Dieu Hang Tran

Education

• 2013:  Master in Chemistry obtained at VNU University of Science (Vietnam)

• 2018: Doctor in Chemistry, KU Leuven (Belgium)

Academic career

• 2010 – 2013: Lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, Quy Nhon University (Vietnam)

• 2013 – 2018: Ph.D student at Quantum Chemistry and Physical Chemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven (Belgium)

• 1/2019 – 10/2019: Postdoctoral Fellow (PDM), Ku Leuven (Belgium)

• 11/2019: Postdoc Fellow of the Research Foundation – Flander (FWO) at Department of Analytical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology (FABI), VUB (Belgium).

Research Topics

• Computational Chemistry

• Computational Drug Design

Research Project

The so-called "Cystine/Glutamate Antiporter system xc−" (Sxc−) is part of the machinery in each of our cells. Specifically, it is responsible for (among others) the uptake of compounds needed to protect the cell from damage by oxidation. If we could control its activity by administering medicine, then this could be useful in the fight against cancer, certain afflictions of the eye, and brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's en Huntington's, as well as Multiple Sclerosis, epilepsy and addiction. However, the development of such medicines is hindered by the fact that little is known about the structure and mechanism of Sxc−. Accordingly, the first goal of this project is to elucidate this structure and mechanism using advanced computer simulations. Subsequently, we will use this information to make the computer propose potential medicines that may help fighting the aforementioned diseases.