Trinh Phan-Canh, MPharm. PhD.
Postdoctoral Researcher — BIDMC, Harvard Medical School
Education
Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics & Immunology
Medical University of Vienna – Max Perutz Labs Vienna, Vienna Biocenter Campus
  • Thesis: Antifungal Multidrug Resistance and Virulence of Candida auris (Grade: 1 – Excellence)
  • Advisor: Prof. Dr. Karl Kuchler
M.Sc. in Pharmacy (Highest Distinction – Rector's Award)
School of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP)
  • Thesis: Morphology, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Dirinaria applanata (Grade: 10/10)
B.Sc. in Information Technology (Rector's Award for Academic Excellence)
Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM)
  • Focus: Management Information Systems (Distance Education Program)
National Pharmacist Degree (Rector's Award for Academic & Extracurricular Excellence)
School of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP)
  • Thesis: Fermentation conditions for Bacillus subtilis KP3 spores' production (Rank 1; Grade: 10/10)
Awards and Distinctions
  • Life Sciences PHD Awards Austria 2026 — Austrian Society for Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology (2026)
  • ÖGMM Publication Award 2026 — Austrian Society for Medical Mycology (2026)
  • Österreichische Mikrobiologie-Preis 2026 (Austrian Microbiology Prize 2026) — ÖGHMP (2026)
  • The Pathogens Young Investigator Award — Pathogens Journal (2026)
  • The Biology Young Investigator Award — Biology Journal (2026)
  • Bernd Rode Award — ASEA-UNINET Junior Researcher Award (2024)
  • Youth Travel Award — FEBS Advanced Lecture Course, France (2024)
  • ESCMID Research Grant — Outstanding project in fungal pathogenesis (2023)
  • FEMS Travel Grant — Candida and Candidiasis Meeting, Canada (2023)
  • Ernst Mach Grant — PhD Fellowship, ASEA-UNINET (2021–2023)
  • Pilot International Research Grant — TRAC Sweden-Vietnam (2019)
  • Rector's Award, Master's Degree of Pharmacy — UMP Vietnam (2019)
  • Youth Leaders Award — Rector's Board, UMP Vietnam (2017–2019)
  • Homtamin Scholarship — Korea United Pharm, awarded for academic excellence (2015)
  • Daewoong Scholarship — Daewoong Pharmaceutical, awarded for academic excellence (2013)
  • First Prize, Scientific Research Contest: Seeking Elixir — UMP (2012)
  • Student of Five Merits awards — UMP (2011–2015)
  • Honorable Mention — Thua Thien Hue Biology Olympiad (2010)
  • Thua Thien Hue Innovation Contest for Youth — awarded for developing a biology learning app (2009)
Publications
  1. Phan-Canh T, Nguyen MLD, Phuc-Loi L, et al. & Kuchler K.
    mSphere, 2025
  2. Phan-Canh T, Bitencourt T & Kuchler K.
    Microbiology Spectrum, 2025
  3. Phan-Canh T & Kuchler K.
    PLOS Pathogens, 2024
  4. Phan-Canh T, Lackner M, Chauhan M, Zenz L-M, Chauhan N & Kuchler K.
    ACS Infectious Diseases, 2026
  5. Phan-Canh T, Elbe-Bürger A & Kuchler K.
    Trends in Microbiology, 2026
  6. Phan-Canh T, Seiser S, Chauhan M, Kuchler K, Chauhan N & Elbe-Bürger A.
    Virulence, 2026
  7. Phan-Canh T, et al. & Chauhan N & Kuchler K.
    Antifungal resistance can emerge in Candida auris without drug selection pressure
    Microbiology Spectrum, 2026 · Under revision
  8. Seiser S, Brezovec H, Penninger P, Phan-Canh T, et al., Kuchler K & Elbe-Bürger A.
    Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2026
  9. Tsymala I, Penninger P, Nogueira F, Jenull S, Phan-Canh T, et al. & Kuchler K.
    Cell Reports, 2026
  10. Bitencourt T, Tsymala I, et al., Phan-Canh T, et al. & Kuchler K.
    bioRxiv (preprint), 2026
  11. Cerbu D, Seiser S, Phan-Canh T, et al., Kuchler K & Elbe-Bürger A.
    Scientific Reports, 2025
  12. Kavaklıoğlu G, Podhornik A, Vcelkova T, Marjanovic M, Beck MA, Phan-Canh T, et al.
    eLife, 2025
  13. Penninger P, Brezovec H, Tsymala I, Teufl M, Phan-Canh T, et al. & Kuchler K.
    Cell Reports, 2024
  14. Bitencourt T, Nogueira F, Jenull S, Phan-Canh T, et al., Kuchler K & Lion T.
    Communications Biology, 2024
  15. Seiser S, Arzani H, Ayub T, Phan-Canh T, et al. & Kuchler K & Elbe-Bürger A.
    Microbes and Infection, 2023
  16. Jenull S, Shivarathri R, Tsymala I, Penninger P, Phan-Canh T, et al. & Kuchler K.
    mBio, 2022
  17. Shivarathri R, Chauhan M, Mazumdar R, Phan-Canh T, et al. & Kuchler K & Chauhan N.
    Methods in Molecular Biology (Candida species), 2022
Outreach Publications
  1. Phan-Canh T, Elbe-Bürger A & Kuchler K.
    SPECTRUM Dermatologie, 2026
  2. Phan-Canh T.
    Trends in Microbiology, 2026
Abstracts, Posters, and Presentations
Talk39th Annual Meeting of the ÖGHMP (Austrian Society for Hygiene, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine)
Vienna, Austria
TalkÖGMM Symposium 2026, im Rahmen des ÖIK
Saalfelden, Austria
TalkMycology Meeting, Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology
Innsbruck, Austria
Poster & Elevator TalkCandida and Candidiasis, Microbiology Society
Berlin, Germany
Poster & Poster SlamAnnual YSA PhD Symposium
Medical University of Vienna
PosterHost–pathogen interactions and virulence in human fungal pathogens, FEBS Advanced Lecture Course
France
PosterCandida and Candidiasis, Microbiology Society
Montreal, Canada
OralImmune Control of Tissue Homeostasis, TissueHome Symposium
Vienna, Austria
PosterVBC PhD Symposium
Vienna Biocenter Campus
OralScientific Seminar of Young Vietnamese Intellectuals
Prague, Czech Republic
PosterHost–pathogen interactions and virulence in human fungal pathogens, FEBS Advanced Lecture Course
France
Professional Experience
Postdoctoral Researcher
BIDMC, Harvard Medical School
  • Development of spatial multi-omics technologies for host–disease interactions
Short-term Visiting Postdoc
Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck, Austria
  • Trained PhD students and staff in genetic engineering and bioinformatics
  • Led a research project in antifungal drug discovery
PhD Candidate, Karl Kuchler Lab
Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter
  • CRISPR-based genetic manipulation, multi-omics analysis (WGS, RNA-seq, proteomics, lipidomics)
  • Host-pathogen and interkingdom interactions (yeast, in vitro with immune cells, in vivo mouse models)
  • Drug resistance, microbial immunology and fungal pathogenesis
Lecturer
School of Pharmacy, UMP, Vietnam
  • Led antimicrobial discovery projects using Myxobacteria and Streptomyces
  • Supervised undergraduates and coordinated the Mycology Laboratory
Pharmacist & System Administrator, Drug Interactions Checker
thongtinthuoc.com.vn
  • Built and maintained drug info database; led safety content review and UX
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Pharmaceutical biotechnology lab, UMP, Vietnam
  • Investigation of sporulation dynamics in Bacillus subtilis during large-scale production
  • Mathematical models to optimize sporulation production of B. subtilis
Other Technical Skills
  • Wet lab techniques: Cloning, flow cytometry, biochemical assays, mouse models, microscopy
  • Programming & Data Analysis: Proficient in R; working knowledge of Python, Bash, SQL
  • Omics Analysis: WGS, RNA-seq, proteomics, lipidomics (design, processing, interpretation); basic knowledge of scRNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics
  • Visualization: ggplot2, GraphPad Prism, FlowJo, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
  • Languages: English (professional fluency), Vietnamese (native)
Reviewing Experience
  • Editor-in-Training, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
  • Regular Reviewer for ASM Microbiology Spectrum, Pathogens and Disease, Fungal Genetics and Biology
Mentoring and Teaching

Supervision and mentorship of students (Master's, Diploma, Internships). Successfully supervised multiple students whose research projects received national awards:

  • Best Diploma Thesis Award (High School Level), Austria — 2023
    Mentee: Maja Prettner and Katja Walter
  • National Eureka Award research competition, Vietnam — 2019
    Mentee: Duong Nguyen Phi Long
  • Finding Elixir Competition at UMP, Vietnam — 2018
    Mentees: Tran Quoc Vuong, Nguyen Xuan Loc, Nguyen Thi Loan
  • Summer Research Program at UMP, Vietnam — 2017, 2018, 2019
    Mentees: Vo Linh Tu, Pham Tran Kim Quyen, Tran Thi Thu Ha
  • Developed curriculum and led student research groups at UMP — 2016–2021
Leadership and Outreach
  • Founder, PhD Talk: Seminar series for Vietnamese biologists in Austria — phdtalk.github.io (2021–2022)
  • President, Vietnamese Student Association in Austria (2022–2024)
  • Organizer of national and university science conferences (2020–2021)
  • Member, Executive Committee, Vietnamese Youth and Student Federation in Europe (2021–2024)
  • Editor, Pharmacy Brief News: A bilingual outreach publication (2020)
  • Founder, President, Pharmacy Soft Skill Club (2011–2015)
References
Sizun Jiang, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, USA
sjiang3@bidmc.harvard.edu
Karl Kuchler, PhD
Professor of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
karl.kuchler@univie.ac.at
Adelheid Elbe-Bürger, PhD
Associate Professor of Dermatology & Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
adelheid.elbe-buerger@meduniwien.ac.at
Neeraj Chauhan, PhD
Associate Professor, HMH Center for Discovery and Innovation, USA
neeraj.chauhan@hmh-cdi.org