LHU Lecturer's Herbal Medicine for Liver Cancer Impresses U.S. Scientific Committee

“Not Easy” – that’s the key phrase Lac Hong University uses to describe its featured individual in this story.

It was not easy to spot her in the photo among nearly 100 young scientists at the 2023 STIC Annual Conference (U.S.-ASEAN Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation Program).
It was not easy for her to be one of just 8 out of 70 winners selected to present their projects before the judging panel. And it certainly won’t be easy for anyone to follow in her footsteps.

Yet her determination and perseverance have become a source of inspiration for the LHU community and other young scientists striving to rise to the challenges presented by STIC.

Today’s featured figure from Lac Hong University is Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, M.Sc., lecturer in the Department of Analytical Chemistry and Quality Control, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lac Hong University.
A petite woman with a “springboard” spirit far greater than appearances may suggest, she is one of only eight young scientists from Southeast Asia honored with a $12,500 award, along with full funding to attend the STIC conference. 

LHU Lecturer Among Young Scientists Representing Southeast Asia

Your Efforts Have Paid Off

"Congratulations to the 8 winners of our Seed Grant Program across both E&I and S&T tracks. Your hard work has paid off, and we are thrilled to see your projects in action.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to every participant who contributed to the success of the STIC 2023 Annual Conference. Your passion for innovation and dedication to collaboration are the driving forces behind our shared mission.
Thank you for being a part of this journey. Stay inspired, keep innovating, and continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,"
shared a representative from STIC 2023 Communications.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, LHU Lecturer, Recognized Among Top 8 Young Scientists by STIC

The STIC Conference is often described as a gateway for talent mobility. It brings together like-minded individuals who are constantly striving to explore new opportunities and eager to connect with innovative and creative minds related to the projects they are researching.

The Top 4 Outstanding Faces in the Science and Technology Category

It Truly Was Not Easy...

It is known that Ms. Nhung spent nearly two months completing the courses and challenges from STIC before making it into the list of 70 projects granted the ticket to participate in the STIC Conference.

"To meet the application criteria, I needed to complete the 'Science and Technology (S&T) track of the US-ASEAN STIC Talent Mobility Portal.' This program consists of 9 courses on Coursera, each related to a different field. The field I applied for was Biotechnology. Only after finishing the program and obtaining the certificate could I apply for the STIC seed grant," Tuyet Nhung shared.

The organizers and the community are eagerly awaiting the young scientists’ research to soon be put into practice.

Nhung’s journey to STIC was quite straightforward. “Just to see how far I can go,” the young lecturer said, eager to challenge herself and connect more deeply with other young researchers like her. The project she brought to STIC was actually her doctoral dissertation — a study on herbal medicine for treating liver cancer.

It is known that the organizer of STIC is ASU, a co-organizer of the BUILD-IT program. Lac Hong University is a member of BUILD-IT, so opportunities like this are widely shared within the LHU community. Nhung hopes her success this time will inspire more projects from LHU to participate next year.

Drawing from her experience, Nhung also offered some advice: first and foremost, understand your project thoroughly. Especially when presenting to the judging panel, “The key is to control the content to fit within the allotted time. Also, the judges may not necessarily be from your field, so it’s important to use simple and clear language,” she enthusiastically shared.

Scientists and Organizers Present Papers at the Program

Every year, STIC selects and fully funds 35 candidates from the Science & Technology (S&T) track and 35 candidates from the Entrepreneurship & Innovation (E&I) track to attend the annual conference. The awards are provided as direct grants to the identified recipients. Awardees are required to comply with the reporting procedures of Arizona State University (ASU).

Currently, M.Sc. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung is continuing her efforts to complete her experiments with the goal of soon bringing her product into practical application, opening up more opportunities for liver cancer patients to "continue living."