1. General Introduction

The Strong Research Group in Pharmacy, under the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ton Duc Thang University (TDTU), is a pioneering unit at TDTU in the field of research and development of medicinal herbs, pharmaceutical technology, quality control, and the application of natural compounds in disease treatment.

• Vietnamese Name: Nhóm nghiên cứu Dược học và Khoa học Y sinh

• English Name: Research Group in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences

• Abbreviation: BIOPHARMED

• Brochure: Download

2. Objectives

• Promote scientific and technological research in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences to enhance scientific publications, patents, and technology transfer.

• Build and train a team of young scientists and high-quality, creative research personnel, contributing to the development of human resources in medicine and pharmacy for society.

3. Main Research Directions

• Research and develop new bioactive compounds from natural and synthetic sources for disease treatment and healthcare applications.

• Study the mechanisms of drug action.

• Transfer technology for the production of pharmaceuticals, health supplements, and cosmetics.

4. Research Group Members

The strong research group of the Faculty of Pharmacy brings together highly qualified scientists, including:

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Minh Duc - Leader

Ph.D. of Pharmacy; Hiroshima University, Japan

Major: Pharmacognosy

Email: nguyenminhduc@tdtu.edu.vn

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Truong Huy - Key Member

Ph.D. of Pharmacy; Seoul National University, Korea

Specialization: Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis

Email: nguyentruonghuy@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Le Quoc Viet - Key Member

PhD in Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Korea

Specialization: Pharmaceutics - Physical Pharmacy

Email: lequocviet@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Nguyen Minh Hien - Key Member

Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama University, Japan

Specialization: Natural Products Chemistry

Email: nguyenminhhien@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Le Bao - Key Member

Ph.D. of Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Korea

Specialization: Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Email: lebao@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Tran Gia Buu - Key Member

Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine, Chonnam National University, Korea.

Specialization: Molecular Medicine

Email: trangiabuu@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Thach Ut Dong - Member

Ph.D. of Chemistry and Physical Chemistry of Materials, University of Montpellier, France

Specialization: Chemistry – Material Physical Chemistry

Email: thachutdong@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Do Bich Hang - Member

Ph.D. of Biomedicine, Ulsan University, Korea.

Specialization: Biomedicine

Email: dobichhang@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Vu Huynh Kim Long - Member

PhD of Traditional Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Specialization: Pharmacognosy, Traditional medicine

Email: vuhuynhkimlong@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Le Thuy Huong - Member

PhD of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Korea.

Specialization: Physiology – Pathology

Email: lethuyhuong@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Pham Duc Toan - Member

PhD in Pharmacy, Kangwon National University, South Korea. Pharmacy

Specialization: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Clinical Pharmacy

Email: phamductoan@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Nguyen Phuong Tram - Member

PhD of Neuroscience, University of Tasmania, Australia

Specialization: Neuroscience

Email: nguyenphuongtram@tdtu.edu.vn

Dr. Mai Xuan Lan - Ph.D in Pharmacy; Kangwon National University, Republic of Korea

Specialization: Pharmaceutical Analysis – Toxicology

Email: maixuanlan@tdtu.edu.vn

5. Scientific publications

• Nguyen HM, Nguyen PK, Le PTA, Nguyen THN, Vu HKL, LeTKC, Anjana Delpe A, Kenneth H.& Daniel R. (2024), Antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory potential in flowers and seeds of Ochna integerrima (Lour.) Merr, Natural Product Research 17:1-11.

• Nguyen HM, Ty VP, Hung QV, Hoai TN, Linh TKN, Bao CN, Khanh L.C. and Duc V.H. (2024) Essential oil from Vietnamese Peperomia leptostachya Hook. & Arn. (Piperaceae): Chemical composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic activities, and in silico analysis, Molecules 29: 2808-2822.

• Thuy Le H, Vu YT, Duong GH, Le TK, Dang MK, Pham DD, Pham NK, Sichaem J, Nguyen NH, Duong TH. Bio-Guided Isolation of Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Compounds from Vietnamese Lichen Roccella Montagnei. Chem Biodivers. 2024 Jul;21(7):e202400438. doi: 10.1002/cbdv.202400438. Epub 2024 May 28. PMID: 38581153. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.202400438
• Tran, G. B., Pham, T. V., Tuan Le, A., Nguyen, N. H., Vo, N. H. H., & Do, B. H. (2024). Chemical composition and the anti-inflammatory effect of volatile compounds from Anaxagorea luzonensis A. Gray. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences, 79(9-10), 329–336. https://doi.org/10.1515/znc-2023-0177
• Le Q.V., Kang S., Lee J., Park H., Sun J.G., Lee J., Shim G. Size-Dependent Effect of Indocyanine Green Nanoimaging Agent for Metastatic Lymph Node Detection. Biomaterials Research 2024; 28, 0022.
• Le, B., Hong, V. T. K., & Yang, S. H. (2024). Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Hydroethanolic Extract from Ehretia asperula on Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW264. 7 Macrophages. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 34(6), 1340. https://doi.org/10.4014/jmb.2403.03006
• Nguyen, H. T., Phan, L. K., Huynh, K. L. V., Duong, T. H., Le, H. T., Hai-Yen, N. T., ... & Nguyen, M. D. (2023). Untargeted Metabolomics Approach for the Differentiation between Panax vietnamensis var. vietnamensis and Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus. Metabolites, 13(6), 763.
• Thuy Le H, Vu TY, Nguyen TV, Dinh Tri M, Pham NK, Truong Nguyen H, Nguyen NH, Nguyen HH, Duong TH. A New Carvotacetone Derivative from the Aerial Part of Sphaeranthus africanus. Chem Biodivers. 2023 Jun;20(6):e202300319. doi: 10.1002/cbdv.202300319. Epub 2023 May 30. PMID: 37183173. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.202300319
• Nguyen, H. T., Phan, L. K., Huynh, K. L. V., Duong, T. H., Le, H. T., Hai-Yen, N. T., ... & Nguyen, M. D. (2023). Untargeted Metabolomics Approach for the Differentiation between Panax vietnamensis var. vietnamensis and Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus. Metabolites, 13(6), 763.
• Tran, G. B., Ding, J., Ye, B., Liu, M., Yu, Y., Zha, Y., Dong, Z., Liu, K., Sudarshan, S., & Ding, H. F. (2023). Caffeine Supplementation and FOXM1 Inhibition Enhance the Antitumor Effect of Statins in Neuroblastoma. Cancer research, 83(13), 2248–2261. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-22-3450
• Le, B., Do, D. T., Nguyen, H. M., Do, B. H., & Le, H. T. (2022). Preparation, characterization, and anti-adhesive activity of Sulfate polysaccharide from Caulerpa lentillifera against Helicobacter pylori. Polymers, 14(22), 4993. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14224993
• Le, B., Kim, D. G., Phuoc, N. N., Linh, N. T. H., & Yang, S. H. (2022). Dietary supplementation with Pediococcus pentosaceus enhances the innate immune response in and promotes growth of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp. Journal of Fish Diseases, 45(9), 1343-1354. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13666
•  Le Q.V., Lee J, Ko S, Kim H, Vu TY, Choe YS, Oh YK, Shim G. Enzyme-responsive macrocyclic metal complexes for biomedical imaging. Bioeng Transl Med. 2022 Dec 21;8(5):e10478
• Nguyen, H. T., Vuong Bui, N. T., Kanhounnon, W. G., Vu Huynh, K. L., Nguyen, T.-V.-A., Nguyen, H. M., Do, M. H., Badawi, M., & Thach, U. D. (2021). Co-precipitation polymerization of dual functional monomers and polystyrene-co-divinylbenzene for ciprofloxacin imprinted polymer preparation [10.1039/D1RA05505D]. RSC Advances, 11(54), 34281-34290. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1RA05505D 
• Thach, U. D., Nguyen Thi, H. H., Pham, T. D., Mai, H. D., & Nhu-Trang, T.-T. (2021). Synergetic Effect of Dual Functional Monomers in Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Preparation for Selective Solid Phase Extraction of Ciprofloxacin. Polymers, 13(16), 2788. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/16/2788 
• Le HT, Lee HJ, Cho J, Min HY, Lee JS, Lee SJ, Lee HY. Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 Exerts Its Anti-Metastatic Effect in Aerodigestive Tract Cancers by Disrupting the Protein Stability of Vimentin. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Mar 2;13(5):1041. doi: 10.3390/cancers13051041. PMID: 33801272; PMCID: PMC7958122. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13051041
• Le, B., Anh, P. T. N., & Yang, S. H. (2021). Polysaccharide derived from Nelumbo nucifera lotus plumule shows potential prebiotic activity and ameliorates insulin resistance in HepG2 cells. Polymers, 13(11), 1780. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111780
• Nguyen, H. T., Vu-Huynh, K. L., Nguyen, H. M., Le, H. T., Le, T. H. V., Park, J. H., & Nguyen, M. D. (2021). Evaluation of the saponin content in Panax Vietnamensis acclimatized to lam dong province by HPLC–UV/CAD. Molecules, 26(17), 5373.
• Le, Q.V.¹; Lee, J.¹; Lee, H.; Shim, G.; Oh, Y.K. Cell membrane-derived vesicles for delivery of therapeutic agents. Acta Pharm. Sin. B 2021, 11, 2096-2113. (¹ co-first authors).
• Le, Q.V., Kim, D., Lee, J., Shim, G.; Oh, Y.-K. Photosensitizer-Free Phototherapy with Peptide Micelle Nanoadjuvants for Cancer Vaccine against Metastasis of Melanoma. Adv. Therap. 2021, 4, 2000288.
• Vu-Huynh, K. L., Nguyen, H. T., Van Le, T. H., Ma, C. T., Lee, G. J., Kwon, S. W., ... & Nguyen, M. D. (2020). Accumulation of saponins in underground parts of Panax vietnamensis at different ages analyzed by HPLC-UV/ELSD. Molecules, 25(13), 3086.
• Vu-Huynh, K. L., Truong, B. V., Bui, V. H., Thanh, H. N. T., & Dang, V. S. (2020, November). Vaccinium chlaenophyllum (Ericaceae), a new species from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. In Annales Botanici Fennici (Vol. 58, No. 1-3, pp. 15-18). Finnish Zoological and Botanical Publishing Board.
• Le, B., Ngoc, A. P. T., & Yang, S. H. (2020). Synbiotic fermented soymilk with Weissella cibaria FB069 and xylooligosaccharides prevents proliferation in human colon cancer cells. Journal of applied microbiology, 128(5), 1486-1496. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9020181
• Le, B., Anh, P. T. N., & Yang, S. H. (2020). Enhancement of the anti-inflammatory effect of mustard kimchi on RAW 264.7 macrophages by the Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation-mediated generation of phenolic compound derivatives. Foods, 9(2), 181.

7. List of Applied S&T Products with Intellectual Property Registration and Technology Transfer

1. Oh, Yu-Kyoung; Shin, Young Kee; Shim, Gayong; Yang, Hobin; Le, Quoc-Viet. Pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer, containing lipid-photothermal nanoparticle having antibody bound to surface, WIPO, 2021, Patent No. WO/2021/201451.
2. Benedicte Prelot, Peter Hesemann, Ut Dong Thach, and Jerzy Zajac, Organosilicon material for the decontamination of water (2020), United States Patent, US10799850B2.
3. Nguyen Minh Duc, Jeong Hill Park, Sung Won Kwon, Gwang Jin Lee, Nguyen Truong Huy, Le Thi Hong Van, Vu Huynh Kim Long, Quantification process of main saponins in Vietnamese ginseng (2019), Utility solution, VN-0002205.

8. List of Book Chapters, Materials, Books, and Textbooks Compiled in the Last 5 Years

1. Shim, G.; Kim. D.; Le, Q.V.; Byun, J.; Park, J.; Oh, Y.K. “8 - Biomaterials for gene editing therapeutics”. In *Biomaterials for Cancer Therapeutics* (Second Edition), edited by Park, K. Woodhead Publishing, 2020, pp. 187–231.
2. Nguyen Minh Duc, Truong Cong Tri. *Nano Particles – Formulation Techniques, Analysis, Properties & Applications in Pharmacy*, Ho Chi Minh City Medical Publishing House, 2020.
3. Nguyen Minh Duc, *High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Its Applications in Research, Drug Testing, and Natural Compound Analysis*, Ho Chi Minh City Medical Publishing House, 2006.
4. Nguyen Minh Duc, Ryoji Kasai, Kazuhiro Ohtani, Aiko Ito, Kazuo Yamasaki, Nguyen Thoi Nham & Osamu Tanaka, *New Saponins from Vietnamese Ginseng: Highlights on Biogenesis of Dammarane Triterpenoids*. In: Waller, G.R., Yamasaki, K. (eds) *Saponins Used in Traditional and Modern Medicine*. *Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology*, vol 404. Springer, Boston, MA.
5. Ton Nu Lien Huong, Nguyen Minh Hien, *Techniques for Extracting Natural Compounds*, Can Tho University Publishing House, 2024.

9. S&T Awards in the Last 5 Years

9. Laboratory

1. Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory
2. Biology And Pharmacology Laboratory
3. Animal Research Laboratory
4. Transdisciplinary Research Laboratory
5. Pharmaceutics And Quality Control Laboratory
6. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Laboratory

10. Apparatus