1. Full name:     Le Lan Phuong                         2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: 14/03/1987                                4. Place of birth: Bac Ninh, Vietnam.

5. Admission decision number: Decision No. 2875/QD-DHKHTN dated on 07/08/2015 of the VNU University of Science – VNU-HUS.

6. Changes in academic process:  

- Decision to change the doctoral thesis title        No.: 4956/QD-DHKHTN dated 29/12/2017

- Decision on suspension of study                                  No.: 322/QD-DHKHTN dated 30/01/2018

- Decision to continue studying                          No.: 121/QD-DHKHTN dated 15/01/2019

- Extension decision                                                      No.: 569/QD-DHKHTN dated 14/02/2020

- Decision to return PhD students to the locality No.: 2804/QD-DHKHTN, 20/10/2021

- The application to return to study and defend the thesis was approved on 15/07/2022.

7. Official thesis title: Study on alterations in some mitochondrial genes and the exosomal proteome in Vietnamese patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

8. Major: Biological Anthropology                        9. Code: 9420101.02

10. Supervisors: Main supervisor: Asso.Prof.Dr. Trinh Hong Thai

                             Second supervisor: Asso.Prof.Dr. Le Trung Tho

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis

- The thesis is the first study in Vietnam to provide data on large-scale deletions, the frequency of large-scale deletions, the level of large-scale deletions, changes in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, and some mitochondrial gene alterations (19 mtDNA large-scale deletions beside 4977 bp deletion and 16 single nucleotide alterations that have never been published in scientific works around the world) in both lung tissue, blood tissue and plasma-derived exosome samples as well as the relationship between the above alterations and the clinical features of Vietnamese patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A model has been successfully built to assess the risk of NSCLC based on the level of mtDNA large-scale deletions in the patient's blood sample.

- This is the first study to identify the plasma-derived exosome proteome of Vietnamese patients with NSCLC. Several proteins were found in plasma-derived exosomes (EEF1A1, KPNB1, SCR, ACTC1) that have the potential to become biomarkers in assessing the progression of NSCLC.

12. Practical applicability, if any:

- The results of the thesis have provided a genetic database related to mitochondrial gene alterations as well as the relationship between these alterations and the features of Vietnamese patients with NSCLC. This is important reference for research on the molecular pathology of NSCLC.

- The results of the thesis have provided protein profiles of plasma-derived exosomes of Vietnamese patients with NSCLC. This research has identified several proteins that have the potential to become biomarkers for assessing the progression of NSCLC.

- The results obtained from the thesis can be a premise for developing applications in risk assessment, supporting the diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC, especially diagnosis using non-invasive liquid biopsy samples.

13. Further research directions, if any:

- We aim to continue analyzing the level of mtDNA large-scale deletions and the changes in mitochondrial DNA copy number in the lung tissue and blood of the same patient, and increase the research sample size. Another future target is to Improve the method for finding and analysing the number of mtDNA large-scale deletions, and keep working on a kit to find and measure mtDNA large-scale deletions to help with the early diagnosis and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer.

- Continue to research the components in exosomes, including protein, DNA, and mitochondrial DNA, to search for and identify biomarkers that can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC based on exosomes and other extracellular vesicles.

14. Thesis-related publications:

[1] Thao Phuong Bui, Phuong Lan Le, Linh Thi Tu Nguyen, Le Trung Tho and Thai Hong Trinh (2022), “Proteomic profiling of small extracellular vesicles isolated from the plasma of Vietnamese patients with non-small cell lung cancer reveals some potential biomarkers”, Asia Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 23(6), 1893-1900. 

[2] Le Lan Phuong, Le Thi Thanh Nhan, Hoang Van Son, Bui Phuong Thao, Nguyen Thi Tu Linh, Le Trung Tho and Trinh Hong Thai (2023), “The mitochondrial dna copy number and level of large-scale deletions in lung tissue of patients with non-cancerous lung disease”, Vietnam Journal of Physiology 27 (1), 49-56.

[3] Le Thi Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Thuy Quynh, Le Lan Phuong, Bui Phuong Thao, Nguyen Thi Tu Linh, Le Trung Tho and Trinh Hong Thai (2022), “Detection of Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number in Plasma Exosomes of Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer”, VNU Journal of Science: Natural Sciences and Technology 38(1), 34-41.

[4] Nguyen Thuy Quynh, Le Thi Thanh Nhan, Le Lan Phuong, Bui Phuong Thao, Nguyen Thi Tu Linh, Le Trung Tho and Trinh Hong Thai (2020), “Mitochondrial A10398G Alteration in Plasma Exosome of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients”, VNU Journal of Science: Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences 36(4), 50-59.