Professor Thu-Anh Nguyen
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Professor Thu-Anh Nguyen

Executive Director and Head of Research, the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute. Professor of Public Health, the University of Sydney.
Professor Thu-Anh Nguyen

Prof. Thu Anh Nguyenis an infectious diseases and public health researcher who leads the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute as Executive Director and Head of Research. She is committed to driving multidisciplinary research that improves the wellbeing of individuals and communities in Vietnam and beyond.

Previously, Professor Nguyen was the Country Director and Research Leader at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Vietnam, where she managed over $20m worth of medical research projects, facilitated international and national partnerships,and was responsible for implementing clinical trials in conjunction with University of Sydney researchers.

She has worked with a range of organisations and departments to advance public health related programs, including advising the Government of Vietnam on the country’s public health response to COVID-19.

In 2022 Professor Nguyen was awarded the prestigious Ho Chi Minh Science and Technology Award from the Government of Vietnam.

Professor Nguyen’s research areas include tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, human behaviours, and health technology.

Ending Tuberculosis: A cluster RCT of community-wide universal testing and treatment for latent TB infection in high prevalence settings (the ACT5 trial)

New mHealth technologies to Strengthen the Management of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis in Vietnam: the V-SMART trial

A randomised controlled trial evaluating the effect of a community-based intervention to reduce antimicrobial use in Vietnam (the V-RESIST trial)

A clinical trial of preventive therapy for mult-drug resistant tuberculosis in Vietnam (the VQUIN MDR Trial)

Improving the management of chronic lung disease (asthma and COPD), and tobacco control in resource limited settings (the VCAPS study)

A cluster randomised trial of community-based screening for TB in rural community (the ACT3 study)

Reducing the gap between policy and practice: strengthening preventive therapy for TB in six countries (the ACT4 study)

Member of the International Union of TB and Lung Disease (The Union)

Member of the Vietnam Intergrated Center for Tuberculosis and Respiratory Research (VICTORY)

Ho Chi Minh award for science, 2022

The first runner up of the 2012 ProSPER.Net-Scopus Young Scientist

The 2010 Asia 21 Young Leaders

Project titleResearch student
The FLIRT Trial: A phase III international multi-centre double-blind randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of fluoroquinolone-based therapy versus placebo for isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis.Yuling KE

Publications

Journals

  • Pham, G., Dang, T., Nguyen, T., Zawahir, M., Le, H., Negin, J., Huckel Schneider, C., Fox, G. (2024). Health system barriers to the implementation of the national action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance in Vietnam: a scoping review. Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, 13(1:12), 1-14. [More Information]
  • Trinh Hoang, D., Nguyen, T., Bernays, S., McKinn, S., Drabarek, D., Thu Trieu, T., Thuy Pham, V., Ngoc Pham, Y., Hung Cao, T., Mai Tran, H., Fox, G. (2024). ‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam. Critical Public Health, 34(1), 1-14. [More Information]
  • Tran, L., Dang, T., Nguyen, M., Kaufman, J., Overmars, I., Shrestha, S., Abdi, I., Nguyen, T., Marahajan, M., Chu, T., Fox, G., Nguyen, T., et al (2023). Behavioural and social drivers of COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam: A scoping review. BMJ Open, 13(12). [More Information]

2024

  • Pham, G., Dang, T., Nguyen, T., Zawahir, M., Le, H., Negin, J., Huckel Schneider, C., Fox, G. (2024). Health system barriers to the implementation of the national action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance in Vietnam: a scoping review. Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, 13(1:12), 1-14. [More Information]
  • Trinh Hoang, D., Nguyen, T., Bernays, S., McKinn, S., Drabarek, D., Thu Trieu, T., Thuy Pham, V., Ngoc Pham, Y., Hung Cao, T., Mai Tran, H., Fox, G. (2024). ‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam. Critical Public Health, 34(1), 1-14. [More Information]

2023

  • Tran, L., Dang, T., Nguyen, M., Kaufman, J., Overmars, I., Shrestha, S., Abdi, I., Nguyen, T., Marahajan, M., Chu, T., Fox, G., Nguyen, T., et al (2023). Behavioural and social drivers of COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam: A scoping review. BMJ Open, 13(12). [More Information]
  • Marks, G., Teo, A., Wong, E., Fox, G., Nguyen, T. (2023). International efforts to reverse and end the tuberculosis pandemic: Past, present and future global strategies. ERS Monograph, 2023 (101), 1-17. [More Information]
  • Cheng, Q., Dang, T., Nguyen, T., Velen, K., Nguyen, V., Nguyen, B., Vu, D., Long, C., Do, T., Vu, T., Yapa, H., Fox, G., et al (2023). MHealth application for improving treatment outcomes for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Vietnam: An economic evaluation protocol for the V-SMART trial. BMJ Open, 13(12). [More Information]

2022

  • Redwood, L., Mitchell, E., Nguyen, T., Viney, K., Duong, L., Pham, H., Nguyen, B., Nguyen, V., Fox, G. (2022). Adaptation and validation of the Van Rie tuberculosis stigma scale in Vietnam. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 114, 97-104. [More Information]
  • Ngoc Yen, P., Obeid, M., Quy Chau, N., Van Giap, V., Viet Nhung, N., Yen, N., Thi Ha, B., Nguyen, T., Marks, G., Freeman, B., Negin, J., Fox, G. (2022). Behaviors and Attitudes Toward Smoking Among Health Care Workers at Health Facilities in 4 Provinces of Vietnam: A Representative Cross-Sectional Survey. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 34(1), 79-86. [More Information]
  • Hughes, A., Ragonnet, R., Jayasundara, P., Ngo, H., de Lara-Tuprio, E., Estuar, M., Teng, T., Boon, L., Peariasamy, K., Chong, Z., Fox, G., Nguyen, T., et al (2022). COVID-19 collaborative modelling for policy response in the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam. The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific, 29. [More Information]

2021

  • Fox, G., Johnston, J., Nguyen, T., Majumdar, S., Denholm, J., Asldurf, H., Nguyen, C., Marks, G., Velen, K. (2021). Active case-finding in contacts of people with TB. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 25(2), 95-105. [More Information]
  • Marks, G., Nguyen, T., Fox, G. (2021). Community-wide active case finding and tuberculosis infection in children. The Lancet Public Health, 6(7), e447. [More Information]
  • McKinn, S., Trinh, D., Drabarek, D., Trieu, T., Nguyen, P., Cao, T., Dang, A., Nguyen, T., Fox, G., Bernays, S. (2021). Drivers of antibiotic use in Vietnam: Implications for designing community interventions. BMJ Global Health, 6(7), e005875. [More Information]

2020

  • Nguyen, T., Nguyen, T., Luu, B., Le, T., Nguyen, V., Nguyen, K., Duong, K., Nguyen, H., Nguyen, N., Fox, G., Nguyen, N., Marks, G. (2020). A comparison of digital chest radiography and XpertW MTB/RIF in active case finding for tuberculosis. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 24(9), 934-940. [More Information]
  • Ho, J., Bokil, N., Nguyen, P., Nguyen, T., Liu, M., Hare, N., Fox, G., Saunders, B., Marks, G., Britton, W. (2020). A transcriptional blood signature distinguishes early tuberculosis disease from latent tuberculosis infection and uninfected individuals in a Vietnamese cohort. Journal of Infection, 81(1), 72-80. [More Information]
  • Nguyen, T., Cuong, Q., Kim, A., Huong, T., Nguyen, H., Fox, G., Marks, G. (2020). Adapting a TB contact investigation strategy for COVID-19. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 24(5), 548-550. [More Information]

2019

  • Marks, G., Nguyen, N., Nguyen, P., Nguyen, T., Nguyen, H., Tran, K., Nguyen, S., Luu, K., Tran, D., Vo, Q., Do, Q., Mason, P., Sintchenko, V., Britton, W., Fox, G., et al (2019). Community-wide Screening for Tuberculosis in a High-Prevalence Setting. New England Journal of Medicine, 381(14), 1347-1357. [More Information]
  • Phuong, N., Nguyen, T., Son, N., Sintchenko, V., Ho, J., Fox, G., Nhung, N., Marks, G. (2019). Effect of two alternative methods of pooling sputum prior to testing for tuberculosis with genexpert MTB/RIF. BMC Infectious Diseases, 19(1), 1-4. [More Information]
  • Lung, T., Marks, G., Nhung, N., Anh, N., Hoa, N., Anh, L., Hoa, N., Britton, W., Bestrashniy, J., Jan, S., Fox, G. (2019). Household contact investigation for the detection of tuberculosis in Vietnam: economic evaluation of a cluster-randomised trial. The Lancet Global Health, 7(3), e376-e384. [More Information]

2018

  • Razavi-Shearer, D., Gamkrelidze, I., Nguyen, M., Chen, D., Van Damme, P., Abbas, Z., Abdulla, M., Abou Rached, A., Adda, D., Aho, I., Nguyen, T., et al (2018). Global prevalence, treatment, and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection in 2016: a modelling study. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 3(6), 383-403. [More Information]
  • Fox, G., Nhung, N., Sy, D., Hoa, N., Anh, L., Nguyen, T., Hoa, N., Dung, N., Buu, T., Loi, N., Britton, W., et al (2018). Household-Contact Investigation for Detection of Tuberculosis in Vietnam. New England Journal of Medicine, 378(3), 221-229. [More Information]
  • Marks, G., Nhung, N., Nguyen, T., Hoa, N., Khoa, T., Son, N., Phuong, N., Tin, D., Ho, J., Fox, G. (2018). Prevalence of latent tuberculous infection among adults in the general population of Ca Mau, Viet Nam. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 22(3), 246-251. [More Information]

2017

  • Fox, G., Nguyen, T., Nhung, N., Loi, N., Hoa, N., Ngoc Anh, L., Cuong, N., Buu, T., Marks, G., Menzies, D. (2017). Latent tuberculous infection in household contacts of multidrug-resistant and newly diagnosed tuberculosis. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 21(3), 297-302. [More Information]
  • Nguyen, T., Pham, M., Nguyen, T., Nguyen, V., Pham, D., Nguyen, B., Fox, G. (2017). Video Directly Observed Therapy to support adherence with treatment for tuberculosis in Vietnam: A prospective cohort study. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 65, 85-89. [More Information]

2016

  • Ho, J., Nguyen, P., Nguyen, T., Tran, K., Nguyen, S., Nguyen, V., Nguyen, H., Luu, K., Fox, G., Marks, G. (2016). Reassessment of the positive predictive value and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF: a diagnostic accuracy study in the context of community-wide screening for tuberculosis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 16(9), 1045-1051. [More Information]
  • Ho, J., Nguyen, P., Nguyen, T., Tran, H., Nguyen, V., Nhung, N., Hoa, N., Phong, T., Fox, G., et al (2016). The role of macroscopic sputum quality assessments to optimise sputum testing for tuberculosis. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 20(3), 319-322. [More Information]
  • Mason, P., Sweetland, A., Fox, G., Halovic, S., Nguyen, T., Marks, G. (2016). Tuberculosis and mental health in the Asia-Pacific. Australasian Psychiatry, 24(6), 553-555. [More Information]

Selected Grants

2023

  • A novel regimen to treat the commonest form of drug resistant tuberculosis: the FLIRT Trial, Fox G, Marks G, Menzies R, Marais B, Nhung N, Behr M, Marschner I, Johnston J, Morton R, Nguyen T, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)/Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies

2022

  • Planning grant for subclinical TB transmission study, Fox G, Nguyen B, Nguyen T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Research Support