Two Vietnamese researchers have been selected to enter the list of the 100 most outstanding Asian scientists of 2019 by Singapore-based science journal Asian Scientist. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Liem and Ph.D Nguyen Thi Hiep are honored for their achievements in surgery and in medical innovation, respectively, according to the journal.
Prof. Nguyen Thanh Liem, director of Vinmec Research Institute of Stem Cell and Gene Technology (VRISG). Photo: Vinmec
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“As a leading pediatric endoscopic surgeon, Nguyen was the first in Vietnam to perform laparoscopic surgery on a child in 1997 and the first to carry out kidney and liver transplantations in Vietnam’s children’s hospitals,” the journal introduced on its page.
More than 15 years ago he operated on and separated five pairs of conjoined twins.
As director of VRISG, Liem pioneers stem cell therapies for diseases such as cerebral palsy and autism. He has introduced robot-assisted surgery and other advanced technologies to bring life-changing treatments to children.
Liem is the first Vietnamese awarded the Nikkei Asia Prize for Science and Technology (in 2018) after the prize was launched 22 years ago.
Ph.D Nguyen Thi Hiep, head of the Biomedical Engineering Department at International University under Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Phunuvietnam
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Hiep developed a bio-glue that seals wounds and can even be loaded with living cells or therapeutics. This innovation is part of her bigger agenda to raise the profile and availability of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) in Vietnam.
For her achievements, Hiep was recognized as an international rising talent at the 2018 L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Awards.
She was also honored with the 2017 ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women for her research on homecare solutions to reduce the pressure on the public healthcare system.
So far, seven Vietnamese researchers and academics have been listed in the top 100.
Last year Dr. Phan Thanh Son Nam, a chemistry professor who is Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering at the Ho Chi Minh University of Technology and Dr. Nguyen Sum, a mathematician and a professor at Quy Nhon University, were listed.
About Asian Scientist magazine
Every year since 2016, Asian Scientist has been compiling a list of Asia’s most outstanding researchers across a range of scientific disciplines.
To be acknowledged on this list, the honoree must have received a national or international award the previous year for his/her research. Alternatively, they have made a significant scientific discovery or provided leadership in academia or industry.
Asian Scientist is an award-winning science and technology magazine that highlights research and development news stories from Asia to a global audience. It is published by a team of professional science and medical journalists, with active contributors from industry and academia.
