Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Duke University (US) has cooperated on a newly awarded grant from the US National Institute of Health (NIH): TMRC for Talaromycosis in Vietnam – Investigating the diagnostic methods and the relations between talaromycosis and environmental exposures. The study aims to compare the accuracy of the four diagnostic tests for T. marneffei: real-time PCR and the other three antigen test for rapid diagnosis. In this study, we also want to determine the epidemiological links between fungal infection, environmental exposures, and the capability of T. marneffei to cause acute pulmonary infection in humans.
The meeting occurred from 8.30 AM to 8.30 PM on September 26th 2022 with the attendance of Assoc Prof. Ngo Thi Hoa, PhD – the project sites’ PI, all members from the lab-team, the field-team (with Nguyen Ngoc Minh, MD, PhD, who is also from Office of Research and Development, is the team leader) and the Fungal Culture team (with the team leader is Nhu Thi Hoa, MD, PhD from Medical Department, HCMC National University (VNU)), and Huynh Xuan Yen from Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU). The meeting started with an update from Professor Hoa about the entire project. Then, each member in turn presented their related research topics and had discussion with other members to tackle the remaining issues and finalize all documents appropriately.
Figure 1. Assoc Prof. Ngo Thi Hoa, PhD – Project PI was giving an update on the research project for all team members.
Figure 2. Nguyen Hoang Bao, MD – representing the lab-team, was giving a report on lab work
Figure 3. Nguyen Hoang Chuong, MD, MSC – representing the fungal culture team
Figure 4. Nguyen Ngoc Minh, MD, PhD – representing the field-team
Figure 5. A picture of some of the team members in the meeting, from right to left: Nguyen Ngoc Minh, MD, PhD (Field-team Leader), Huynh Xuan Yen (OUCRU), Phan Thi Ha My, MSc (Lab-team), Assoc Prof. Ngo Thi Hoa, PhD (project PI), Pham Hong Thai (Field-team).
The meeting ended with great success, all documents and procedures were agreed on and most of the issues and drawbacks were resolved. We are sincerely giving our thanks to:
- Assoc Prof. Ngo Thi Hoa, PhD – Project PI, has contributed tirelessly for the research project.
- All team members from the lab-team, field-team, fungal culture team for joining with much enthusiasm
- The encouragement from the Director Board of Biomedical Research Center – Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine.
Phan Thi Ha My, MSc
Pham Hong Thai, BSc