Adjunct Professor of IAST Develops Gallium Nanomaterials Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Dr. Vi Khanh Truong, Associate Professor at Flinders University (Australia) and Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Technology (IAST), Ton Duc Thang University, together with his collaborators, has achieved a number of notable results in developing liquid metal nanomaterials with antibacterial properties. Notably, the research team has not stopped at fundamental studies that decode the physical and biochemical mechanisms at the nanoscale. They have also successfully translated these findings into concrete applications, opening a breakthrough in healthcare infection control and in the manufacture of next-generation healthcare devices.

Assoc. Prof. Vi Khanh Truong at the signing ceremony of a research collaboration with TDTU

Against the backdrop of rising antimicrobial resistance, developing a new generation of antibacterial materials has become an important research direction in biomedicine. With expertise in nanobiotechnology and material surface engineering, Assoc. Prof. Truong focuses on harnessing the properties of liquid metal gallium to develop solutions for controlling bacteria, especially drug-resistant strains. His group has developed gallium nanoparticles and composite materials combining gallium with other metals, such as silver, to enhance antibacterial efficacy.

The research results have been published in leading international journals, including ACS Nano, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Notably, a 2023 study on silver–gallium nanomaterials, published in Advanced Functional Materials, showed the potential for biocompatible antibacterial coatings that also help control inflammatory responses. These results provide a foundation for biomedical products such as wound dressings, implant coatings and advanced antibacterial materials. According to VnExpress, the gallium–silver wound dressing received an international patent in 2025 and is being transferred to a manufacturing partner in Vietnam. Meanwhile, applications on implantable devices are expected to need around 10 more years to be refined and commercialized, owing to stringent requirements for safety and efficacy testing.

Beyond research, Assoc. Prof. Truong and his group actively collaborate with Ton Duc Thang University on liquid metal gallium chemistry and materials design simulation. As Adjunct Professor and collaborating researcher at IAST, he helps expand the Institute’s international cooperation network in advanced materials, nanotechnology and biomedical applications, while creating further opportunities for academic exchange, applied research and technology transfer.

Assoc. Prof. Vi Khanh Truong presenting at the iCAMSD 2026 conference held at TDTU

IAST congratulates Assoc. Prof. Truong and hopes to continue working alongside him in scientific collaboration, academic exchange and biomedical materials research.

Source: VnExpress – “Nhà khoa học Việt chế tạo ‘kẻ hủy diệt’ vi khuẩn”.