In August 2026, Dr. Rohini Jain, UCSF pediatric oncologist and Associate Director for Southeast Asia Collaborations with the UCSF HDFCCC Global Cancer Program (GCP), traveled to Vietnam to advance a growing portfolio of cancer research, education, and collaborative initiatives.
At Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital), a growing cohort of clinicians is seeking opportunities to build skills in clinical research and develop locally relevant solutions to challenges in cancer care. This is particularly important in pediatric oncology, where clinicians face complex challenges in diagnosis, treatment, supportive care, and long-term outcomes. Given the importance of locally led research to understanding how best to address these challenges, demand for research mentorship through GCP has increased significantly at K Hospital. Three clinicians from K Hospital participated in the 2025–26 GCP Fellowship, while eight K Hospital clinicians are participating in the 2026–27 cohort, reflecting a growing interest in structured research training and mentorship.
Dr. Tran Hai Nam, pediatric oncologist at Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) in Hanoi, Vietnam, and former Global Cancer Fellow, reflects on the growing partnership: “The UCSF–K Hospital partnership has played an important role in strengthening research capacity through mentorship, training, and international collaboration. Expanding these opportunities will allow more young doctors in Vietnam to develop research skills, build meaningful collaborations, and gain greater exposure to clinical research and clinical trials. These efforts are essential to building a new generation of clinician-researchers who can lead studies and improve cancer care in Vietnam.”
While in Vietnam, Dr. Jain also helped launch a new patient navigation initiative at K Hospital, developed in collaboration with Dr. Kimberly Badal through a UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences Resource Allocation Program (RAP) grant. The team convened a stakeholder meeting to inform the development of a patient navigation training program designed to help patients and families overcome barriers across the pediatric and adult cancer care continuum.
Dr. Jain presented on this initiative at the 14th Annual Scientific Conference on Cancer Control and Multidisciplinary Cancer Management, held August 20-21 in Hue, Vietnam. Oncology leaders from Vietnam and international partner institutions gathered to share approaches to improving cancer care and strengthening clinical capacity at this annual event.
The visit to Vietnam also advanced planning for the next phase of the UCSF-K Hosptial partnership: a six-week research training and scholar exchange at UCSF for Vietnamese oncologists. The program will pair focused training in clinical research methods with individualized mentorship and development of pilot research projects that scholars can continue at their home institutions. By investing in emerging clinical investigators, GCP aims to help build a sustainable pipeline of locally led cancer research that can improve care for patients in Vietnam while strengthening long-term collaboration between Vietnamese institutions and UCSF.