The example of the father who is always enamored with his work, along with the first primary lessons from his stories about scientists has formed and nurtured a passion for scientific research in her. Gradually, her passion became aspiration for her career of scientific research. At the age of 60s, her passion for devoting to Vietnamese community health and science never stops.

You have a great love for medicinal herbs. When and from what did you realize that love in your life?

Since I was a little girl, I have been keen on plants. The person making me love them is my father, Prof. Dr. in science - Nguyen Van Truong, Former Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam’s Encyclopedia, Director of Institute of Ecological Economy. This love is like blood flowing in my chest and in my blood-vessel for a long time.

Born in a family with a father as Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Truong, do you think your way to scientific studies have a lot of advantages?

I am very lucky to be born in a family with a father being a scientist who has passion for work and brought scientific achievements in order to improve the quality of life for workers. He has created eco-villages funded by international organizations to help the poor get prosperous life and happiness. My mother was a descendant of the poet Nguyen Cong Tru. She was raised and educated in an intellectual family that my grandparents were teachers. Therefore, when I was little I was brought up and educated in the culture of a longstanding family. I was taught to love laborers, love studying, and revel in learning. Receiving this education since young age, I was taught to never be afraid of sufferings and obstacles and be determined to finish. To give me the love for science, since I was a kid, my father told me stories about examples of scientists such as Kovalevskaya, Mrs. Marie Curie.

Did Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Truong give you any advices in choosing your path?

I am the eldest daughter in the family. When I was a kid, my father used to say to me, “When you grow up, you will become a pharmacist”. Because he thought that physician is a humanitarian occupation, suitable with characteristics such as meticulousness, precision and health conditions of a woman. From these factors, my father hoped that I would become a pharmacist and that has come true. After graduating from Hanoi University of Pharmacy, my father once told me, “Why does Vietnam have to import medicines while we have many medicinal plants? You should try to make medicines from medicinal plants to treat diseases for the Vietnamese”. Later on, this is my goal.

As a scientist, in the course of research, you could have faced many difficulties but you never gave up. What helps you overcome those difficult times?

In any works, there must be difficulties. Especially, in scientific research, difficulties are many times more because research results we get do not always reach our expectation. Sometimes, they are different from our original estimation depending on many other factors. In fact, in the study of Vietnamese Crinum latifolium L., some people did not support it because they thought it is impossible to make a medicine for tumors from Vietnamese medicinal plants. When Crila was born, before being recognized as a medicine, it had to undergo clinical trials. Some doctors holding leadership positions of the National Hospital of Maternity said, “If Crila could treat fibroids, it would be a miracle medicine”. However, after clinical trials, the results have demonstrated that Crila’s treatment efficacy for uterine fibroids is at 79.5 %. Every time I am stuck, I often remember what my father told me, “To succeed in something, you must have good health, willingness and determination, and when there are obstacles, do not back down.”

Afterwards, every time I remembered the teachings of my father and my teachers, I realized that it is true that you cannot make success in anything, even little things without determination and passion.

When establishing Thien Duoc Company (TDC), what did you think of?

After having results of research work group on Vietnamese Crinum latifolium L., I have created Crila with treatment efficacy for BPH at 89.18% and at 79.5% for uterine fibroids. A work set out for me was how to bring this product to the market to serve community health with low and suitable price with the income of the Vietnamese. To achieve this goal I, decided to establish TDC on March 3rd, 2008 with the certification of business registration No. 4602003336 by Department of Planning and Investment of Binh Duong. Currently, our business is a scientific and technological enterprise to accept the transfer of research results to create new pharmaceutical products that have exporting potential and serve the community health.

During the operation of TDC, have you felt that “this child” has done all your wishes yet?

TDC has just been established since 2008. All what I wish is that the company's products manufactured from Vietnamese Crinum latifolium L. herb can join in the international market. However, I understand that it will take a lot of time although our company has worked very hard. Since its foundation, TDC has provided sufficient Crila to treat BPH and uterine fibroids for patients in the country. Furthermore, in the future, the company will make every effort to ensure sufficient medicines for export.

What are you pleased most about TDC?

What makes me pleased most about TDC is that all officials and employees in the company care and stand together to help each other in difficult economic conditions to produce safe, high quality, and effective medicine, retaining domestic market share, ensuring jobs and stable incomes for workers. TDC is a scientific and technological enterprise that has made technological improvements and rationalized production to reduce product costs and ensure quality stability of products.

Many women have achieved much success. According to you, what is the key to for female success?

In one’s life, the two most important things are career and family. The key to the success of a woman is to build relationships in her home: her parents, her husband and children, her brothers and sisters understand and sympathize with her work. In society, she also needs the respect, help, and endearing kindness of her friends. Only does she have those, she can overcome difficulties to achieve success.

Many people say that successful women are often lonely. Do you have any secrets?
A successful woman is often lonely because she often attaches more importance to career than to the responsibilities of a wife and a mother in her family. With relatives, she needs to respect the older, make concessions with the younger and care for her friends.

You are successful, but not lonely. Do you have any secrets?

My secret is to care for my relatives and friends, consider before I open my mouth and act, keep calm in every situation both in society and in my family to avoid emotional disruption caused by aggressiveness or temper.

Thank you very much for your precious time to share with readers