Young doctor creates nanomaterial to treat cancer

TP - Steadily pursuing the research direction of biodegradable nanomaterials, Dr. Mai Ngoc Xuan Dat, born in 1992, Institute of Advanced Materials Technology - Ho Chi Minh City National University (VNU-HCM), and his colleagues have successfully developed a biodegradable organic silica material system, capable of delivering targeted drugs, controlling the rate of drug release and reducing painful side effects, as well as costs for cancer patients.

The work opens up new prospects for personalized treatment in Vietnamese medicine.

Targeted drug delivery materials

During his years studying Biotechnology at the University of Natural Sciences , VNU-HCM, Mai Ngoc Xuan Dat soon realized that he was fascinated by the reactions and changes that occurred in small test tubes. “As a student, I was very interested and curious about scientific experiments, the feeling of discovering the unknown fascinated me. It was that curiosity that led me to the path of research,” he said. After graduating, Dat received a postgraduate scholarship from Gachon University (Korea) - where he had the opportunity to access an international research environment.

Dr. Mai Ngoc Xuan Dat discussed experimental results with students at the Institute of Advanced Materials Technology - Ho Chi Minh City National University

In 2017, after completing his master's program, he decided to return to Vietnam to work at the Center for Research on Nanostructured and Molecular Materials (INOMAR), VNU-HCM. Since then, his research path has been associated with advanced nanoporous materials applied in biomedicine. During this time, he continued to complete his PhD program at the University of Natural Sciences and achieved many results of practical significance, including the creation of new materials that help to effectively transport drugs and destroy cancer cells. These research results are significant for cancer treatment therapies and other applications in medicine and pharmacy.

Dr. Mai Xuan Ngoc Dat owns 1 national patent; 31 Q1 international scientific articles; 10 Q2 international scientific articles; 7 scientific articles published in domestic scientific journals; 2 excellent scientific posters at international conferences; 2 ministerial-level and equivalent topics that have been accepted and met requirements (chaired). In 2025, Dr. Dat was honored as one of 10 young scientists to receive the Golden Globe Science and Technology Award presented by the Central Youth Union.

Since then, Dr. Dat has persistently pursued the path of researching and developing advanced porous material systems with biodegradable characteristics for medical applications, including: targeted drug delivery materials, biological imaging, and biomedical sensors in disease diagnosis. “The mental and economic difficulties that cancer patients face always motivate me to continue pursuing this research direction. Researching and developing potential materials for disease diagnosis and treatment helps open up opportunities for effective treatment and reduce the economic burden on patients and society,” he said.

Among the series of topics he has led and collaborated on, the work published in Biomaterials Advances (2021, group Q1, IF = 6.0) is one of the memorable milestones. Dat and his colleagues have successfully designed a biodegradable organic silica nanomaterial, which is of particular interest to the international scientific community. Using the sol-gel method, the group synthesized the nanomaterial from silica precursors containing phenylene bridges (C ₆ H ₅ ) and tetrasulfide (-SSSS-). This structural change helps the material interact better with poorly soluble drugs such as cordycepin - a component found in Cordyceps. In particular, this material has been proven to be able to control the drug release rate much slower than some other published materials such as liposomes, gelatin nanoparticles, hydrogels, etc. "That means patients will have fewer side effects, while the treatment efficiency is increased. Each nanoparticle can be seen as a "tiny postman", bringing the drug to the right place and then disappearing when the task is completed", Dat explained.

This work not only opens up a new direction in cancer treatment but also lays the foundation for broader applications such as diagnostic imaging, therapy or regenerative medicine. The successful development of material systems with different properties helps optimize treatment and especially aims at personalization in treatment: using pharmaceuticals with different ingredients and dosages depending on the treatment regimen of each patient.

Reducing the burden on cancer patients

During more than 7 years working at the Institute of Advanced Materials Technology (under VNU-HCM), Dr. Mai Ngoc Xuan Dat has chaired and participated in more than 10 projects at all levels, from the grassroots level, VNU to the Ministry of Science and Technology and NAFOSTED Fund. Some of his research is continuing to be implemented, such as the topics "Research on the radiotherapy and chemotherapy capabilities of biodegradable SiO ₂ nanomaterial systems carrying nanoparticles (Fe ₃ O ₄ , Gd ...)", "Strengthening research on advanced porous materials for applications in biomedicine, environment and energy conversion".

In addition, he is also the owner of two patents, including a US-protected patent on a drug delivery nano-device and a method for synthesizing and treating cancer using this nano-system. “Patent protection protects research results and opens up opportunities for businesses to commercialize the product. The important thing is that patients can benefit from these scientific advances,” he said.

According to him, one of the difficulties and challenges with medical research, especially applied research on humans, requires testing time and strict regulations. Therefore, research on biomedical nanomaterials science needs to be carried out carefully and takes a lot of time. For Vietnamese medical life, in the next 5-10 years, nanomaterials science can create effective, accurate and especially personalized diagnostic and treatment solutions (approaching international standards). "Nanomaterials researched and developed from abundant raw materials in Vietnam will be a great advantage for us to save costs, increase efficiency in diagnosis and treatment, reduce the burden on patients, especially cancer patients", Dr. Dat said.

He said that the path of scientific research is full of obstacles. There are experiments that last for months only to receive “impossible” results. For him, the most important factor is perseverance. “You can fail many times, but each time you understand more clearly what is wrong. “I often tell my students: Stay steadfast with your original goal, because every effort will be rewarded,” Dr. Dat shared.

For Dat, the greatest success of a scientist is not only international publications or patents, but also seeing his students grow up and passionately explore. “I always encourage young people to be confident, persistent and nurture their passion. Don’t be afraid of failure, because failure is the stepping stone to success,” he said.

Dr. Dat is continuing to optimize the nanomaterials he has created to increase the efficiency of loading and removing cancer cells, while expanding testing on animal models, aiming for clinical applications. He is also researching the applicability of the materials in biomedical sensors to detect and diagnose diseases quickly. “My goal is to bring the results from the lab to the hospital, so that patients can truly benefit. When I see the material I create helps someone reduce pain, that is the greatest happiness,” he said.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/tien-si-tre-tao-ra-vat-lieu-nano-dieu-tri-ung-thu-post1791215.tpo