Ever since PSU was established in 1967 as a centre of higher academic learning for the Southern Provinces of Thailand the Faculty of Science, as part of its mission, has developed a strong tradition and reputation for its fundamental and applied research activities. It has made many significant contributions to improving and maintaining the environment and quality of life in this southern area with significant rewards for local enterprises. This is still and will always be one of the Faculty of Science main missions.

          Most departments now offer graduate research program for students to obtain their M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. Research is of a high standard, often conducted in cooperation with overseas institutions and each year there are many more publications of results in International Journals.

Although each department has its own area of specialized research one of the most significant developments over the last few years has been cooperation between departments to form specialized research groups so that staff from different disciplines can bring their own different ideas to solving particular difficult problems and creating new products. The Faculty of Science now supports 5 integrated Research Units in addition to the departments themselves.

• Natural Rubber Products Technology Transfer Center.  With a 14 million baht budget from the provinces and about 3 million baht from the Science Faculty of Prince of Songkla University. The Natural Rubber Products Technology Transfer Center was founded in 2004. It is a special unit for research and for the transfer of suitable new technologies to support various activities in these provinces. The center will benefit/help to develop and improve the performance of rubber manufacturing and also create manpower within three sectors, namely, industry, farming and education. Moreover it will support and facilitate the "rubber city" which will be established at Chalung industrial Estate in Songkhla province.
• The Membrane Science and Technology Research Centre. Physics department has a major input into this centre together with staff from the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Material Science and others from the Faculties of Pharmaceutical Science, Agro Industries and Engineering. This group studies the structure and properties of natural and synthetic membranes and investigates ways to produce new membranes with novel properties.
• The Natural Products Research Unit.  Another area requiring cooperative research from different departments is in the field of detection, extraction, purification and mechanisms of action of biologically active plant compounds. The many practitioners of traditional Thai Medicine have a wealth of accumulated knowledge on how to use their plant potions to treat many human illnesses. Very few of these potions have been subjected to ‘proper’ scientific studies. This unit was recently established to coordinate these activities. In Chemistry they purify and determine the chemical structures of extracted biologically active compounds. Microbiology department studies their effects on microorganisms, particularly human pathogens and the human immune system. Pharmacology is interested in their pharmacological and toxicity properties. Physiology studies their effects on the cardiovascular, renal and nerve systems of the body.
• The Centre for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand.   Research in the Biology department has achieved an international reputation for its excellence and has a number of joint programs with overseas institutions. Obviously their focus is on projects associated with the flora and fauna of Peninsular Thailand. This centre was established to ensure that there was cooperation between the diverse activities encompassed by this task. This centre has 4 research groups and 8 programs with 40 postgraduate students. The paleontology group is very closely involved with the PSU Natural History Museum. The terrestrial research group has its major interests in plant diversity, especially the plant families Zingiberaceae and Rubiacea; insects and nocturnal mammals and birds ie bats and owls. The recent Tsunami has created even bigger opportunities and incentive for ecological research. Especially for the Aquatic research group Some of their projects include a study of the biodiversity of flora and fauna of Ton Nga Chang, corals and freshwater fishes and crabs; taxonomy of selected marine zooplankton and seagrasses; ecology of rainforests, mangroves, wetlands and coastal waters. The Molecular Biology research group has an interest in molecular modeling and in molecular ecology and evolution.  More Information : http://www.sc.psu.ac.th/unit/nature/index.htm
• The Centre for Genomics and Bioinformatics Research.   Automation of DNA-sequencing techniques has resulted in an exponential increase in genome sequence data with large numbers of organisms including humans now having their whole genetic sequences identified. Major developments in computer programming now makes it possible to determine phylogenies and quickly identify particular sequences that code for protein sequences with particular activities. This has led to major changes in the way scientists do research. This group from both the biological and mathematical sciences is involved in Functional Genomics using both experimental and informatic approaches. At present our target organisms are the shrimp and oil palm, two very important species economically. We offer an MSc and PhD program in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics. Our aim is to develop in all students a concept of synergistic work between experimentation and informatics. More Information : http://www.sc.psu.ac.th/units/genome/CGBR/index.htm

Each of the individual departments also has their own specialist research interests.

• Physics also plays an important role in the Biophysics Research Unit. Staff from Chemistry, Biochemistry and Electrical Engineering are involved. This unit studies the development of biosensors for environmental and industrial uses and the properties of biocurrents. It maintains a close collaboration with Lund University, Sweden and there is a regular interchange of students and staff,. The department is also involved in many of the more traditional areas of Physics research, again often with departments from other overseas institutions. The Plasma and Energy Research Lab is the foremost research group in Plasma Physics in Thailand. Recently they have become involved in ways to develop new energy sources and energy conservation programs. They also have research groups in geophysics, optoelectronics & electronics and theoretical and computational Physics.
• Chemistry being one of the founder departments at PSU has many research interests. One of their most active groups is the Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Trace Analysis Research Unit investigating different ways to detect trace organics and metals in natural waters and body fluids. The inorganic chemistry group is interested in ruthenium complexes and titanium chemistry. Physical chemistry has interests in surface chemistry, new methods for vulcanisation of rubber and x-ray diffraction of solids.
• The Microbiology department has groups working on fungi, properties and control of human and shrimp pathogens, supplemented with immunological studies. Other staff in the department study microbial ecology such as waste treatment, biodiversity in natural waters and fermented foodstuffs, probiotic microorganisms and products from soil actinomycetes.
• The Pharmacology department studies clinical Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacology with an interest in drug interactions and toxicity. They have a close association and MOU with Toho University in Japan, Kunming Medical College in China and Chiang Mai University for the exchange of students and staff and cooperation in research. Every 3 years they conduct a joint research seminar on Biological Sciences with the host University rotating.
• Physiology has a major interest in cardiovascular functions and how they are modified during pregnancy, exercise and nutrition.
• Apart from the links already mentioned Biochemistry has many research interests with close links to departments in other Faculties. Research into plants of commercial significance in Southern Thailand and methods for converting crop and shrimp residues into useful products such as alcohol and chitosan, using genetically modified organisms. A large group is involved with marine biochemistry with the emphasis on the shrimp industry, a very important one in this region of Thailand. They are concentrating on the basic physiology of shrimp reproduction using modern molecular biology techniques.
• The department of Anatomy also has an involvement with shrimps with research into the regulation of the molting cycle and reproduction. Other areas of their research are in the diagnosis of neck carcinoma, heart failure due to diastolic dysfunction and the prevention of Alzheimer disease. For the local communities they are simplifying and promoting the message from research findings, that people can stay healthy and free from diseases and live longer with proper diets and exercise.
• Research in the Biology department has achieved an international reputation for its excellence and has a number of joint programs with overseas institutions. They have 6 well supported research units and 40 postgraduate students. Obviously their focus is on projects associated with the flora and fauna of Peninsular Thailand and in particular their biodiversity.  They are very closely involved with the PSU Natural History Museum. The recent Tsunami has created even bigger opportunities and incentive for ecological research. Some of their projects include a study of the biodiversity of flora and fauna of Ton Nga Chang, corals and freshwater fishes and crabs; taxonomy of selected marine zooplankton and seagrasses; ecology of rainforests, mangroves, wetlands and coastal waters; reproductive cycles in animals; taxonomy of the plant families Zingiberaceae and Rubiacea; studies on nocturnal mammals and birds i.e. bats and owls and others.
• The departments of Mathematics & Statistics and Computer Science are also making their contribution to the research programs.

          The Faculty is obviously supporting an amazing variety of research activities. Each department strives to enhance the reputation of PSU as a significant force in higher education and the economy of Thailand and not just the Southern Region. For further information on any of these projects; there is more information at each of the departmental sites or contact the departments directly.