The tour was guided by Dr. Bich Sothea, Deputy Dental Clinic Manager, University of Puthisastra. During the tour, the students had the opportunity to observe UP students during laboratory session and see essential tools at Dental Stimulation Lab.

Moreover, they also could observe UP students hands-on practice at UP Dental Clinic. Prof. Callum Durward, Dean of Dentistry, also provided a presentation on oral hygiene before the tour came to a conclusion so that the students would be informed of what they should do to prevent oral illnesses and maintain healthy teeth and gums.

The tour’s primary goal is to provide young students a better idea of the career path they should take in the future, particularly by encouraging them to pursue their passions and their dreams.

UP’s Health Sciences and Biotechnology Students Will Conduct a “Study Tour at Koh Kong Referral Hospital and Charity Project at Hun Sen Dey Krahorm Primary School”

UPs Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology including year-1, year-2, and year-3 Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology students and year-2 Bachelor of Science Research students are conducting a “Study Tour at Koh Kong Referral Hospital and Charity Project at Hun Sen Dey Krahorm Primary School” on 28th, 29th and 30th, July 2022.

This study tour and charity project will be conducted for the following purpose:
1. For students to observe and experience medical laboratory quality management flow-paths in Koh Kong Referral Hospital
2. To initiate creativity of Medical Laboratory students and Sciences Research students and develop team working skills
3. To educate primary school students on public health matters at Hun Sen Dey Krahorm Primary School during the charitable event
It should also be noted that this project is also supported and sponsored by:
1. University of Puthisastra
2. V.S Medical Laboratory
3. VMIX Imports Exports Co., Ltd
4. 88 Bicycle Shop
5. DYNAMIC PHARMA

“UP ICT Mr. Ren Phary Joins Forum “Give a Day”: Developing connections between NGOs and investors for Cambodian start-ups”

Cambodia’s leading start-up ecosystem forum Give a Day has discussed how Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESO) can connect social impact startups to crowd funding or non-Governmental grants through better collaboration across the ecosystem.

The June event was the fifth of 10 planned workshops designed to improve Cambodia’s entrepreneurial support organizations network held at Sunway Hotel in Phnom Penh with development partners aiming to better connect the local start-up ecosystem. Cambodia’s leading start-up ecosystem forum Give a Day has discussed how Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESO) can connect social impact startups to crowd funding or non-Governmental grants through better collaboration across the ecosystem.

The June event was the fifth of 10 planned workshops designed to improve Cambodia’s entrepreneurial support organizations network held at Sunway Hotel in Phnom Penh with development partners aiming to better connect the local start-up ecosystem.

Before Mr Andrew SInclair left UP, he taught some dental students how to make tooth whitening (or “bleaching”) trays – as well as how to make clear acrylic orthodontic retainers. Patients who want to have whiter teeth can have these trays made in our lab, then apply the whitening gel each evening at home. After a week or two the teeth will become a whiter shade. Tooth whiting is popular overseas, especially among older people whose teeth have darkened with age.

If you would like to have whiter teeth, please come for a free consultation at the UP Dental Hospital. The cost for treatment by a dental student is only $50 for a set of trays and the gel. Please contact the receptionist if you would like to schedule an appointment.

Dr Chea Sin Attended International Scientific Committee Meeting for Le Pharmacien Hospitalier et Clinicien Journal, a part of Elservier

As a member of International Scientific Committee for Le Pharmacien Hospitalier et Clinicien for the second term from January 2022, Dr Chea Sin was invited to attended the International Scientific Committee Meeting for Le Pharmacien Hospitalier et Clinicien journal with members from other countries around the world. The objective of the meeting is to increase the quality of the journal and to increase the publications of articles from all continents, especially from developing countries.

Dr Chea Sin has been a member of International Scientific Committee for Pharmacien Hospitalier et Clinicien since January 2019. With his ongoing commitment and contribution to the journal, he was reappointed as a member of International Scientific Committee for Pharmacien Hospitalier et Clinicien for the second term from January 2022.

Pharmacien Hospitalier et Clinicien is part of Elsevier, a leader in information and analytics for customers across the global research and health ecosystems. Pharmacien Hospitalier et Clinicien promotes optimal pharmaceutical care, safer uses of medicines and medical devices, assess therapeutics and improves patient safety goals. Partnering the French Society of Clinical Pharmacy, Center for Information on Therapeutic Agents, National Association of Clinical Pharmacy Teachers, it publishes recent research reports, synthetic and critical reviews, and didactical articles on all fields of health-system pharmacy (pharmacotherapy, medical devices use, drug compounding, compliance, dosage, posology and route of use, pharmacy education, family medicine, information technology, drug security and quality of patient care).

It encourages publication and rewards the work of young authors, with special attention to those from French-speaking, emerging countries.

Science Researh Program organized a Special Seminar “ One -pot Levulinic Acid Production from Rice straw by acid-catalyst in deep Eutectic solvent ”

On Friday, 1st July 2022, UPs Science Research Program, organized a third special seminar under the title of “One -pot Levulinic Acid Production from Rice straw by acid-catalyst in deep Eutectic solvent” via an online platform (Zoom Meeting).

The invited speaker of the seminar was Ms. HAK Chenda, a graduate student in Industrial Chemistry at the King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand with Mr. Be Sokkeang, Program Coordinator and Lecturer of Science Research Program as the facilitator. This special seminar was organized to share information on the invited speaker’s research project focusing on the extraction of Levulinic Acid from rice straw by using the Deep Eutectic Solvent as a green solvent and scientific research experience.

After the special seminar ended, all participants learned about the above topic and gained new information and research experience from our invited speaker in the Q&A section.

UP Pharmacy Students extract Essential oils from Various Aromatic Plants

Essential oils are concentrated extracts of various aromatic plants. Practitioners use them in natural and alternative health practices, such as aromatherapy and naturopathy. Essential oils often have a much stronger smell than the plants they come from and contain higher levels of active ingredients. The benefits of inhaling the aromas from essential oils can stimulate areas of your limbic system, which is a part of your brain that plays a role in emotions, behaviors, sense of smell, and long-term memory. Base on many researches, the essential oil of green orange peel, ginger, mexican mint contains numerous phytochemicals compound (Flavonoid and Polyphenol) and nutrients (rich in fiber, vitamin C, Vitamin B9, vitamin B6, calcium) which are strongly beneficial health such prevent cancer, heart disease, stress and anxiety, headaches and migraines, sleep and insomnia, reducing inflammation.

Recently, pharmacy students in the research and development unit of faculty of pharmacy of University of Puthisastra has extracted essential oils from the green orange peel and ginger. It has been extracted with distilled water by The Clavenger apparatus in the lab. It was extremely excited that the students could get the good result of essential oil.

As this is the successful of extracting essential oil in our faculty, we hope we could develop and research more about natural products in order to be a small part of promoting natural use product in Cambodia.

UP Representatives Attend Rotaract Meeting in Bangkok

Last week Dr Chray Mengkheng (Charter President) and Ms Eang Sokun (President-Elect) of the Rotaract Club of Phnom Penh Central (based at UP) travelled to Thailand to attend the District D3350 Annual Conference with other participants from Rotaract Clubs in Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand. During the 1 day meeting, every club had to present their activities during the past year to the group. There were also team-building activities, and useful advice was provided from the District Governor. The discussion was around how to motivate young people to serve their communities. During the meeting the current Cambodian President Horm Sopheareak was elected as Rotaract representative for Cambodia. The Cambodian team won a prize of 3000 baht for one of their community projects. UP Is proud to be involved with Rotaract, and congratulates its UP members who give up their time to help others.

Following the meeting Dr Mengkheng travelled to the Chiang Mai University (CMU) Centre of Excellence for Implantology where he spent a day with Professor Pathawee Khongkhunthian and his postgraduate student, learning about the intraoral scanner, face scanner, and implant planning software. It was a very fruitful visit building on our recent renewed MOU with CMU. Dr Mengkheng has plans to visit again as one day was not enough to learn! Thanks to our part-time lecturer Dr Sam Lyly (who has a PhD in Implantology from Chiang Mai University) who arranged the visit and was also present to welcome Dr Mengkheng.

Meeting with MD Program Part-Time Lecturers teaching in the 2022-2023 Academic Year

On 23rd June, the Faculty of Medicine organized a virtual meeting with part-time lecturers to explain the updated Course Outline template for the academic year 2022-2023.

All of the Course Outlines will have to be reviewed by the University Curriculum Advisory Committee before the start of the new academic year in order to further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment methods. The part-time lecturers asked numerous questions and ensured their commitment to quality improvement.

Dr Horn Sereybot from Dentistry Publishes Paper

Faculty of Pharmacy’s staff attended the 10th International Conference Of the Asian Association of School of Pharmacy ( AASP)

College staff were recently invited to attend the Asian Associated School of Pharmacy conference, which was hosted electronically from Malaysia. This is not the first time such an overseas conference has been held, but this is the first time since the outbreak of Coivd 19. Articles published in the conference on research on the Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activities and Proximate Analysis of Methanolic Extract of Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. Originated in Cambodia).

In addition, we researched the amount of each component such as Total Flavonoid content , Total Phenolic content, Total Chlorophyll, FRAPP Assay, DPPH assay through UV Micro-plate Reader, which are all Bioactive compound and act as free radical scavengers and are obtained as Make oral presentations at conferences as well. This conference will be held from July 29, 2022 to July 31, 2022. This is an achievement for the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Puthisastra started in research activity and publishing work as well as participate in the international arena.

Woori Bank sponsor 4 parasols for Security Team

Woori Bank is a Korean multinational bank headquartered in Seoul. It is one of the four largest domestic banks in South Korea.

The UP ICT Department was meeting to discuss the student employment program and internship, in the meantime Woori bank was open for MOU with us and sponsored 4 parasols for the UP Security team to cover the Sun and Raining reason.

DENTISTRY FAREWELLS OLD STAFF, AND WELCOMES NEW STAFF

DEPARTING

Last month Dentistry said farewell to three of our team. Firstly Dr Khom Pisal. Dr Pisal worked at UP since 2013 when she was appointed as Clinic Manager. This was during the early days of our program, and Dr Pisal helped to equip the clinic, organize protocols and guidelines, employ and train clinic staff and recruit patients. Dr Pisal instigated gradual improvements in the clinic, which grew from 15 chairs to 19 chairs, with increasing numbers of patients and dental students. In addition to her clinic responsibilities, Dr Pisal was involved in teaching several courses, including cross infection control, National Exit Exam, Dental Pathology, Dental Research Methods.

Dr Pisal took a break from UP in 2016 when she was awarded a scholarship from the Australian government to study for a Masters in Health Management and Public Health at Sydney University. It was a challenge to be away from her family for two years, but she successfully graduated with two Masters degrees. On her return to Cambodia, Dr Pisal became the Business Development Manager for Dentistry, which included developing the business side of the clinic as well as running many CPD courses for dentists. She helped set up the
Diploma of Implantology course (just finished), and the Diploma of Endodontics course (still running) – both largely taught by international specialists. In addition, she was in charge of student theses – a huge task which she
completed very well – and was on the UP Research Committee. Dr Pisal also organized a large number of thesis
defenses for graduating students. Dr Pisal leaves us for a new life in Canada. We will always be grateful for her great contribution to UP.

Also leaving is Dr Horn Sereybot, Manager of the Dental Clinic. Dr Sereybot has been with UP since 2017. During this time he has worked diligently on overseeing and improving many aspects of the clinic, including its transformation from a clinic to a hospital. Dr Sereybot had a wide range of responsibilities, and should be proud of what he achieved during his 6 years at UP. Under his watch we have seen the number of patients rise to almost 1500 per month, and the introduction of the Resident Dentist program in which some of our top new graduates work in the clinic seeing patients who wish to see a dentist rather than a student. He also helped engineer a rapid
recovery of the Dental Hospital following the Covid period.

Our third staff to leave recently was Mr Andrew Sinclair, a dental technician from Scotland who arrived almost one year ago. Mr Andrew arrived at a time when we desperately needed a dental technician, and following a period of “learning the ropes” he set about making a range of improvements in the dental laboratory. He established strict attendance and work practices for students in the lab, re-organized the lab areas, and worked well alongside Mr Kiny and Mr Seiha, our two Cambodian lab technicians. He went out of his way to help students with their lab work, overseeing countless complete denture cases. Students have commented how much they learned from Mr Andrew. Despite some challenges along the way, Mr Andrew achieved a lot during the two semesters he was with us, and will be greatly missed. However he has encouraged students to contact him by social media if they need advice with any of their lab work. Mr Andrew does hope to return to Cambodia again one day.

Arriving
We are pleased to welcome Dr. Bhavna Nahata from India who has taken over from Dr. Pisal. Dr. Bhavna is a dentist who also holds a master’s degree in healthcare management from one of India’s leading schools. She brings with her expertise in marketing, planning conferences, and managing the health sector. Since her arrival, she has excelled in her position and has been actively involved in planning the SEAADE conference in Siem Reap in November, as well as several CPD courses for dentists. Dr Bhavna is going to be a great asset for our Faculty and Dental Hospital and we look forward to working together.

Student Mission to Bun Rany Hun Sen Prek Tonleab Primary School in Prek Tonleab Commune, Leuk Dek District, Kandal Province

The Student Services Team has organized the Student Mission Trip for our ADN and Dentistry students on June 23rd, 2022 to apply their theoretical lessons into actual working experience with 25 kids. Specifically, student mission aims to provide basic oral healthcare to prevent from teeth decay and maintain healthy teeth habits, correct ways of hands sanitizing, overall physical examination such weight, high, eyes, mouth, ears, skin, blood pressure to analyze the growth of the children and teeth checkup to clean and apply fluoride on the cavities.

Meanwhile, our health science practitioners learned to share a lot of good lessons and advice in order to build strong relationships, love and compassion with those students.

Movie show at UP with free popcorn!

To build strong relationship among students, staff and university. This is the time to celebrate, entertain, release stress and enjoy the university life.
UP is your home, pack more snack & drink if you wish!
See you on the 15th of July at Hall H with full day show from 8am until 5pm!