The need for trained and skilled personnel in Tissue Bank 's day to day operation was felt highly, immediately after the conception of many Tissue banks all over the world. The surgeon or doctor who is the head of Tissue bank does not usually have that much time from his busy schedule to take care of all the activities of the Bank, like donor tissue harvesting, processing, storage and data processing. In the event, fellows are involved in the routine activities; work done is for short time as they are more interested in their certificates. Also a major problem is that once these fellows complete their fellowship they go back and the tissue bank is left with insufficient personnel. Prof. Dr. med. Yongyudh Vajaradul felt that if people who run the day to day work in the tissue bank are educated to the level of master degree in Tissue Banking and Biomaterial Implantation, then the quality of work done in tissue banks will be of very high standard. Also it will be an asset to have these people work at the tissue bank because they will be well versed with the subject and there will be very low incidence of mistakes at the same time high quality of research & development work can be accomplished.

At the IAEA Project Formulation meeting of RCA meeting at Manila in 1992, Prof. Yongyudh proposed to setup a parallel discipline for continuing education of Tissue Bank personnel for carrying on with research and development work in the field of tissue banking in Thailand and in the region. This education could be in the form of training in 2 levels viz. Tissue bank operators and Advance Training for Tissue Bank Directors. At this meeting Prof. Yongyudh also proposed that Bangkok Biomaterial Center, under Mahidol University, Bangkok could be the center for starting an Advance Training Course cum Master Degree Program in Tissue Banking. This proposal was recorded in the minutes of the meeting and accordingly IAEA observer Prof. G.O. Phillips was deputed in 1994 to conduct a feasibility study at Bangkok Biomaterial Center and the Mahidol University to comment on the proposal. During the meeting of the IAEA expert with President of Mahidol University, Dean of Post- Graduate Studies and Prof. Yongyudh Vajaradul, it was accepted by the Mahidol University in principle, the idea to start the course at Bangkok Biomaterial Center. Mahidol University recognized this Advance Training Course as “Master of Science in Bone and Tissue Banking” in 1998. The curriculum of Master Degree Course is still under consideration of Mahidol University and final touches are being given to make it perfect. Subsequently the first batch of students joined this course from 31^st March 1999 and the second batch was commenced from 2^nd April 2000.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

	To establish the training and teaching on the advance topics in Tissue Banking to the students of the Master Degree Program at the Bangkok Biomaterial Center and try to make the method and techniques taught, useful for clinical applications.
	To setup a model Advance Tissue Bank teaching and training Center.
	To fulfil the need for IAEA/RCA project in the aspect of advance training program in the region for tissue bank operators in the advance Tissue Banking.
	Advance training center for BANGKOK BIOMATERIAL CENTER, Mahidol University to teach Tissue Banking as part of Curriculum in the Master Degree program (IAEA/RAS/7/008).
	Train the trainer for teaching the tissue bank staff
	Research and development of Tissue Banking in the Asia - Pacific Region
	Upgrade the standards of Tissue Bank staff in the Asia-Pacific Region
	Promote the use of Radiation in the Sterilization of Tissue grafts

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

1^ST BATCH

	1ST Semester started on 31ST March 1999
	2ND Semester started on 1ST October 1999

IAEA FELLOW PARTICIPANTS

	Bangladesh - 1
	Malaysia - 1
	Vietnam - 1
	Sri Lanka - 1

2^ND BATCH

	1ST Semester started on 31ST March 2000
	2ND Semester will start from 1ST October 2000

IAEA FELLOW PARTICIPANTS

	Sri Lanka - 1
	Indonesia - 1
	Malaysia - 1

3^RD BATCH

	1ST Semester will start on 31ST March 2002
	2ND Semester will start from 1ST October 2002

The commencement of this Advance Training Course-cum-Master Degree in Bone and Tissue Banking Program is the first course of its kind in the world. With the recognition of this Program by IAEA, Asia-Pacific Association of Surgical Tissue Banking, Office of Atomic Energy for peace and Regional Co-operative Agreement countries of the Asia-Pacific Countries the Program has been able to drive lot of enthusiasm and has been highly regarded in the field of Tissue Banking.

Lectures of Advance Training Course in details and summary

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