Dr. Nguyen Thuy Vy and two students, Le Tran Dang Khoi and Vo Ho My Phuc (Photo courtesy of VNUHCM) Out of 2,000 projects from 79 countries, one on producing protein from Ecolibacteria in laboratories by a student team from the University of Science won sponsorshipfrom the Agence Universitaire de La Francophonie – a society of universitiesoffering training in the French language.
Firstly, they collaborated with a company in the bio-technology industry tocarry out the project under Dr. Nguyen Thuy Vy, head of the genetics departmentat the university’s biology and bio-technology faculty. The research wasprompted by the fact that asymptomatic COVID patients and those with mildsymptoms were believed to be a hurdle to control the pandemic in the community.
To detect infection, many countries use antibody tests. The advantages of thismethod are that it is fast, easy to deploy on a large scale and has greataccuracy. However, Vietnam does not have suppliers of SARS‐CoV‐2 viral proteinantigens, making it difficult for companies to seek manufacturing antibodytesting kits. Dr Vy said: “We use a technology to produce protein from Ecolibacteria at low cost. Around the world, most proteins are produced from animaltissue.” Vy and two students, Le Tran Dang Khoi and Vo Ho My Phuc began theresearch in early June 2020 with sponsorship from AUF and they created productswithin three months.
“The project does not only contribute to COVID-19 prevention but also inspiresother students to take up research. The product is useful for COVID-19 testswith fast, accurate results and affordable prices.”
The VNUHCM’s National Key Laboratory of Digital Control and SystemEngineering’s scientists also made an automatic chamber for disinfection andobtaining samples from patients without making contact.
The chamber disinfects automatically before the next person enters for givingsamples. Though ultraviolet disinfection technology is used, the UV rays do notdirectly touch peoples’ bodies and so are not harmful to health officials orpatients. Moreover, the high-efficiency particulate air filter technologycombines with UV to completely kill viruses and bacteria remaining in the airafter being sucked out of the chamber.
Another VNUHCM’s member university, the University of Technology, has innovateddozens of useful and convenient products to serve the community in terms ofCOVID-19 prevention and containment.
Scientists at the Bach Khoa Research Centre for Manufacturing Engineering atthe University of Technology have also made a mobile disinfection system withair filters to ensure clean air is discharged in the environment. Thetechnology has been transferred to companies for commercialisation and massproduction.
A research team at the University of Technology’s material technology facultyhas made masks that could be used by healthcare workers for continuous hours.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Dai Phu, the faculty dean, said when COVID-19 broke out,one urgent issue was a shortage of medical equipment. Healthcare workers faceda high risk of infection because of working for many hours in an environmentwithout negative pressure chamber. It was very important for them to usepreventive clothes, goggles and masks to prevent the risk of contracting thevirus, and his team made these masks with a bacteria and air filter membrane toavoid infection, Phu said.
The medical workers at Trung Vuong Hospital are using them.
One of VNUHCM’s strategies is to continue focusing on scientific andtechnological development and innovation to help implement national andsouthern region development strategies and to raise its international profile.
As of October 2020, it had filed 527 applications for patents and 566technology transfer contracts and scientific services that fetched revenues of 104.2billion VND (4,5 million USD)./.
VNA
