The seminar was attended by Prof. Dr. Luc Huy Hoang – Director of the Institute of Natural Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Hau – Vice Dean of the Faculty of Biology, along with a large number of scientists, graduate students, and undergraduates from the natural science faculties of Hanoi National University of Education. The event attracted widespread interest from researchers both within and outside the university.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Dr. Kumar Sudesh – a professor at the School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and a researcher at the National Institute of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM) – is one of the leading experts in bioplastics. He is renowned for over 30 years of research on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), with more than 260 international publications and 10 patents. He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Malaysian Journal of Microbiology and is a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (FASc).
In his presentation, Prof. Sudesh highlighted the global challenge of plastic pollution, where billions of tons of non-biodegradable plastic released annually harm the environment and human health. He introduced two prominent types of bioplastics: PLA (Poly(lactic acid)) and PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates). PLA is already widely used in packaging, textiles, and biomedicine but has limitations in heat resistance. In contrast, PHA – synthesized by microorganisms – offers superior advantages in diversity, capable of producing plastics ranging from hard and brittle to soft and tough, with better heat resistance and the ability to utilize low-cost carbon sources, even waste materials. He cited specific examples, such as using palm oil in Malaysia and fish fat waste in Vietnam to produce PHA following a circular economy model.
Prof. Sudesh also shared recent advances in genetic engineering, particularly the selection and modification of PHA synthase genes from various microbial strains. This aims to create highly specific enzymes to control polymer structure and properties, thereby optimizing the product for specific applications. Furthermore, his research team has developed a process for producing PHA from laboratory scale to industrial scale using a 2000-liter fermentation system. Notably, a novel purification method using mealworms has been applied, which is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
The seminar featured numerous lively questions and discussions centering on the potential applications of PLA and PHA in Vietnam, as well as challenges related to production costs and commercialization prospects.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Dr. Luc Huy Hoang expressed his sincere gratitude to Prof. Kumar Sudesh for his insightful and inspiring presentation and acknowledged the cooperation and support of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Doan Van Thuoc in connecting and successfully organizing the seminar. Prof. Hoang affirmed, "The knowledge and ideas shared today will contribute to expanding research collaboration, encouraging innovation, and promoting the application of science for sustainable development. Furthermore, given his international reputation and role, Prof. Kumar Sudesh is expected to be a bridge enhancing cooperation not only in bioplastics but also in other fields of natural science between Universiti Sains Malaysia and Hanoi National University of Education in the future."
The seminar concluded on an optimistic note, opening up promising prospects for collaboration between domestic and international scientists in the field of bioplastics, thereby contributing to the promotion of a circular and sustainable economy in Vietnam.
News: The President's Office