Student assistant position information

Background

Vanatera is a proposal for a wellness product company that will be registered in Thailand in the 1st quarter of 2026. The company will develop and commercialise herbal-based products for wellbeing and health.

The first product that the company is willing to develop is a mix of medicinal plants to help manage blood sugar (the Project). R&D activities are required to select the right herbs, define a formulation and test the final product for health effects. 

Objectives

The Project will be divided in 2 main phases:

• the formulation phase – with selection of herbs and design of few potential mixes
• the testing phase – one or two mixes to be tested in vitro and in vivo

The objectives are to identify effective herbs for blood sugar management and propose few mixes to measure efficacy in animal models and/or clinical studies.

Scope of Work

Students will be asked to work on the first phase initially, undertaking the following tasks:

• Screen medicinal plants used in Asia (with a focus on Thailand) and Africa (with a focus on Madagascar) for safety and efficacy profiles.
• Refine the profiling of plants based on efficacy proven in scientific literature (the use of AI is strongly recommended).
• Match herbs to specific stages of Type 2 diabetes pathogenesis.
• Check the maximum recommended dose of each herb under regulations in Thailand, Madagascar, and the EU, and compare these with the daily doses required for blood sugar control.
• Propose a few potential formulations.
• Analyse the medicinal plant production landscape in Thailand.
• Identify producers and verify their GMP status.
• Identify potential third-party manufacturers for herbal products.

To prepare for the second phase, students will be asked to:

• Review Thai FDA requirements for food supplements with health claims.
• Propose a preliminary testing plan in accordance with Thai FDA requirements.

Students will be required to attend a weekly 30-minute online meeting (with face-to-face meetings once a month) for updates and follow-up. The day and time will be flexible and depend on students’ availability.

• Currently enrolled as a  Master’s student at AIT in one of the following or related fields:
  • Agricultural Biotechnology
  • Biotechnology
  • Food Science / Food Technology
  • Nutrition
  • Life Sciences / Biosciences
  • Public Health or related disciplines

• Strong ability to conduct scientific literature reviews and synthesize research findings.
  • Basic understanding of:
  • Medicinal plants and herbal products
  • Food supplements or nutraceuticals
  • Metabolic health, especially Type 2 Diabetes

• Experience or interest in herbal formulation, nutraceutical development, or wellness products.
• Interest in applied research and product-oriented innovation
• Ability to interpret regulatory guidelines related to herbal products or food supplements.
• Good analytical, writing, and reporting skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and meet project timelines.