The journey to conquer the US pharmaceutical company of USTH alumni
Trinh Thuy Linh studied in the US after graduating from the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), gradually passing more than 10 interviews of Genentech (USA).
She graduated with a major in Biotechnology and Pharmacology (currently Biotechnology - Drug Development) in the course of 2012-2015 at USTH. After that, the young girl continued her education in the US, earning a PhD in Cell Technology and Developmental Biology from Vanderbilt University.
Thuy Linh (center) with lecturers at Vanderbilt University. Photo: Character provided
Thuy Linh loves science and wants to become a researcher since she was in school. During the career counseling program at high school, she had the opportunity to meet GS.VS. Nguyen Van Hieu - a leading physics scientist in Vietnam. He shared about USTH's training model, vision and goal of contributing to Vietnamese science. These things are the motivation for the little girl to be determined to become one of the first generation of students at the school.
Here, Thuy Linh found a great passion for stem cells. She first approached and learned about stem cells through a lecture at USTH and was strongly attracted by the power and limitless potential of this cell type in medicine. With the ability to "differentiate" into specialized cells in the human body, stem cells are like a healing drug, capable of replacing damaged or at-risk cells, tissues and organs. damage.
"Stem cells offer hope for life to patients with incurable diseases, once considered 'untreatable'," she added.
The desire to explore has become the driving force for the Hanoi girl to seek internship opportunities to learn more about the research and development methods of this cell type. With the spirit of serious and progressive work, Linh was given the opportunity to practice at stem cell laboratories in Vietnam, France and the US. After a period of study, she became more and more enthusiastic and determined to pursue this research direction at higher education levels.
Thuy Linh possesses excellent academic achievements with three consecutive years of receiving USTH scholarships, and has extensive research experience accumulated through domestic and international internships. Therefore, she excellently won a full scholarship for a doctoral program at Vanderbilt University, one of America's leading universities in science and technology.
USTH alumnus recounted that, with the knowledge accumulated at the school, she built a solid foundation, from which, quickly got used to and caught up with the new environment. "I was evaluated very well by my instructors, not inferior to students in the US and other countries in terms of English proficiency, laboratory work skills, and presentations," she added.
Thuy Linh at the Graduation Ceremony at Vanderbilt University. Photo: Character provided
Students in the US have a proactive spirit, high critical thinking and are not afraid to ask questions or give personal opinions in discussions. Therefore, in an elite group, Linh Quyen must step out of the safe "shell" so that he or she is not left behind.
"At first, every time I gave a speech, I was very nervous. However, to improve, I told myself 'no question is stupid'. When the problem cannot be solved, the best way is to share the difficulty. difficulties with teachers and friends instead of being shy or self-deprecating", added the female doctor.
With her efforts and perseverance, Thuy Linh has published scientific articles on stem cell technology in prestigious international journals in the US and received many awards from Vanderbilt University.
After completing her doctoral program, in early 2023, she went through more than 10 interviews, overcame many candidates and entered Genentech - the oldest biotech and pharmaceutical company in the US, where gathering many talented men from top universities in the world such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge...
Thuy Linh at Genentech company. Photo: Character provided
USTH alumni said that she will continue to pursue research in cell technology and regenerative medicine using single-cell biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The female doctorate works under the guidance of Prof. Aviv Regev - a pioneering researcher in the field of Computational Biology and a scientist she admired and loved before.
Looking back on the past journey, Linh shared, studying abroad and developing a career abroad is not an easy journey. From her own experience, she believes that everyone needs to know how to knock on doors for help, know how to build relationships and find a teacher with a heart to lead themselves to professional growth, and at the same time, offers brilliant career opportunities.