Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy and University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital receive the Vietnam Talent Award 2023

On 20/12/2023, the project “Deep brain stimulation surgery for treating Parkinson’s disease” of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy and “The value of biological markers hTERT mRNA, AFP, AFP-L3, DCP in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma” of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital were honored at the Vietnam Talent Award ceremony, held at the Hanoi Opera House and broadcast live on VTV2 – Vietnam Television.

These are two of three projects in the field of Medicine – Pharmacy that were awarded for their high creativity, scientific and technological value that have been successfully applied in practice, achieving high effectiveness in diagnosis and treatment and having great economic – social significance.

Project “Deep brain stimulation surgery for treating Parkinson’s disease”

“Deep brain stimulation surgery for treating Parkinson's disease” is a project by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Anh Tuấn – Head of the Department of Extracranial Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, in collaboration with a team of associates from University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City and University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, including: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Ngọc Tài – Deputy Head of Neurology Department; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Minh Anh – Head of Extracranial Neurology, Deputy Director of the Department of Extracranial Neurology – Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lê Viết Thắng; Master's Student Dr. Đào Duy Phương; Master's Student Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Lâm; Master's Student Dr. Võ Thành Nghĩa – Faculty member of University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City and a team from Nguyễn Tri Phương Hospital including: Master's Student Dr. Nguyễn Anh Diễm Thúy and Master's Student Dr. Lê Thái Bình Khang.

Deep brain stimulation surgery is a neurosurgical technique that implants highly sophisticated electrodes into a specific structure deep within the brain. It is one of the most advanced methods worldwide recommended for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and many other movement disorders.

The University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City and Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital are the first and largest centers in the country to apply this modern technique. The project “Deep brain stimulation surgery for treating Parkinson's disease” is the first research conducted on a group of Parkinson's patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery. The study evaluated the accuracy of electrode placement technique, therapeutic efficacy as well as reduced surgical complications and side effects when stimulating electricity.

Study “The value of biological markers hTERT mRNA, AFP, AFP-L3, DCP in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma”

The study “The value of biological markers hTERT mRNA, AFP, AFP-L3, DCP in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma” was conducted by Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hoang Bac – Director of the University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, Project Leader, and collaborators including Dr. Tran Cong Duy Long – Deputy Head of the Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Bang Suong – Head of the Laboratory Department; BSc Nguyen Huu Huy, BSc Le Thi Xuan Thao, Researcher Do Nguyen Minh Thien, Researcher Nguyen Trung Ngan – Laboratory Department of the University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City.

Liver cancer progresses silently, so most patients are diagnosed late; early stages often have no specific symptoms. Therefore, the need to find biological markers that enable early detection of cancer, before tumor formation, for early diagnosis is extremely urgent, with high applicability in hospitals, helping to detect liver cancer early and provide better treatment for patients.

Based on the research project “The value of biological markers hTERT mRNA, AFP, AFP-L3, DCP in the detection of liver cell cancer”, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital has implemented the quantitative PIVKA (AFP, AFP-L3 and PIVKA‑II) testing technique in the Laboratory Department to support clinical diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

At the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, alongside treatment and training work, the scientific research activities of lecturers, doctors, and medical staff play an important role in providing optimal treatment solutions for patients. In recent years, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City and its University Hospital have carried out many highly applicable scientific research projects, which have been honored with many domestic and international awards.