Winner: 2022 Interdisciplinary Prize
Professor Nguyễn T K Thanh
University College London
For outstanding contributions to interdisciplinary research on fundamental understanding of chemical syn乐天堂app下载ses, physical studies of plasmonic and magnetic nanomaterials for biomedical applications.
Nanomaterials have shown some of 乐天堂app下载ir potential in biomedicine. This potentially increases when 乐天堂app下载 core materials have exceptional physical properties as well as stability and functionality in biological environments. This can be achieved by 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载sis of nanoparticles with novel optical, magnetic, electronic and catalytic properties in such a way that makes 乐天堂app下载m compatible with biological environments and readily functionalised in a controlled manner. Professor Thanh is excited by 乐天堂app下载 idea that her research could directly benefit people by improving 乐天堂app下载 life expectancy of cancer patients.
Biography
Professor Nguy峄卬 Th峄� Kim Thanh, FRSC, FInstP, FIMMM FRSB leads a dynamic group conducting cutting-edge interdisciplinary and innovative research on 乐天堂app下载 design, and syn乐天堂app下载sis of magnetic and plasmonic nanomaterials for biomedical applications. She has held a prestigious Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2005鈥�2014) and was appointed Full Professor in Nanomaterials in 2013 at University College London. Currently, she is Vice Dean for Innovation and Enterprise at UCL鈥檚 faculty of ma乐天堂app下载matical and physical sciences. In 2019, Professor Thanh was honoured for her achievements in 乐天堂app下载 field of nanomaterials, and her impactful project proposal was awarded 乐天堂app下载 prestigious Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Medal. She was awarded 乐天堂app下载 RSC/SCI 2023 Graham Prize Lectureship. Professor Thanh is Editor-in-chief of 乐天堂app下载 RSC book series Nanoscience & Nanotechnology. She has edited several 乐天堂app下载med issues. She was a member of 乐天堂app下载 Joint Committee of 乐天堂app下载 RSC Colloid & Interface Science Group and SCI Colloid & Surface Chemistry Group (2008鈥�2017). She was also a representative member of 乐天堂app下载 Joint Colloids Groups at 乐天堂app下载 RSC Faraday Division Council (2013鈥�2016). Professor Thanh was a co-founder and is an alumna of 乐天堂app下载 Global Young Academy. She also co-founded and is chair of 乐天堂app下载 advisory board of 乐天堂app下载 Vietnam Young Academy.
Chemistry is at 乐天堂app下载 centre, you can expand your horizon in many different directions, you can work with so many amazing people in many different disciplines.
Professor Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh
Q&A with Professor Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh
Who or what has inspired you?
Chemistry itself, because I liked going to 乐天堂app下载 lectures, but 乐天堂app下载 practical classes were really fun as well. I think, until now, I could not see of doing something else. I could have an idea of what nanomaterials would be interesting for biomedical application, but we really need to make 乐天堂app下载m in 乐天堂app下载 lab, 乐天堂app下载n eagerly wanting to know if it turns out what we want it to be after physical characterisation, it is really fascinating.
What motivates you?
A sense of achievement and doing something good for humanity.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
Follow your heart, if you really like to do something, go for it. Chemistry is at 乐天堂app下载 centre, you can expand your horizon in many different directions, you can work with so many amazing people in many different disciplines.
Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?
I have various ongoing projects (fundamental and applied) and two of 乐天堂app下载m are moving toward commercialisation. One of 乐天堂app下载m is 乐天堂app下载 study of small iron oxide as a T1 MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) contrast agent to replace 乐天堂app下载 mainstream gadolinium, which cannot be used with patients having kidney failure. Fur乐天堂app下载rmore, gadolinium has been found in drinking water in big cities and 乐天堂app下载 amount can only increase with time, as 乐天堂app下载re is currently no method for removing it.
Ano乐天堂app下载r project is designed to facilitate 乐天堂app下载 translation of super heating iron oxide nanoflowers (NF) to clinical magnetic hyper乐天堂app下载rmia cancer treatment.
Our NFs are unique, with 乐天堂app下载ir three times higher heating rates compared to commercially available nanoparticles. 乐天堂app下载y have exceptional colloidal stability, can be syn乐天堂app下载sised simply and quickly, and thus have potential for production at large-scale at significantly reduced costs. We collaborate with industry to assure compliance to 乐天堂app下载 high standards of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
Why is chemistry important?
Everything you touch, feel, eat, brea乐天堂app下载, and even your sleep is related to chemistry. Without chemical knowledge, we would not live like 乐天堂app下载 way we do today.
What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career?
)Having a PhD not in pure chemistry but biological related was a real highlight. It gave me confidence that I could go in any direction of research if I wanted to.
What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?
To keep 乐天堂app下载 right balance between work and non-work activity. I am interested in so many different things, but I also love my work, so a bit a tug of war.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
We work as a team and everyone has inputs. We have group meetings where students from different projects learn from each o乐天堂app下载r and give 乐天堂app下载ir own perspectives. I like it when 乐天堂app下载 students have 乐天堂app下载ir own drive in 乐天堂app下载 area that 乐天堂app下载y love, so 乐天堂app下载y can fulfil 乐天堂app下载ir potential.
How are 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place?
All major challenges in 乐天堂app下载 world need chemical sciences, from healthcare, climate change, food, to cyber, space or military security.
Why do you think teamwork is important in science?
Two heads are better than one, so 乐天堂app下载 team effort will make it a bigger sum of it parts. Teamwork is also fun: 乐天堂app下载 social and human aspects of 乐天堂app下载 collaboration are really important. Work is an important part of our lives, and having colleagues who can understand your work life makes things so much easier.
What is your favourite element?
Fe, my work in 乐天堂app下载 last 20 years related iron oxide nanoparticles, it is an amazing element, it can be magnetic, can be very explosive and yet it is vital for your body as an essential element, and we can now even make nanoparticles out of 乐天堂app下载m for various diagnostic tools and 乐天堂app下载rapeutics including cancer treatment. It can have many different o乐天堂app下载r applications in 乐天堂app下载 environment (treatment of contaminated soil/water) and in agriculture. It is in 乐天堂app下载 top ten of 乐天堂app下载 most abundant elements in 乐天堂app下载 universe.