The Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University in collaboration with the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre and the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, has been chosen as the Clinical Trials Unit (Clinical Trials Unit, CTU) and awarded clinical research funding to conduct HIV research studies from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), under the name Thailand HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Clinical Trials Unit (THAI CTU). NIH has selected a total of 35 research units globally, of which twenty-five units are in the United States, and 10 units are in 5 other countries as Peru, South Africa, Haiti, Brazil and Thailand. The THAI CTU is the only clinical research unit in Thailand and Asia which has been chosen.

The Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, has received research funding from the US NIH since 2007 as 3 phases.

Phase 1 has been carried out from 15 March 2007 – 30 November 2013 by the Chiang Mai University HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (CMU CTU) with Professor Dr. Thira Sirisanthana, the former director of the Institute of Health Sciences, as the CMU CTU head.

Phase 2 has been carried out from 1 December 2013 – 30 November 2020 by the Research Institute of Health Sciences in collaboration with the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre and the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University as the Thailand HIV / AIDS and Infectious Disease Clinical Trials Unit (THAI CTU) with Professor Emeritus Dr. Suwat Chariyalertsak, the former Director of the Research Institute of Health Sciences, and professor Dr. Kiat Ruxrungtham from the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre and the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University as the THAI CTU heads.

Phase 3 will be carried out from 1 December 2020 to 30 November 2027 by the Research Institute  for Health Sciences in collaboration with the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre and the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, as the Thailand HIV / AIDS and Infectious Disease Clinical Trials Unit (THAI CTU) with Professor Dr. Khuanchai Supparatpinyo, Director of the Research Institute of Health Sciences, and professor Dr. Kiat Ruxrungtham from the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre  and the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University as the THAI CTU heads.

The THAI CTU is comprised of 3 clinical research sites (CRS) among 101 research sites in 18 countries worldwide. This Unit will conduct research studies in collaboration with three international networks; AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network (IMPAACT) and HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN), aiming to achieve both prevention and treatment of HIV infection, tuberculosis, hepatitis and other epidemics, for the benefit of the public health at the national, regional and global levels.