The US-ASEAN Business Council Delegation Visits and Works with the Institute of Biology

18/06/2026

On the morning of June 2, 2026, a high-level delegation from the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), led by Ms. Margaret Hanson-Muse, President and CEO, visited and worked at the DNA Identification Center under the Institute of Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST). During the meeting, the two sides comprehensively evaluated the results of transferring next-generation sequencing technology for humanitarian purposes; simultaneously, they opened a new phase of cooperation in biomedicine, genetic identification, and high-quality human resource training between VAST and leading US technology enterprises.

Overview of the meeting

At the working session, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trung Nam – Vice Director of the Institute of Biology, highly appreciated the role of the US-ASEAN Business Council in promoting economic, scientific, technological, and innovation cooperation between the United States, Vietnam, and nations in the ASEAN region; he also expressed the desire to strengthen connections with leading US technology enterprises and corporations within the USABC network. The Institute is ready to expand deep and wide-ranging cooperation in its areas of strength, such as biology, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

Currently, the Institute of Biology is focusing on developing advanced technological platforms, including genomics, molecular biology, and biological data. Following more than two years of coordination with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) to implement the ODA project "Capacity Building for Fallen Soldiers' Remains Identification through Development Cooperation, Technology Transfer, and Provision of Equipment, Chemicals, and Consumables", Vietnamese scientists at the Center for DNA Identification (CDI) have fully mastered the next-generation sequencing NGS-SNP technological process, achieving a success rate of 81% to 93%, which far surpasses the previously less effective STR and mtDNA methods. Thanks to this new technology, in 2025, the Institute successfully handed over identification results to two families of fallen soldiers at Tra Linh Cemetery – a first-of-its-kind result of historical significance. Currently, the Institute continues to expand the scale to Giong Rieng Cemetery in An Giang with more than 962 graves, aiming to provide a practical foundation for establishing national processes and standards to serve the "500-Day-and-Night Campaign to Promote the Search and Identification of Fallen Soldiers' Remains" launched by the Government of Vietnam.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trung Nam – Vice Director of the Institute of Biology, highly appreciates the role of the US-ASEAN Business Council in promoting economic, scientific, technological, and innovation cooperation between the United States, Vietnam, and nations in the ASEAN region

Speaking at the working session, USABC President and CEO Margaret Hanson-Muse highly appreciated Vietnam's technological efforts and achievements. She stated that the visit was part of the Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative (VWAI) – a meaningful humanitarian project that helps build strategic trust between the two nations. With the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) extending the validity of the VWAI until 2031, the next six years will open up a golden opportunity for both sides to promote regional cooperation and enhance the application of high-tech solutions. In particular, Ms. Margaret Hanson-Muse emphasized the accompaniment of leading US technology corporations in the delegation, such as Cultural Vistas, Lockheed Martin, and QIAGEN. She expressed her expectation that the cooperative relationship between the US private sector and Vietnamese research institutes will achieve strong breakthroughs in the coming time.