Vietnam Raman-AI Network
A network initiated by BIRALAB that connects Vietnamese research groups working on Raman spectroscopy, surface-enhancement materials and machine learning for spectral data. The goal is deliberately concrete: share the instruments that already exist, measure against one common preprocessing standard, and publish together.
What this network is for
Raman instruments are not entirely absent in Vietnam, but they are scattered: every unit has its own laser configuration, its own baseline correction habit, its own convention for recording acquisition conditions. As a result, measurements from two groups are almost impossible to compare, and each group has to rebuild the whole data pipeline from scratch.
BIRALAB does not aim to own the largest number of instruments. The role we claim is the analytics and standardisation layer: an open preprocessing standard, open spectral datasets and explainable AI models that every group in the network can apply to its own data.
The network is non-profit, charges no membership fee, and creates no exclusivity obligation for the host institutions of participating groups.
Four principles of participation
These four principles are the conditions of entry. They are written briefly so that any group can tell at a glance whether it fits.
Voluntary, no fee
No membership fee, no financial obligation. A group joins or leaves the network with a single email; no administrative agreement between host institutions is required to start.
Reciprocity
A group that uses another group's instrument time, SERS substrates or datasets contributes back according to its own capacity: instrument time, reference samples, measurement staff, or anonymised data. The network has no members who only receive.
Credit where it is due
Authorship is agreed in writing before experiments begin, based on actual contribution and following the CRediT role taxonomy. Whoever measured the samples, processed the data and wrote the paper is all named.
A shared data standard
Data exchanged within the network must carry complete acquisition conditions: laser wavelength and power, integration time, objective, spectral range, sample preparation. Preprocessing steps are documented against the BIRALAB preprocessing standard so that results can be reproduced.
Four concrete benefits
These are what a group receives immediately upon joining, not a long-term promise.
Shared instruments
The network directory publicly lists the equipment each group is willing to share time on: Raman systems by laser wavelength, surface-enhanced Raman (SERS) substrates, sample preparation equipment, edge computing devices for on-site inference. A group that needs a configuration it does not own contacts the owner directly, with no intermediary.
Joint research and co-authorship
BIRALAB actively matches groups with complementary strengths: a materials and SERS group with a deep learning group, a group with clinical sample access with a group that has measurement capacity. The target output is joint papers in Q1 and Q2 journals and cross-institutional projects.
Annual workshop
One Vietnam Raman-AI workshop per year, hosted by member units in rotation, free of charge for network members. The programme prioritises talks backed by real data and hands-on sessions on the preprocessing standard rather than review presentations.
Open standards and tools
Members may use the BIRALAB preprocessing standard, the open spectral datasets and the group's open-source tools, and may propose changes to the standard. This is the shortest path to having one group's results independently verified by another.
Join in three steps
The whole process runs over email; no inter-institutional paperwork is needed at the first step.
Submit the application
Fill in the form: group name, host institution, group leader, contact email, research focus, and the equipment your group can share time on. The record is stored with the status “in discussion”.
Discuss and agree the scope
BIRALAB replies within 10 working days to agree the scope of equipment and data sharing and the authorship arrangement. If either side needs a formal agreement, the file is submitted through the International School, VNU Hanoi.
Appear in the directory
Once the group leader confirms what may be made public, the record moves to member status and appears in the directory together with the shared-equipment column so that other groups can get in touch.
Network figures
The network directory is being built. Figures will appear here as soon as the first group confirms its participation.
Groups currently being invited
BIRALAB is in discussion with the six groups below to form the first nucleus of the network. This is an invitation list, not a list of confirmed members.
NanoBioPhotonics group
Institute of Physics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology
Nanophotonics, surface-enhanced Raman substrates, optical biosensing
Nanomaterials for optical sensing group
Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology
Metallic nanomaterial fabrication, reproducible SERS substrates, materials characterisation
Biomedicine and Health group
International School, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
Biomedical data, epidemiology, human-subject study design and research ethics
Applied spectroscopy for agriculture group
Thai Nguyen University
Agricultural produce analysis, pesticide residues, mycotoxins in grain
Spectroscopy and materials group
University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City
Molecular spectroscopy, optical materials, reference measurement methods
Applied physics group
Hanoi National University of Education
Applied physics, spectral simulation, training teachers and students in spectroscopic methods
Any group that confirms participation moves to the member directory together with its shared-equipment information. If your group is not on this list you can still apply as usual — the list reflects the order in which we made contact, not an eligibility condition.
Apply to join the network
Any research group, laboratory or department with spectroscopy instruments, sample access, or machine learning capacity for spectral data may apply. Membership is not restricted to public institutions.
The information below is used for the initial discussion and, after you confirm it, for the public directory. Until a group confirms, its record stays in the “in discussion” state and does not appear on the website.