Van Lang University demonstrates its ambition in medicine through cooperation with Stanford University

Van Lang University implemented partnership programs with Stanford University School of Medicine in the United States, which is aimed at not only researching and manufacturing vaccines, anti-virus drugs and cancer treatment, but also expanding application of artificial intelligence to the medical field.

Recently, Dr. Nguyen Cao Tri – Chairman of Board of Van Lang Education Group and Chairman of Board of Members of Van Lang University has joined the Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to visit and work in the United States from 11 May to 18 May, 2022. 

On 17 August, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Professor Ruth O’Hara, Chairman of Board of Professors and Associate Dean of School of Medicine of Standford University, and Professor Jeffrey Glenn, Director of Stanford Biosecurity and Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (ViRx@Stanford) and other professors from Stanford University. Doctor Nguyen Cao Tri, Chairman of Van Lang University, which has partnership programs with Stanford University School of Medicine attended the working session. 

Collaboration in production of anti-virus and cancer treatment drugs 

At the working session, Doctor Nguyen Cao Tri reported to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the strengthened relationship between VLU and ViRx@Stanford to develop research institutions to produce drugs for anti-virus and cancer. The center is planned to be built on a 50 hectare Saigon High Tech Part in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City or in the urban area north-west of Ho Chi Minh City (Cu Chi District). The two parties also conducted clinical research and medical trials related to viruses that can cause future pandemics in Vietnam. Currently, Stanford University is one of the world’s top centers for research and cooperation in transferring drug production.

As such, the two partners are expanding their cooperation to conduct research on new diagnostic and treatment methods for chronic diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D and other chronic liver diseases which are alarmingly high and affect millions of Vietnamese people.

In mid-2021, during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Bart Haynes, an American scientist said that we have witnessed two major coronavirus outbreaks, with the first one in 2003 coinciding with the SARS outbreak and another in 2011 with the Mers outbreak and there will certainly be other outbreaks. Therefore, preventing and controlling other pandemics are the focus of many leading research agencies in the world today. 

Thereby, VLU aims to become part of Stanford's proactive anti-virus prevention system and be ready for future pandemics instead of reacting passively as in the last outbreak. Professor Ruth O'Hara and her colleagues mentioned that there is a lot of potential for cooperation between Stanford University and its partners in Vietnam.

The above-mentioned orientation of Van Lang University and its cooperation program with Stanford University has gained the momentum when the US government is also determining that Vietnam plays an important role in the disease prevention strategy in Southeast Asia. In August 2021, during her visit to Vietnam, US Vice President Kamala Harris attended the opening ceremony of the Southeast Asia Regional Office of the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Hanoi. 

Application of AI to medicine 

Van Lang University and Stanford University cooperate in not only clinical research, drug and vaccine production, high technology in testing and cancer screening techniques, but also in application of artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation in medicine.

For many years, Stanford University has been known as one of the cradles of science and technology, nurturing many world-famous talents in the field of technology such as Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX; Jerry Yang and David Filo, co-founders of Yahoo!, and Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google. In the field of AI and technological innovation, many people of Vietnamese origin such as Dr. Vu Duy Thuc or Dr. Luong Minh Thang... were also trained by Stanford University.

Meanwhile, AI is rapidly accelerating healthcare for people around the world. Innovation and growth in healthcare has enormous potential. It is currently estimated that global healthcare spending is up to about 7,800 billion USD per year. It is proved that AI plays an important role in improving human health by enhancing drug research and distribution, hepatitis screening and many other potential areas. During the Covid-19 pandemic, AI and advanced technology were applied to build effective response models.

Application of AI and technological advances in the medical field is an important topic of the conference "Medicine and Technology" co-organized by VLU and ViRx@Stanford in early March in Ho Chi Minh City. The attendees include Professor Jeffrey Glenn and senior members of ViRx@Stanford such as Dr. Edward Pham, MD, PhD (Deputy Director), MSc. Wendy Uyen Nguyen (Strategic Advisor) and Dr. Luong Minh Thang (Technology Advisor). Dr. Edward Pham and Professor Jeffrey Glenn are researchers who plays a key role in inventing drugs to treat viruses and cancer.

During the meeting on May 17, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh noted and welcomed meaningful ideas and supported the cooperation between Stanford University and Van Lang University. The Prime Minister also requested Stanford University to support Vietnam in training human resources in the medical field and artificial intelligence, and coordinate with major medical universities in Vietnam to connect scientists and administrators, organize seminars to exchange experiences, discuss and turn ideas into practice and effective projects. 

Mission of public healthcare 

Along with socio-economic development, changing disease patterns, and the growing need for people's health care, the Faculty of Medicine of Van Lang University was established to train general practitioners who have solid knowledge and clinical skills, aimed at thinking about people's health care, improving the quality of community health care according to the principles of family medicine, thereby contributing to easing the burden on hospitals and improving people's health and quality of life.

The Faculty of Medicine currently has a team of lecturers who are leading doctors with many years of experience and graduates from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Military Medical Academy together with many visiting lecturers who are doctors working at prestigious hospitals in Vietnam.

From the first year, students of the Faculty of Medicine of Van Lang University are equipped with creative and social skills to help them overcome difficulties to serve public healthcare and have positive impacts on improving people’s health. The mission of the Faculty of Medicine is in harmony with VLU's philosophy of not only providing human resources for society but also having positive and inspirational impact on the community.

Van Lang University implements policies to attract more local and international experts in the medical field to continue to develop health programs in the future.

By Kien Tan
Thanh Nien Newspaper

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