Tran Vuong The Vinh (1994) is currently a young doctor and PhD in the field of stem cells in Vietnam. He graduated with a master's degree from Sheffield University (UK) and a doctorate from Seoul National University (Korea). After many twists and turns, at the age of 29, Vinh decided to return with the desire to apply mesenchymal stem cells derived from autologous fat to treat aesthetic, dermatological and internal medical problems.

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Tran Vuong The Vinh (1994) received his PhD from Seoul National University (Photo: NVCC)

Having nurtured the dream of becoming a doctor since studying at the Gifted High School, Ho Chi Minh City National University, after graduating, The Vinh took the entrance exam to the Faculty of Medicine at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine.

During his time in the hospital and working part-time at the clinic, Vinh was exposed to many surgeries related to fat grafting. At that time, the term “stem cells” was very popular. However, in the classroom, the male student could not find any subject that taught related knowledge. Curious and skeptical about the actual effectiveness of this therapy, Vinh was determined to learn more about stem cells and regenerative medicine. However, after reading many documents on the Internet, he still did not understand clearly and could not verify the information, so he felt frustrated.

At the end of the 5th year, when most medical students were focusing on their residency exams, Vinh decided to go to a country that is strong in the field of stem cells to gain more complete knowledge, even though he did not fully understand the concepts or the future of this field.

Vinh devoted his entire final year to research and IELTS preparation, aiming for European countries such as Italy, France, Germany, England, etc. However, many schools in Europe do not recognize Vietnamese medical degrees, while some schools require candidates to have more than 1 year of experience in medical facilities. Finally, Vinh was accepted by two schools. The 9X chose to study for a master's degree in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Sheffield.

In 2019, while waiting to fly to the UK to study, Vinh worked as a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Medicine (now the University of Health Sciences), Ho Chi Minh City National University, teaching Anatomy.

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Since his student days, Vinh has been curious about stem cells and regenerative medicine. (Photo: NVCC)

During a year of master's study, with the "inspiration" from teachers, Vinh built a solid foundation of knowledge but still felt "unsatisfied" because he had not applied it much.

Therefore, in the last months of his master's degree, Vinh prepared a research proposal on the clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue in aesthetics and dermatology for his doctoral studies. Thanks to this proposal, Vinh was admitted to Seoul National University as a research student before receiving his master's degree.

The 9X said that what he was most worried about when coming to Korea was that the research direction of the professors might not be suitable for his own goals. Luckily, the research direction of the professor was exactly what Vinh wanted to delve into. Like a fish in water, under the guidance of his teacher, Vinh published 8 articles in international journals as the main author, including 6 articles related to mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue.

In addition to research, Vinh participates in weekly plastic surgeries at the hospital, assists residents in designing research, writing manuscripts, and preparing topics for department meetings. He received 6 consecutive scholarships from Seoul National University and completed his doctoral program in 2 years.

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Vinh decided to return to Vietnam after graduating (Photo: NVCC)

With this result, Vinh was qualified and was proposed by the professor to stay and work as a research professor.

“At that time, I was hesitant because continuing to work with the professor was a very good opportunity, while the facilities and equipment at the school were modern, helping me learn many new techniques and methods,” Vinh said.

However, Vinh's initial orientation was not to do research, but to apply what he had learned into practice. Therefore, in March 2024, he returned to Vietnam, worked at a private hospital, and was also the head of the stem cell research team there.

Currently, Vinh still maintains connections with research institutes and major hospitals in Korea, jointly conducting related research topics and supporting doctors who want to study in Korea to improve their skills.

Vinh believes that the field of stem cells is still new in Vietnam, while the potential is huge. That makes it difficult for future doctors who are passionate about this field but do not have many channels to learn. Therefore, when he returns, he wants to share knowledge related to stem cells, their true potential and if given the opportunity, he will pursue teaching in this field.

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