"Diagnosing the disease" before symptoms appear.
One Monday morning, in the laboratory, most biochemical results were not too abnormal, except for one unclear indicator that raised concerns. The patient was still going about their normal activities and had no obvious clinical symptoms. However, with her experience, Dr. Huong Lan felt the need to clarify the unclear indicator, so she requested further in-depth tests and a re-run of the sample. It is precisely these "pre-symptom" findings that allow for early identification of many diseases, helping doctors adjust treatment plans promptly and reduce risks for patients.
That is also how Associate Professor, Doctor Le Thi Huong Lan and her colleagues in the field of clinical biochemistry quietly contribute to saving lives, not through immediate interventions, but through the absolute precision of each indicator.
As the Deputy Director of Thai Nguyen Central Hospital, Head of the Biochemistry Department, and Deputy Head of the Biochemistry Department at Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dr. Huong Lan has dedicated much of her career to monitoring the subtle changes in the human body through biochemical testing. In clinical practice, many patients still feel healthy and live normal lives, but through testing, their indicators begin to change, deviating from safe levels and silently revealing potential health risks lurking in their bodies.
Based on this approach, for nearly three decades, Ms. Huong Lan and her colleagues have persistently conducted numerous studies in fields ranging from cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and kidney failure to infectious diseases and septic shock. The research results not only serve teaching and scientific publications but are also directly applied to clinical practice, contributing to earlier diagnosis, more accurate treatment, and more effective prognosis for doctors.
Her most notable contributions during that journey were her work in prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases using molecular biology techniques, helping families have healthy children; and early screening for preeclampsia as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. Detecting risks before clinical symptoms appear has opened up opportunities for early prevention in high-risk pregnancies, contributing to reduced complications for both mother and child, and giving many couples greater peace of mind on their journey to parenthood.
From the laboratory, a research team led by Associate Professor, Doctor Le Thi Huong Lan has identified individuals who appear healthy but carry the gene for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This research has paved the way for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis, helping many families proactively prevent the disease and gradually end this long-standing genetic tragedy.
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Cong Hoang, Party Secretary and Director of Thai Nguyen Central Hospital, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, in the context of limited resources, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Huong Lan and her colleagues quickly implemented Covid-19 detection techniques using Realtime PCR, while also applying large-scale pooled sample testing. This approach contributed to shortening screening time, reducing costs, and protecting the community during the most critical stages of the pandemic.
The teacher behind the gradebook
In addition to her leadership and management roles outside the laboratory, Associate Professor, Doctor Le Thi Huong Lan is also a dedicated lecturer and mentor to many generations of Master's degree holders, resident doctors, and specialists. She has participated in and edited 10 specialized textbooks and directly supervised dozens of scientific research projects, many of which have graduated with excellent or outstanding grades.
Dr. Tran Thi To Quyen, Deputy Head of the Cardiology Department (Thai Nguyen Central Hospital), is one of many students who always express their respect, gratitude, and pride when speaking about their teacher. She shared: "During our studies, Ms. Huong Lan always emphasized to us that the most important thing is not the number of articles or publications, but the responsibility for each test result bearing our signature. Just one incorrect number can cost a patient an entire substandard treatment plan. A brief reminder, but a professional principle that we have remembered throughout our careers."
In the era of high-tech medicine, where molecular biology, gene sequencing, and precision medicine open up many new approaches, the role of clinical biochemistry becomes increasingly important. Behind the scenes, Ms. Huong Lan quietly and persistently continues her familiar work: standardizing procedures, controlling the quality of laboratory tests, and implementing new techniques, so that each result becomes a reliable basis for important decisions made by clinical doctors.
Thanks to these advances, medicine no longer has a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, each treatment method and prevention strategy is personalized according to the genes, biology, and unique characteristics of each individual. Without fanfare or ostentation, people like Associate Professor, Doctor Le Thi Huong Lan are quietly keeping modern medicine on the right track, safe, and always putting people at the center.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/nguoi-doc-su-song-phia-sau-lam-sang-post953015.html
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