Department Of Nutrition Biochemistry And Metabolism, formerly known as the Nutrition Biochemistry and Metabolism Unit, was established in September 2004 under the Nutrition Consultation and Obesity Control Center. The unit was separated into the Department of Nutrition Biochemistry and Metabolism according to Decision No. 531/QD-VDD signed by the Director of the Institute of Nutrition on August 8, 2008.

Human resources and organizational structure:

- Number of staff: 10 people, including 1 Associate Professor, 2 PhDs, 4 Masters, 2 Doctors, 1 Biotechnology Engineer, 1 Nurse and 1 Laboratory Technician. 

- Number of guest lecturers at Hanoi Medical University, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Nam Dinh Nursing University and Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Current leadership 

All Staff of the Department of Nutrition Biochemistry and Metabolism

I. FACILITIES, FUNCTIONS AND TASKS

The Department has 2 research rooms on nutritional metabolism and 1 Biochemistry Lab, with the following functions and tasks:

a. Funtions: is a department that researches nutritional metabolic disorders based on biochemical techniques and some specific techniques, proposes solutions for intervention and prevention of nutritional metabolic disorders in Vietnamese people. 

b. Tasks:

- Research and evaluate nutritional metabolic disorders related to nutrition and related factors in Vietnamese people

- Research and propose solutions for intervention and prevention of nutritional metabolic disorders in target groups

- Establish a Biochemistry and Nutritional Metabolism Lab: Apply, develop and standardize biochemical techniques, explore body functions and new techniques to serve the research work on metabolism and nutritional metabolic disorders. 

- Participate in training, communication and education and guidance in the specialized field in charge. Strengthening domestic and international cooperation to develop expertise.

- Providing testing services in the field of Biochemistry and Nutritional Metabolism according to social needs.

II. HISTORY OF FORMATION

The Department of Nutrition Biochemistry and Metabolism was formed in the context of:

- In the context of chronic non-communicable diseases related to nutrition (diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, gout, metabolic syndrome, etc.) that are increasingly increasing in Vietnam, caused by nutritional metabolic disorders due to unreasonable eating habits and severe climate changes, it is extremely necessary to research and develop specific techniques in nutritional biochemistry to contribute to early diagnosis of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and study the current status of metabolic disorders, thereby proposing preventive solutions in Vietnamese people.

- In hospitals nationwide, the Department of Biochemistry often does not perform specific nutritional biochemistry techniques to help diagnose NCDs early. Therefore, if these techniques can be standardized and a referee laboratory can be established at the Institute of Nutrition, it will help the network and management system in the community (provincial, district, and commune levels) to better control NCDs.

- The established nutrition consultation and obesity control center needs a unit with a Lab to perform nutritional biochemistry tests to serve the diagnosis and prognosis of nutrition-related diseases.

Since September 2004, the Laboratory of Nutrition Biochemistry and Metabolism was established, under the Nutritional Consultation and Obesity Control Center. On August 8, 2018, the unit was separated into the Department of Nutrition Biochemistry and Metabolism according to Decision No. 531/QD-VDD signed by the Director of the Institute of Nutrition on August 8, 2008.

III. ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED AND ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Main research topics implemented:

- Research on nutritional needs through Biochemistry techniques.

 Research to determine calcium needs in children 3-5 years old (State-level branch project, 2011-2014)

- Research on the current status of Vitamin D deficiency in Vietnamese people of different ages and physiological conditions (pregnant/non-pregnant women).

Research on childbearing age groups and preschool children

- Research on osteoporosis in Vietnamese people and preventive nutritional solutions.

  International Clinical Trials (ICH-GCP), in cooperation with the Netherlands and Japan

- Research on dietary salt intake, its relationship with hypertension and solutions to limit salt intake in adults

Cooperative research with Japan: “Effectiveness of low-salt diet in preventing hypertension in people aged 50-70”

- Research on rickets, malnutrition and solutions to improve height in children.

Study on the effectiveness of non-toxic pufferfish-rich amino acid products in Vietnam on malnourished children aged 3-5

- Clinical research and trials to evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional products on health through biochemical indicators. 

  Study on the effectiveness of non-toxic pufferfish-based nutritional products in Vietnam on malnourished patients

- Study on the current situation and nutritional solutions to prevent lipid disorders in adults (participating in the State-level Project on Lipid Disorders)

Study on the effectiveness of soy milk in controlling blood sugar and blood lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes

2. Research cooperation

With 02 State-level branch topics, 2 ministerial-level topics, 21 grassroots-level topics, the faculty staff have published 62 specialized scientific articles (22 international articles, 40 domestic articles).

2.1. International cooperation topics:

- Research collaboration with Ochanomizu University - Japan

Study to determine nutritional anemia in female workers aged 20-40 at Hai Huong and Hung Yen Garment Company, evaluate the effectiveness of SaFe iron tablets containing Difructose Anhydrate III (DFAIII) in improving anemia in female workers with nutritional anemia.

- Research collaboration with Danone Research Center, Netherlands 

International Clinical Trial Research (ICH-GCP) in children 1-3 years old

- Research collaboration with Ajinomoto Group - Japan: The effectiveness of a low-salt diet in preventing hypertension in people aged 50-70

Research collaboration with Japan: The effectiveness of a low-salt diet in preventing hypertension in people aged 50-70

2.2. State, Ministerial and Grassroots level branch topics 

The Department has participated in 2 State-level branch projects, 2 Ministry-level projects, and 16 Institute-level projects. Research results have been published in 20 international articles and 40 articles in domestic specialized scientific journals.

• Research on risk factors and preventive solutions for metabolic disorders: including lipid metabolism disorders and blood antioxidant status, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, etc

A research topic has described the current situation of overweight and obesity in adults and risk factors related to metabolic disorders. Two grassroots topics have been completed and evaluated the effectiveness of nutritional intervention solutions through functional foods to prevent lipid metabolism disorders and blood antioxidant status. Another grassroots topic has described the current situation of salt intake in adults and risk factors, with the orientation of finding appropriate nutritional solutions to prevent hypertension in Vietnamese people. In addition, a grassroots topic has mentioned the solution of supplementing unsaturated fatty acids into children's meals to enhance their immunity.

Analysis of Biochemical indices in the State-level topic on Lipid Nutrition

• Research on nutritional requirements through Biochemical techniques: by experimental research Labo, with the method of balancing metabolism in the body to estimate the need for nutrients, especially the need for Calcium and protein. A State-level branch topic and a grassroots topic were conducted to determine the need for calcium in children 3-5 years old and in postmenopausal women, contributing important data for the construction of the Table of Recommended Nutrient Needs for Vietnamese people.

Research to determine calcium needs in children 3-5 years old (State-level branch project, 2011-2014)

• Research on nutritional solutions to prevent osteoporosis, rickets, and malnutrition: studies have been conducted on different subjects and ages to describe a general picture of calcium and Vitamin D deficiency and its relationship with rickets, malnutrition in children and osteoporosis in Vietnamese adults. Two ministerial-level projects have been conducted to research and evaluate calcium and Vitamin D nutritional solutions to improve height in pre-pubescent children and improve bone density in postmenopausal women. Two grassroots-level projects have been implemented and successfully tested solutions to improve calcium intake in pregnant and postmenopausal women using locally available calcium-rich foods, contributing to improving bone density and biochemical indicators in the blood.

Research on solutions to improve the nutritional status of Calcium and Vitamin D for pre-pubescent children in Hai Duong (Ministry of Health level project, 2013-2015)

3. Development of specific techniques in nutritional biochemistry:

- Testing capacity: Since its establishment, it has developed and applied testing techniques, 52 blood and hematology biochemistry indicators, 10 urine and stool testing indicators.

- Since 2010, the Biochemistry Lab has achieved and continuously maintained the International Certificate of Quality Assurance for Testing (recognized by the International External Audit Organization Bio-Rad or Randox)

- The Department continuously develops specific techniques to serve the field of nutritional metabolism research such as: measuring indicators of the body's antioxidant status (SOD, TAS, MDA) to help diagnose early and monitor the prognosis of some NCDs.

New technique development: “Measuring Superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in red blood cells to determine the body's blood antioxidant status”

Image of measuring Vitamin A concentration in breast milk by iCheck handheld device and measuring on HPLC device

- Study on the evaluation of the technique of measuring Vitamin A concentration in breast milk by iCheck handheld device in the field compared with the standard HPLC technique in the laboratory.

                 Participated in the 2015 Youth Creative Technical Sports Festival, won the third prize

4. Improve testing quality: Meet international standards for testing quality control recognized by Bio-Rad and Randox (USA).

5. Participate in training and provide testing services 

- Participate in training bachelors of nutrition at medical universities and nursing universities, training courses on demand on the topic of nutritional biochemistry.

- Provide testing services for nutrition consulting clinics and research topics.

IV. FUTURE ACTIVITIES

1. International cooperation and collaboration with cross-sector partners.

2. Research:

- Studies provide scientific evidence contributing to recommendations on nutritional needs for Vietnamese people

a. Continue to research nutritional solutions to prevent osteoporosis and rickets, disorders of protein, lipid and blood glucose metabolism, and nutritional prevention of hypertension.

b. Research new nutritional problems arising from metabolic disorders in Vietnamese people and propose intervention solutions.

3. Develop specific techniques (focusing on immunological/cellular/molecular techniques in biochemistry) and standardize laboratories according to ISO 15189 standards

4. Provide nutritional biochemistry testing services

Tests for patients visiting nutrition consultation clinics

- Blood tests: complete blood cell analysis, blood type, assessment of metabolic disorders (Glucose, HbA1C, protein, albumin, uric acid, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, Triglyceride), liver and bile function (liver enzymes GOT, GPT, GGT, bilirubin), kidney function (Ure, creatinine), metabolism of vitamins and minerals (Ferritin, PTH hormone, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, vitamin D, iron, zinc, magnesium, folate), assessment of blood antioxidant status (MDA, TAS)…

- Stool test: Fecal residue (muscle fibers, fat fibers, etc.), red blood cells, white blood cells, bacterial flora.

- Urine test: complete urine analysis, urinary creatinine, Sodium, Potassium, etc…

Full package blood and urine testing for research topics, agencies/units/ organizations in need.