Dr. Tran Ha Lien Phuong from the Ho Chi Minh City-based Viet Nam National University was presented with the International Rising Talent award from the L'Oreal-UNESCO programme at a ceremony in Paris, France on March 18, becoming the first Vietnamese female scientist to receive this honour.

Dr. Tran Ha Lien Phuong was presented with the International Rising Talent award. (Photo: VNA)

The 34-year-old scientist, a lecturer from the HCM City-based Viet Nam National University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, was honoured for her project on the development of fucoidan-based polymeric micelles for cancer diagnosis and treatment which will reportedly help make the treatment cheaper and more effective.

Phuong was among 15 female laureates chosen from the 236 locally-awarded fellowship winners of L'Oreal subsidiaries and UNESCO around the world.

She said it was her honour to be the first Vietnamese woman to receive the award, which will also fund further research into the cancer treatment.