August 2023
10th August: Visit of representatives of the University of Jember, Indonesia, to the Institute of Tropical
Medicine, Tübingen, Germany
On behalf of the Pan Asean Coalition for Epidemic and Outbreak Preparedness (PACE-UP), Dr. Dr. Carsten Köhler, Head of the Competence
Center and the Focus Group "Global Health”of the Institute of Tropical Medicine, welcomed the delegation from the University of Jember, consisting of the Vice Rector for Finance, Prof. Sri
Hernawatim, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Ulfa Elvia, the representative of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Public Relations Officer, Endah Puspitasari, and our focal partner for PACE-UP, Dr.
Kartika Senjarini from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Tübingen on August 10, 2023. During the meeting the upcoming PACE-UP workshop and
hands-on training on “Emerging and re-merging viral diseases and Basic principles of Biosafety”, which will be hosted by the University of Jember in 2024, was discussed.
July 2023
11th July: Prof. Dennis Nurjadi (University of Lübeck) presented the results of an ongoing study
on antibiotic resistance, Tübingen
Prof. Dennis Nurjadi from the University of Lübeck and expert mentor of the PACE-UP has presented the
first results of an ongoing study on antibiotic resistance in resource-limited settings: Vietnam at the colloquium held at Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen,
Germany.
07th July: Visit from representatives of the University Hospital Erlangen, Germany to VG-CARE,
Hanoi
Dr. Michael Aigner, group leader of the research group on T cell Therapy at the University Hospital
Erlangen visited VG-CARE to identify potential opportunities for collaboration. Dr. Aigner is working on manufacturing and quality control of CAR T cells under GMP standards.
05th July: Visit from the Regional Medical Doctor from the Federal Foreign Office, Germany to
VG-CARE/PACE-UP and 108 MCH, Hanoi
Dr. Sabine Walter, Regional Medical Doctor for Southeast Asia from Federal Foreign Office, Germany
visited VG-CARE and the 108 Military Central Hospital (MCH) in Hanoi on July 5, 2023. Dr. Nguyen Trong The, group leader and deputy director of VG-CARE introduced her to the center and PACE-UP
activities.
05 th July: Prof. Nguyen Linh Toan (VMMU) and Prof. Velavan (PACE-UP) at the Thai Nguyen
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Nguyen
Prof. Nguyen Linh Toan and Prof. Velavan from PACE-UP were invited to Thai Nguyen University of Medicine
and Pharmacy on 05 July to discuss university partnerships in the ongoing PACE-UP program at VG-CARE. The Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tien Dung agreed to participate in our PACE-UP activities
and proposed the signing of an MOU between VG-CARE, University of Tübingen and Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
June 2023
28th June: Humboldt Research Hub Roundtable, Berlin
PACE-UP, represented by Prof. Velavan and PACE-UP partner Prof. Olusola Ojurongbe from the Bayer- AVH
Humboldt Research Hub, representing the Centre for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), Nigeria, were invited to a round table discussion with all Research Hub Heads (Humboldt
Research Hubs in Africa) to intensify networking between the individual Research Hubs and the German cooperation partners during the Alexander von Humboldt Annual Meeting in Berlin. A possible joint
conference in Africa next year was suggested and a joint virtual meeting of the Research Hub Heads was planned to discuss further details.
16th June: Session on bioinformatics pipeline for the analysis of whole genome sequencing
data
Dr. Etienne Loire from Cirad, GREASE Network has given a session to introduce a bioinformatics pipeline
for the analysis of whole genome sequencing (WGS) data at VG-CARE, Hanoi. PACE-UP students, researchers and medical staff participated in the interactive session to understand how the pipeline can be
used for the detection of antimicrobial resistance genes. A follow up hands-on training is planned to be conducted.
Mai 2023
20th May: The Ministry of Defense of Vietnam announces the Certificate of Merit to Prof. Dr.
Thiru. P. Velavan
The Ministry of Defense of Vietnam announces the Certificate of Merit to Prof. Dr. Thirumalaisamy P.
Velavan of the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen and the co-director of VG-CARE for his outstanding and excellent achievements in scientific collaboration, establishment, and development of the
Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, 108 Military Central Hospital. The official award ceremony will take place in December 2023.
20th May: DAAD Visit to VG-CARE/PACE-UP and 108 MCH, Hanoi
On May 20, 2023 Prof. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee, President of the DAAD and President of Justus Liebig
University Giessen, together with the current head of the DAAD regional office for Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar in Hanoi, Mr Stefan Hase-Bergen, and his successor, Mr Felix Wagenfeld, visited
VG-CARE/PACE-UP at the 108 Military Central Hospital (108 MCH) in Hanoi.
Since the foundation of the Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, the DAAD has been one of the
largest funders of the projects carried out or ongoing at the center, which includes the PACE-UP. In the framework of the meeting, the 108 MCH, the work of VG-CARE and the goals and activities of
PACE-UP were presented.
Prof. Mukherjee emphasized that VG-CARE is an excellent example of successful and sustainable scientific
cooperation between two countries in the sense of the DAAD funding principles. Mr Stefan Hase-Bergen highlighted that the approach of mutual added value through cooperation between the University of
Tübingen and the 108 MCH contributes significantly to the success of VG-CARE and its projects.
On this occasion, the decision of the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam was announced, to award the
Certificate of Merit to Prof. Dr. Thiru. P. Velavan, co-founder and co-director Director of VG-CARE, for his outstanding and excellent achievements in scientific collaboration, establishment, and
development of the Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research.
19th-20th May: DAAD Alumni meeting on Sustainability in Higher Education,
Hanoi
On May 19, 2023 representatives of the PACE-UP/VG-CARE participated at the DAAD Alumni meeting on
Sustainability in Higher Education in Hanoi. The event was aligned with the 20 years anniversary of the DAAD regional office for Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar in Hanoi. Furthermore, the
occasion was taken to officially farewell Ms Stefan Hase-Bergen who was in charge of the DAAD office since 2017 and to welcome his successor, Mr Felix Wagenfeld.
The event was inaugurated by his Excellency Dr. Guido Hildner, German Ambassador to Hanoi, Prof. Dr.
Nguyen Thien Nhan, Member of the National Assembly HCMC, Former Member of the Politburo, Former Secretary of the Party Committee HCMC, DAAD-Alumnus, and Prof. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee, President of
DAAD, President of Justus Liebig University Giessen.
A number of lecturers on the ‘Sustainability in Higher Education’ was given during the 1,5 days event.
Prof. Dr. Velavan was invited to give a lecture together with A/Prof. Dr. Tran Xuan Chuong, a PACE-UP cooperation partner from the Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, on “Sustainability in
Health Education and Research”.
18th May: A networking meeting was held at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Hanoi Office to identify synergies in ongoing activities between CDC and PACE-UP.
Dr. Lindsay Kim, Program Director for Global Health Security (Vietnam) at the CDC, outlined
opportunities for collaboration on Event-based Surveillance (EBS) and the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), laboratory capacity building, and early reporting on disease
outbreaks.
Dr. Serena Vinter, Deputy Regional Director of CDC’s Southeast Asia Regional Office, explained CDC’s
opportunities to support activities on infection prevention control (IPC) in the ASEAN region through CDC-funded program for ASEAN nationals.
The PACE-UP/VG-CARE team was represented by Dr. Bui Tien Sy, Prof. Dr. Velavan, Ms. Olga Hase-Bergen,
and Ms. Ms. Thi Anh Mai Pham. Prof. Velavan presented both centers and their activities in Vietnam and ASEAN region.
18th May: Network hybrid meeting with the University of Lübeck, Germany
A hybrid meeting between the University of Lübeck (UoL), Germany, and VG-CARE took place. Prof. Dennis Nurjadi (UoL) presented first
results on the topic “Molecular epidemiology of colistin and carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Viet Nam”. This study is part of a collaborative project between the UoL, 108 Military
Central Hospital and VG-CARE/PACE-UP in the research area of antimicrobial resistance to investigate resistance, virulence and transmission patterns.
12-14th May: „Europe Village“ in Hanoi, Vietnam
PACE-UP / VG-CARE members have informed about the center‘s activities during the „Europe Village“ event
taking place from May 12 to 14, 2023 in Hanoi. Europe village is an annual event held by the European Union Delegation in Vietnam. 15.000 visitors were expected to visit the
event.
The German Embassy together with German organizations, institutes and foundations in Vietnam are
representing Germany and collaborative projects between the two countries.
03rd-04th May: Second annual Steering Committee Meeting of the Central African clinical research
network (CANTAM)
PACE-UP was represented and reported on its activities for 2023 during the Central African clinical
research network’s (CANTAM) second annual Steering Committee Meeting (Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo) from May 3 to 4, 2023.
Prof. Eric Achidi from the University of Buea in Cameroon explained the cooperation with PACE-UP. A
full-time PhD student from University of Buea is conducting her PhD study at the University of Tübingen, funded through PACE-UP.
Zambia has reported on the internship of their staff in 2022 within the PACE-UP-Internship
program.
Central African Infectious Disease and Epidemics Research Alliance (CAIDERA), another DAAD Global Health
Center also presented its activities within CANTAM. CAIDERA shared joint activities with PACE-UP.
April 2023
25th-27th April: German-Vietnamese Science Day (GVSD) in Da Nang,
Vietnam
VG-CARE participated together with the PACE-UP cooperation partners in the GVSD – an event jointly
organized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany, and the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) as a bilateral dialogue and networking event between science,
industry and policy makers from Germany and Vietnam.
The aim of the GVSD was to discuss, build and to consolidate potential projects between
German-Vietnamese cooperation in the fields of science, technology, innovation, and higher education, and to strengthen networking between German and Vietnamese stakeholders to create a strong
framework for sustainable German-Vietnamese cooperation.
The event was opened by Mr. Nguyen Van Phan Phuc – Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and
Training (MoET), Dr. Luong Van Thang from the Department of International Cooperation, Europe (MoST), Ms. Kathrin Meyer (BMBF) and Dr. Le Nguyen Bao, Rector of Duy Tan University
(DTU).
On the first day of the GVSD, April 26, VG-CARE conducted a thematic workshop entitled “UNITY of
PURPOSE: Scientific Partnerships for Innovation and Research,” which aimed to build a consortium of multidisciplinary stakeholders from academia, research, industry, and government. The workshop led
to the formation of consortia between VG-CARE, DZIF-Germany, VABIOTECH-Vietnam and IDT Biologika-Germany, involving both ministries, to jointly develop an MVA-based vaccine against an emerging
infectious disease in the ASEAN region, with the possibility of technology transfer from IDT Biologika-Germany to VABIOTECH-Vietnam to manufacture GMP-compliant vaccines in
Vietnam.
On the second day of the event, April 27, the German Ambassador, His Excellency Dr. Guido Hildner, and
the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Bui The Duy, recognized VG-CARE as a successful bilateral initiative in their introductory talks. This was followed by the
presentation of the workshop results and panel discussions with the partners of cross dialogue.
25th April: PACE-UP together with
the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Charité representatives visited the Duy Tan University, Da Nang
VG-CARE/PACE-UP, together with representatives of GIZ and Charité, was invited by Duy Tan University
(DTU) in Da Nang to discuss cooperation opportunities. DTU was interested in capacity building through cooperation with German institutions. Prof. Velavan, director of VG-CARE and project coordinator
of PACE-UP, as well as visiting professor at DTU’s Faculty of Medicine, pointed out the potential opportunities between the two institutions. PD Dr. Eric Hahn, deputy head of the GIZ hospital
partnership program provided insights into potential support for integrating mental health into the university curriculum and through GIZ funding opportunities.
24th April: Representatives of the German Embassy
Hanoi, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) visited the PACE-UP workshops held at
Hue University for Pharmacy and Medicine (HUMP).
Representatives of the German delegation of the German-Vietnamese Science Day (GVSD) in Da Nang (April 26-27, 2023) visited the
PACE-UP hands-on-training workshop on “Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases and Principles of Biosafety” held at the HUMP campus in Hue, Vietnam.
The BMBF, represented by Ms. Katrin Meyer and Dr. Ulrike Wolters, the German Embassy in Vietnam, represented by Mr. Jörg Kinnen, Ms.
Susanne Kammüller from DAAD Headquarters, Ms. Katja Yang from AvH-Asia head and the Rector of HUMP, Prof. Nguyen Vu Quoc Huy, were given an insight into the ongoing practical training. This was
followed by a demonstration of the functions and utility of PACE-UP’s BSL-2 mobile laboratory with BSC-III cabinet used for outbreak response and preparedness.
19th-25th April: PACE-UP workshop and course modules in ‘Emerging and re-emerging diseases’ and ‘Hands-on training on Basic
principles of Biosafety’, Hue, Vietnam
PACE-UP successfully conducted a workshop with two course modules on “Emerging and Re-emerging
Infectious Diseases”. The course modules on “Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases” were conducted on April 19-21, 2023 and the practical training on biosafety fundamentals was conducted on
April 24-25, 2023 at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy (HUMP) in Hue, Vietnam.
The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Nguyen Vu Quoc Huy, Rector of the Hue University on Medicine and
Pharmacy (HUMP), and the co-director of the Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research (VG-CARE) and Senior Academic councillor at the University of Tübingen, Germany, Prof. Thirumalaisamy P
Velavan.
Prof. Huy emphasized the importance of working together to face challenges in preparedness for
infectious disease outbreaks. Prof. Velavan highlighted the activities of PACE-UP, a multidisciplinary consortium that supports building and strengthening capacities for pandemic preparedness and
prevention, and the importance of collective action in addressing health risks in the region.
The workshop was conducted by international experts from Europe, Africa and Vietnam with deep expertise
in the field of emerging and re-emerging diseases. More than 160 participants with postgraduate qualifications (MD, MSc, MPH, PhD), including physicians, veterinarians, entomologists, biomedical
scientists, health-care staff and epidemiologists from Vietnamese and Indonesian Universities participated at the course and gained insights on infectious diseases epidemiology and outbreak
detection, early management, and infection control mechanisms and shared their knowledge on the various emerging and re-emerging viruses. In addition, 49 registered participants from other global
health centers in Central America and West Africa participated online.
Dr. Tran Duc Khanh from the Vietnamese-German University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – PACE-UP partner
institution – conducted a lecture on ‘Artificial Intelligence and early warning systems’ demonstrating the potentials for the infectious disease research within a collaborative interdisciplinary
approach of PACE-UP.
PACE-UP Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) with Biosafety Cabinet (BSC – III) mobile laboratory was used to train
scientists and health-care workers from HUMP in field deployment. The mobile laboratory supports surveillance, diagnostics and early warning of disease outbreaks.
The successful participation in the workshop was solemnly confirmed on April 25th by handing over the
certificates.
18th April: Obituary of Prof. Dr. Christian G. Meyer, Expert Mentor and Vice Director of the Vietnamese. German Center for Medical Research (VG-CARE)
The VG-CARE and PACE-UP consortia share the sad news of the death of Prof. Dr. Christian G. Meyer, who
passed away in his sleep on the flight from Frankfurt to Hanoi. Prof. Meyer was an extremely wise mentor, a brilliant writer, and a tropical medicine physician with a broad and deep knowledge. As a
mentor, Prof. Meyer encouraged and influenced as many medical students and researchers in Asian and African countries with his knowledge and wisdom. Prof. Meyer remained very active for VG-CARE
and its activities in Tübingen, especially in Vietnam, and lived for tropical medicine until his death.
Prof. Meyer accomplished much in the field of tropical medicine in Germany during the last 30 years. He
was author of more than 200 scientific publications, editor, and sole author of one of the most important German-language textbooks of tropical medicine and editor of the journal “Tropical Medicine
and International Health”.
March 2023
08th March: Networking meeting (South-South) in Antananarivo,
Madagascar
PACE-UP had strategic meetings with new stakeholders, the Madagascar Institute of Vaccine Research
(MIVR) in Antananarivo, which is collaborating with the PACE-UP collaborator International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, Korea. The exchange of African scientists working for the IVI in
Madagascar to Germany/Asia for Internship was consolidated. A legal MOU between the institutes within the framework of PACE-UP is envisaged.
The general meeting with all stakeholders of the VASA consortia took place on 08 and 09 March
2023.
February 2023
23rd February: Network online meeting with the University of Copenhagen,
Denmark
An online meeting between the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and VG-CARE took place on February 23,
2023, to evaluate and to discuss the possible collaboration between both institutions. Dr. Gildas Hounmanou, University of Copenhagen, presented an I-CRECT sub-project “Onsite hospital sewage
treatment to reduce down-flow of CREs”. The project hypothesis states that onsite hospital wastewater treatment will decrease antimicrobial resistance genes levels and the number of multi-drug
resistant pathogens entering aquatic recipients and thereby reduce the risk of human exposure and transmission downstream. Based on that the project aims to assess the effectiveness of existing
wastewater treatment systems at selected hospitals in reducing discharged AMR pathogens and genes and proposes optimum treatment method(s) providing the best reduction rate as an intervention to
scale-up. A possibility of cooperation between the University of Copenhagen, 108 Military Central Hospital and VG-CARE was evaluated and agreed upon.
21st-22nd
February: Strategic meeting between PACE-UP/VG-CARE and HUMP, Hue
A strategic meeting between the Hue University for Medicine and Pharmacy (HUMP) and PACE-UP/VG-CARE took place in Hue from February 21st to 22nd, 2023. Prof. Dr.
Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan and Dr. Nhat My Truong met Prof. Nguyen Vu Quoc Huy, Rector of the university, the Rector Board, the member staff of the International Relation office, of the Institute of
Biomedicine and of the Departments of Infectious Diseases, Tuberculosis, Parasitology and Microbiology.
In different sessions the upcoming PACE-UP workshop and hands-on training “Emerging and re-merging viral diseases and Basic
principles of Biosafety”, hosted by HUMP from April 18 to 25, 2023, and further plans and activities of the PACE-UP consortia were discussed.
13th-14th
February: Project Team Meeting Global Health and Climate Centers 2023, Bonn
PAN ASEAN Coalition for Epidemic and Outbreak Preparedness (PACE-UP) participated in the DAAD Project Team Meeting in Bonn. The meeting aimed to get new insights into the activities and topics of the DAAD Global Health and Climate Centers, to gain
a deeper understanding of common interests and to identify overlapping areas of interest to collaborate in 2023 and beyond.
January 2023
29
January: Meeting with Malaysian Minister of Health YB Dr. Zaliha Mustafa and the Director General of Health Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah,
London
PACE-UP, represented by Prof. Dr. Velavan, was invited to London for a networking meeting with the Malaysian Minister of Health YB
Dr. Zaliha Mustafa and the Director General of Health in Malaysia Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah. The meeting shall contribute to the strengthening of ASEAN-wide capacity in clinical
research.
14
January: Tet New Years celebrations at the Embassy of Vietnam, Berlin
The Vietnamese Ambassador, Mr. Vũ Quang Minh, invited Prof. Dr. Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan and members from VG-CARE to the traditional
Tết New Years celebrations at the Embassy of Vietnam in Berlin. The programme was filled with a New Year's speech from Mr. Vũ Quang Minh, honour's speech, award ceremonies and other cultural
activities. The visit strengthened the collaboration with the Embassy of Vietnam in Berlin and VG-CARE.
December 2022
01-03
December: Training on the mobile laboratory, Hanoi
Dale Parker, the Global Field Service Manager, and the Site Superintendent of Germfree Inc USA trained the user groups how best to work
in a safe working environment and explained the correct operational and management procedures and protocols for the sustainable use of the Sprinter van equipped with a BSL/2 laboratory with BSC III
cabinet.
Mechanical and electrical engineers as well as scientists from 108 Military Central Hospital and VG-CARE were trained in all aspects of
the fabrication of the mobile van, and the scientists benefited from this laboratory training prior to field deployment.
November 2022
30
November: Handover ceremony of the PACE-UP mobile laboratory, Hanoi
PACE-UP received a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) mobile laboratory with Biosafety Level 3 (BSC-III) safety
cabinet from DAAD/AA funds. The handover ceremony took place at 108 Military Central Hospital (MCH). The mobile BSL-2/BSC-III laboratory was handed over to Prof. Mai Hong Bang, Director of 108
Military Central Hospital and the directors of VG-CARE by Mr. Simon Kreye, Deputy Head of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and Mr. Stefan Hase-Bergen, Head of the DAAD Regional Office
for Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
The BSL-2/BSC-III mobile laboratory will be used for infectious disease research, surveillance and mapping
hotspots for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. It will also be used to train medical staff for use in emergencies or disease outbreaks. The mobile laboratory is equipped with advanced
molecular diagnostic instruments including PCR, real-time cyclers, haemocytometers, next generation sequencers, freezers and refrigerators, autoclave and allied instruments for the use of a
laboratory.
The mobile lab provides quick access to remote locations and is easy to manoeuvre in urban areas. This
compact mobile laboratory can accommodate a small team of staff, allowing them to respond to incidents very quickly and safely. Proximity and speed are critical for early detection of a potential
outbreak as part of an effective disease surveillance program. The BSL-2 Sprinter van laboratory is ideal for bringing diagnostic capabilities combined with point-of-care testing to hard-to-reach
areas, from urban centres to remote locations.
29- 30 November: PACE-UP Expert seminar on GCP/GCLP
PACE-UP has conducted an international Expert seminar on GCP/GCLP (29.-30.11.2022). The seminar was
carried out by Dr. Diane Egger-Adam, from the University of Tübingen, Germany and Dr. Nguyen Trong The shared his working experience on clinical trials in Africa and Vietnam.
More than 20 researchers from Indonesia, Hue (Vietnam) and VG-CARE (Hanoi/Vietnam) were trained / could
refresh their knowledge and skills on rights, safety, and well-being of clinical trial subjects. All individuals has taken up a test for receiving the international certification from Global Health
Network. The next Expert seminar on GCP/GCLP will be conducted in 2024.
September 2022
22 September: DAAD Alumni Talk at Goethe-Institute,
Hanoi
On 22 September, Dr. Nguyen Trong The and Prof. Dr. Velavan were invited to a DAAD alumni event organised by
the DAAD office, the Goethe-Institut and the German Embassy. The Deputy Director of VG-CARE, Dr Nguyen Trong The, gave a
lecture on "Dengue Fever" and Prof. Dr. Velavan gave a lecture on "COVID-19: an update".
Mr. Stefan Hase-Bergen, Head of the DAAD Office, moderated the event. The event was also chaired by Mr. Jörg
Kinnen, Head of the Department of Culture, Press and Science of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Related Press Release DAAD Hanoi, click here.
Picture Courtesy and Copyright: DAAD-Vietnam
19-23 September: Workshop "Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Diseases".
The Pan ASEAN coalition for epidemic and outbreak preparedness (PACEUP), the only Global Health Centre based at the
Vietnamese German Centre for Medical Research (VG-CARE) 108 Military Hospital, organised the workshop "Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Diseases". The workshop was opened by the German Ambassador, His
Excellency Dr Guido Hildner. The workshop, which was attended by 42 scientists, PhD students, undergraduate students and others from Vietnam, Germany, Indonesia, Europe and Africa, was organised by
the DAAD Global Health Centre, also known as PACE -UP, Global Health Centre in Asia, which is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and the DAAD.
Related Press Releases from Embassy Click here for German; Click here for Vietnamese; from 108
Hospital Click here for English, from Jember University Click here for Indonesian
06-07 September: International scientific collaboration for
tomorrow's world: Global Centres for Health and Climate, Berlin, Germany
The Federal Foreign Office (AA) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) hosted the inaugural meeting with
all stakeholders of the eight interdisciplinary 'Global Centres' addressing global health and climate challenges around the world. The Pan ASEAN coalition for epidemic and outbreak preparedness
(PACEUP), the only global health centre for Asia hosted by VG-CARE, was well represented at this event on international scientific collaboration for tomorrow's world: Global Centres for Health and
Climate, which took place in Berlin on 6-7 September.
May 2022
Prof. Dr. Velavan from VG-CARE has been elected to the Steering Committee (2022-2024) for Biomedicine of the German
alliance of Global health Research (GLORHA). For more information, visit GLORHA website.
May 2022
Delegates from the Naval Medicine Research Unit-2 (NAMRU-2 Unit, USA) visited VG-CARE to initiate a clinical
trial of tafenoquine as a malaria chemoprophylaxis.
March 2022
Prof. Dr Thirumalaisamy P Velavan of VG-CARE has been appointed by the State of Baden Württemberg to the
civil service for life as Akademischer Oberrat at the University Hospital Tübingen, Germany.
December 2021
VG-CARE reports the first OMRICON SARS-CoV-2 varaint identified in a Vietnamese patient. VG-CARE continues
to contribute to genomic surveillance of SARS-C0V-2. VG-CARE has deposited more than 1000 SARS-COV-2 genomes in the global GISAID database. For more information from Ministry of Health, GISAID, press release.
November 2021
VG-CARE along with Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany has been chosen to deliver a project together with
Sweden, France, Denmark partners working together in Vietnam. The project is funded by EU- Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance-
“HARISSA”: One HeAlth InteRventIon and TransmiSSion in AMR for thr project titled:Interventions to decrease CRE colonization and transmission between hospitals, households, communities, and
domesticated animals (I-CRECT). for more information please, click here.
October 2021
With the support of ongoing DAAD funded projects, the Vietnamese German Center for Medical Research,
together with experts from the University of Tübingen, successfully completed a two week training course on whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 variants using MinIon Nanopore technology. This
capacity is being sustained and a number of sequences are currently being deposited in the global databases by VG-CARE and associated partner institutes of the Pan ASEAN Coalition for Epidemic and
Outbreak Preparedness (PACE-UP).
June 2021
The German Society for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and Global Health e.V. (DTG) has conferred 'Award
for Tropical Medicine 2021’ to Prof. Dr. Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan for outstanding scientific achievements in the field of tropical medicine or international health sciences. For details
please Click here.
May 2021
Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research (VGCARE) has received a grant 'PAN ASEAN Coalition for Epidemic and OUtbreak Preparedness (PACE-UP)' from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). VG-CARE will serve as one of the four Global
health and Pandemic prevention hub, in particular for the ASEAN region for next five years.
The well-established and successful North-South and South-South collaborative networks bring to the PACE-UP a consortium of 28 partner
institutions drawn from 5 Asian, 4 European and 11 African countries, with multidisciplinary expertise aimed at strengthening regional and ASEAN-wide capacity to respond rapidly and effectively to
infectious diseases with epidemic potential occurring in the region or imported from overseas. For additional information
please Click here.
March 2021
The Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research (VGCARE) has successfully completed a study from
hospitalized patients and outpatients including the health care workers, to understand the factual burden of COVID-19 in the Vietnamese high-risk population. The study is now published in Lancet
Regional Health - Western Pacific. Thanks to DAAD for the support for the conduct of the study. For additional information please Click here.
November 2020
On November 02, Prof. Dr. Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan, along with members of the NeoART-V team in Hanoi,
visited the Nghe An Oncology Hospital in Vinh for study monitoring. The visit is intended to strengthen intramural collaboration and to accelerate the patient recruitment for the ongoing clinical
trial "Phase II Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Neoadjuvant Artesunate in Stage II/III Colorectal Cancer (NeoART-V) in Vietnamese Patients". ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT03093129; For additional information please click here
October 2020
On October 27, Prof. Dr. Thirumalaisamy P Velavan was invited to a DAAD alumni event organized by the DAAD
office, the Goethe-Institut and the German Embassy. Prof. Velavan gave a lecture on "Our journey with COVID-19: The pandemic". The event was chaired by honorable Ambassador of the Federal Republic of
Germany to Vietnam Dr. Guido Hildner. Mr. Stefan Hase-Bergen, the head of the DAAD office, moderated the event. Related Press release from DAAD Hanoi Click here for German; Click here for Vietnamese.
March 2020
The rapidly spreading COVID-19 clearly shows that infectious diseases are among the greatest threats. During
this crisis sitaution depletion of resources from supply chains in Germany is acknowledged. VG-CARE has sent 6000 Oropharyngeal swabs to Germany for a
clinical study to treat COVID-19 patients with Hydroxychloroquine. This was possible with the support of the German Embassy in Hanoi and from Ministry of
Health (BMG) Germany. We value your support. The swabs were received on 30 March 2020. Related Press release from German Embassy Hanoi Click here for German; Click here for Vietnamese; Click here for English language.
February 2020
The International Bureau (IB) of The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany has hosted VG-EXCEL
to be a successful project in the BMBF Funding Programme to establish joint research centres with partners in the Asia-Pacific Research Area (APRA). Detailed
information can be accessed in the BMBF online portal. Click here for English; Click here
for German language.
December 2019
On 13th December, Dr. The Trong Nguyen, MD
has succesfully completed his PhD in Experimental Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany. Hearty Congratulations !
November 2019
On 27th November, Dr. Mai Thanh Binh, MD has
succesfully completed his PhD in Experimental Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany. Hearty Congratulations !
On 12-13th November, Prof. Dr. Velavan representing Universitätsklinikum Tübingen and Prof. Dr. Nguyen Linh Toan,
representing Vietnam Military Medical University (VMMU) took part in the DAAD - ASIA Network conference held in Yangon, Myanmar. New
collaborative projects are foreseen with other ASEAN and Asian partners.
On 06th November, the President and the
Rector of the Vietnam Military Medical University (VMMU) Prof. Dr. Do Quyet has conferred Prof. Dr. Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan and Prof. Dr. Christian G. Meyer, representing Universitätsklinikum Tübingen with the prestigious
title of Visiting Professorship for their academic contribution in the field of infectious diseases between the two institutes.
On 06th November, VG-CARE along with
Universitätsklinikum Tübingen and Vietnam Military Medical University has successfully conducetd DAAD-PAGEL Expert Seminar on 'Parasitology and Cancer' at the campus of Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi.
On 01st November, the
German ambassador to Vietnam, His Excellency Dr. Guido Hildner had made an official visit to VG-CARE and was received by the 108 Hospital Board of directors
and colleagues from VG-CARE. All ongoing activities related to individual, institutional
and infrastructural capacity building were demonstrated. Also present was Mr. Stefan
Hase-Bergen, the Head of the DAAD regional office Hanoi for Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmmar and
Laos.
October 2019
On 30th October, the
3rd German Science day 2019 in Hanoi was organized: VG-CARE was represented for distinct BMBF, DAAD-PAGEL, BMBF-MOST bilateral projects. The German Federal
Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in cooperation with the German Embassy in Hanoi
has organized this event. The event marks a large variety of presentations, and a unique chance to network with representatives of leading German Universities, research institutions and funding
organizations.
On 29th October, the delegation from Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), led by Ms. Katharin Meyer and the team from PT-DLR Büro, along with the
Vietnam-German University President Dr. Thomas Benz made an official visit to VG-CARE. The delegation was briefed with all our ongoing activities in the field of research, teaching-training and
patient-care. Further possibilities on collaborative initiatives in the ASEAN region and among EU countries were discussed.
August 2019
VG-CARE has been selected for the consolidation phase in the BMBF-APRA project and will receive financial
support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for next three years (August 2019- July 2022) for the continuation of distinct projects, including clinical trials and basic
research.
July 2019
In the context of an ongoing 'Phase II Randomised, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial of Neoadjuvant
Artesunate in stage II/III Colorectal Cancer (NeoART-V) in Vietnamese patients', the members of NeoART-v team had undergone ICH-GCP/GCLP training after second year. Additionally, members
involved in this clinical trial were trained and monitored for the use of the REDCAP database. Study and data safety monitoring subsequently took place this July 2019. ClinicalTrials.gov
Identifier: NCT03093129; For additional information please Click here.
May 2019
Vietnam Science and Technology award 2018
Associate Prof. Dr. Le Huu Song, Director of the VG-CARE along with the VG CARE team members Dr. Ngo
Tat Trung and Ms. Dao Thanh Quyen received the 'World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) prize', as well as 'Vietnam Science and Technology (VIFOTEC) prize of the year 2018' for
developing diagnostic kits to detect antibiotic resistance genes. The award was presented by the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology on 14th May 2019. Associate Prof. Dr. Le Huu Song also
received a 'Certificate of Merit' from the Vietnamese Prime Minister Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
Workshop on 'Scientific Writing and Publishing'
With support from DAAD regional office in Hanoi, VG-CARE has succesfully organized and completed a
workshop on ''Scientific Writing and Publishing' held on May 09th. The event was inagurated by Mr. Stefan Hase-Bergen, the Head
of the DAAD regional office Hanoi for Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmmar and Laos. Prof. Dr. Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan and Prof. Christian G. Meyer conducted this course 'Communicating Science' which
provided a general guide to partcipants on how to write a scientific article and the process of publishing an article in a peer-reviewed journal.
DAAD -PAGEL Summer school on Parasitology
With support from DAAD-PAGEL program, VG-CARE has succesfully organized and completed the Summer school on
Parasitology from May 06th until May 08th. The event was inagurated by our German Ambassador His Excellency Mr. Christian Berger. The event was aimed to strengthen and build capacities in the field
of parasitology, which was seldom studied or investigated in the clinical routine among many Vietnamese hospitals. The target group comprised of 38 participants who were mainly physicians, clinical
researchers and laboratory staff.
April 2019
On 01st April 2019, the directors Profs. Dr. Le Huu Song and Thirumalaisamy P Velavan presented
ongoing clinical research in VG-CARE at the first joint committee meeting between Vietnam and Germany on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. This inter-ministerial meeting between the Federal
ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) took place in Berlin.
March 2019
On 18 March 2019, the founding director of VG-CARE PD Dr. T.P. Velavan received apl.
Profesorship from Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany.
January 2019
The Vietnamese-German Center for Medical research received a project grant from the German Academic Exchange
Service (DAAD) DAAD-PAGEL program (5744019) for years 2019-2022, with a vision to establish a parasitology reference laboratory in Hanoi. In next four years, a team of next generation parasitologists
from VGCARE will be trained. This program offer educational units accessible for physicians, biologists and medical students and comprise not only of theoretical units, but also of practical
instruction in diagnostic techniques. A South- South (Africa- Asia) exchange cooperation, with North- South (Germany- Asia) coordination foreseen.
November 2018
The directors from VG-CARE have met the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and the Minister of Women, Family and
Community on November 1st 2018 in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. This successful network meeting with partners from St. George's Hospital, University London UK provides an excellent opportunity to synergize
our efforts in ASEAN region and with European Union.
October 2018
The directors Dr. Le Huu Song and Dr. Thirumalaisamy P Velavan representing VG-CARE visited World Health
Organization Regional Office and discussed on potential collaborations on Hepatitis E vaccination clinical studies with Dr. Lo Ying-Ru Jacqueline, Head of Mission at Kuala Lampur,
Malaysia.
July 2018
Team VG-CARE has presented a series of presentations on distinct aspects of infectious diseases at the 8th
ASEAN Conference of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology (ACTMP) 2018 held in Nha Trang, 26th – 29th July 2018.
July 2018
The Swiss-Vietnamese Medical Association presented ‘Alexander Yersin Prize 2017’, to encourage medical researchers in Vietnam to make significant contributions to
medical literature and will recognize outstanding research achievements.
Dr. Ngo Tat Trung from VG-CARE was one among the four winners for the year 2017 who received the prize sum of VND30 million on 26th July 2018 in Ho Chi Minh City. For
related press releases, click here.
January 2018
The recruitment of study participants started on 09th January for the 'Phase II Randomised, Double Blind,
Placebo Controlled Trial of Neoadjuvant Artesunate in stage II/III Colorectal Cancer (NeoART-V) in Vietnamese patients'
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03093129; For additional information please Click here.
In this context, members of VG-CARE had undergone ICH-GCP/GCLP training. Additionally, members involved in
this clinical trial were trained for the use of the REDCAP database.
January 2018
The official inaugural of Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research (VG-CARE) as a independent legal
entity took place on 16th January 2018, at 108 Military Central hospital, Hanoi.
The event was felicitated by the German and Vietnamese delegation, Ministries of Science and Technology
(MoST), Ministry of Defence (MoD), Vietnam and DAAD, Germany and well wishers from our HANOI NETWORK- HANNET
For press releases from Vietnam, please Click here (Vietnamese); Click here (English); Click here (Spanish).
For the official press releases from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), please Click here (Vietnamese) and here (Vietnamese).
December 2017
Dr. Nghiem Xuan Hoan, MD has successfully completed his PhD in
Experimental Medizin at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany. Hearty Congratulations !
August 2017
VG-CARE received
substantial financial support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for next five years to establish a well-equipped site and subsequently for the conduct of clinical
trials.
April 2017
With support from DAAD-PAGEL program, VG-CARE has succesfully organized and completed the Summer school on
Tropical Medicine and Epidemiology.
August 2016:
Members of VG-CARE, Prof. Dr. Christian G Meyer and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Velavan together have conduced a seminar series on infectious
diseases and a workshop on 'Advanced Molecular diagnostics of Infectious diseases' between 22- 23 August 2016, at Duy Tan University, Da Nang.
Click here for related news coverage
June 2016:
On 28 June 2016, one of the founding director of VG-CARE Dr. Velavan was
habilitated as 'Privatdozent' (Associate Professor) from Faculty of Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany in the field of Human Parasitology.
May
2016:
The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious diseases (ESCMID) along with VG-CARE, DAAD and
the 108 Military Central Hospital co-organized a course on emerging drug resistances and anti-microbial stewardship, between 11- 13 May 2016, at the 108 Military Central Hospital,
Hanoi.
Click here for related news
coverage (in Vietnamese)
November 2015:
Hepatitis E virus superinfection and clinical progression in hepatitis B
patients
Research scientists from the Institute of Tropical Medicine Tübingen and the Robert Koch Institute in
cooperation with Vietnamese scientists, have published a study on the burden of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the EBioMedicine
Journal. The study team discovered that the rate of HEV infection is higher in HBV patients than in the healthy population. The study also reports that hepatitis B patients with a HEV infection,
develop progressive HBV-related liver diseases faster including liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Click here for related news
coverage
DAAD Workshop, Summer school and Expert seminars in 2015
With generous support from the DAAD through DAAD-PAGEL program, VG-CARE has succesfully organized and
completed hands on training workshops on '' Advanced molecular diagnostics of infectious diseases'' (in April 2015), followed by a Summer school on Tropical Medicine and Epidemiology (in July 2015),
and two expert seminars (in January and September 2015).
Click here for related news coverage
January 2015:
Inaguration of the Vietnamese-German Centre for Medical Research (VG-CARE) in January 2015, at 108 Military
Central Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Click here for related news coverage
June 2014:
A delegation from ''Vietnamese National Main Science Research Council For Medical And Pharmaceutical
Programme'' Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), visited Tübingen.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to intensify cooperations in the field of infectious diseases
research was signed by the Rector of the Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen, Professor Dr. Bernd Engler and the Vice-Dean and Deputy Chairman of the Medical Faculty, Professor Dr. Diethelm
Wallwiener, with Dr. Pham Gia Khanh and Mr. Do Xuan Cuong.
June 2013:
Professor Dr. Bamberg, Managing Medical Director and CEO of the University Hospital Tübingen, received the
head of delegation Dr. Vu Quoc Binh, Major General of the Vietnam People's Army Department of Military Medicine. Increased cooperation in the field of infectious diseases has been agreed upon with
the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Eberhard-Karl Univesity, Tübingen.