Assoc. Prof. Dr Tran Van Khanh is the first Vietnamese scientist who had successfully developed a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) study that supports prenatal diagnosis of DMD to prevent genetic disorders.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Dinh Thi Bich Lan is the author of many highly applicable projects and products, including antigens of some diseases in livestock and vaccines of new generation.

Talking to female scientists and students at the ceremony, former Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, who is President of the Kovalevskaya Vietnam Award Committee, said that the success of Khanh and Lan showed the significant role of universities in guiding and supporting students in undertaking their scientific research.

She stressed that training facilities should create the best study and research environment for students by investing more in equipment and labs to meet the demand of students, while giving equal chances to and encourage female students to engage in scientific research.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that the Government is working to improve the business environment and boost startups with a goal of 1 million enterprises. 

He underlined the need for the country to strengthen technology capacity, which means more inventions and more scientists. He called on students to work harder and dare to think and do, thus helping spur the country’s growth.

The annual Kovalevskaya Award honours the most outstanding female scientists who have gained remarkable achievements in the research and application of science. From 1985-2016, 18 collectives and 45 individuals won the awards.

The prestigious prize is named after the Russian female mathematician, Sofia Kovalevskaya, and is awarded by the fund of the same name. The fund operates in eight countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

At the ceremony, the organization board also announced 12 scientific projects by female students that will be funded by the Vietnam Women’s Union.-VNA