This is a rare occasion for the world's "big names" in the field of immunology to gather in Vietnam to discuss and seek solutions to combat one of the greatest medical challenges facing humanity in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period.
The top global health challenges post COVID-19
Studies in the United States, Germany and the UK show that the risk of developing autoimmune diseases increases by 20-50% after a person is infected with COVID-19. According to information from the University of Oxford (UK) in May 2023, about 10% of the population has 19 types of autoimmune diseases. Vietnam has also recorded a marked increase in the number of people with immune disorders after COVID-19, creating a disease burden for the patients themselves as well as for society.
Prof. Dang Van Chi - Scientific Director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, who contributed to clarifying the activity of the Myc oncogene and its correlation with cellular energy metabolism.
However, in Vietnam as well as many developing countries, the challenge in treating immune disorders today is the gap between the needs of patients and the treatment products. Although there are many drugs, from immunosuppressants to biological treatments (ie targeted therapy), they only achieve the effect of reducing symptoms and controlling the disease stably, but have not helped patients recover completely.
In addition, biological drugs or targeted therapies are not yet available or are too expensive in Vietnam, making them difficult for the majority to access. Therefore, most patients in Vietnam are using conventional drugs, which cause many side effects such as increased risk of infection, and affect the functions of internal organs such as the liver and kidneys.
Identifying and finding solutions to the most important medical challenges in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, especially in developing countries, including Vietnam, is the goal of VinFuture Foundation when organizing the seminar "Promoting precision immunology to treat autoimmune disorders" on December 18, 2023.
Prof. Jang-Soo Chun is a researcher at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology and Director of the Korea National Center for Innovative Research and Development on Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis.
Taking place within the framework of VinFuture Science and Technology Week 2023, the seminar is a rare occasion to gather leading scientists in the field of immunology in the world in Vietnam.
They are Prof. Dang Van Chi - Scientific Director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Medical Oncology at Johns Hopkins (USA); Prof. Jang-Soo Chun - Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology and Director of the National Center for Innovative Research (Korea) on the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis; Prof. Shimon Sakaguchi - Immunologist and Distinguished Professor at the Center for Pioneering Immunology Research, Osaka University (Japan). Prof. Sakaguchi is famous for his work discovering regulatory T cells (Treg cells) and through targeted therapy using Tregs to activate and enhance immunity to help treat autoimmune diseases and cancer; Prof. Pascale Cossart - former Head of the Cell Department at the Pasteur Institute (France), who has made significant contributions to the treasure trove of human biomedical knowledge through analyzing the processes and mechanisms of bacteria infecting and surviving inside host cells.
Prof. Shimon Sakaguchi is Distinguished Professor at the Institute of Advanced Immunology Research Center (IFReC), Osaka University (Japan). He is famous for the discovery of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and their targeted use to activate and enhance tumor immunity as well as treat autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases.
New image of a Vietnam with the aspiration to change the world
To address the “emerging” challenges of global health, speakers will focus on discussing targeted therapies, including cell therapy using regulatory T lymphocytes, monoclonal antibodies to treat some autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma... These precision immunology-based treatments promise to completely cure autoimmune diseases.
The seminar organized by VinFuture Foundation also created an opportunity for clinicians and biomedical scientists in Vietnam to directly listen, ask questions, discuss and update the latest and most advanced knowledge about immunity from leading experts in this field in the world. From there, Vietnamese doctors and scientists can find a reasonable approach and choose the optimal solution for patients in the current context.
Prof. Pascale Cossart - Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Cell Department at the Pasteur Institute (Paris, France). She is also a researcher at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Heidelberg, Germany) and holds the role of Lifetime Secretary of the French Academy of Sciences.
“With Vinmec’s experience in developing and researching the application of cell therapy, along with well-trained human resources at leading immunology centers in the world and a system of modern equipment that has been invested in, Vinmec is able and ready to receive technology transfer or conduct research on the application of T cell therapy in the treatment of autoimmune diseases as well as provide a comprehensive solution for early diagnosis and risk stratification of autoimmune disorders to have appropriate targeted interventions from the beginning,” shared Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh, Head of Internal Medicine Department, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital, Clinical Lecturer at the Institute of Health Sciences, VinUni University, one of the speakers at the seminar.
The increasingly proactive participation of Vietnamese researchers in international scientific forums, such as VinFuture Science and Technology Week, is also an opportunity for Vietnamese scientists to affirm their voice and contributions in solving global problems.
Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh is Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at Vinme International General Hospital, and a Clinical Lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences, VinUni University (Vietnam), a key member of the Skin Allergy Council of the World Allergy Organization (WAO).
Professor David Neil Payne, co-winner of the VinFuture 2022 Main Prize, said that through VinFuture, his vision of Vietnam has changed greatly. The veteran scientist assessed that Vietnam has the potential to become a strong country in science and technology with intelligent young people, good education and especially ambition.
“Vietnamese people are very dedicated to science and have the desire to change the world. We need to spend more time making the world understand and pay attention to what is happening in countries like Vietnam. I am very happy that the VinFuture Prize has done that on a large scale,” said Professor Payne.
PV
Seminar “Promoting precision immunology to treat autoimmune disorders”
· Time: 13:30 - 14:45 - Date: December 18, 2023
· Location: Almaz International Convention Center, Vinhomes Riverside Urban Area, Long Bien, Hanoi
· Register here
Chair: Prof. Dang Van Chi, Member of the VinFuture Prize Council, Scientific Director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Cancer Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, USA
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