Nyitólap / Kutatás / Kutatócsoportok /

Translational Medicine

Prof. Dr. Zsolt Molnar is an anesthesiologist and intensive therapist. As from 1 st January, 2024 he has been appointed as Head of Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest. Previously he held a part time professorship at the same Department and worked also for the Centre for Translational Medicine, also at the Semmelweis University. Parallel holds a part time professorship at the department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, and worked as a visiting professor at the University of Novi Sad for years.
He has been heavily involved in several clinical-engineering collaborations and translational medicine. He was a member in the Medical Advisory Board of PULSION Medical (now Getinge) between 2005-2019. From 2019-2024 he served as Senior Medical Director at CytoSorbents Europe, Berlin, Germany, helping to find the right place of extracorporeal hemoadsorption in the critically ill patients. Since 2019 he has been leading of the Critical Care Study Group at the Centre for Translational Medicine at Semmelweis University.
His general main research interests are: sepsis related hemodynamic changes, fluid therapy, markers of inflammation, extracorporeal cytokine removal in hyperinflammation, oxygen debt and perioperative intensive care. Ha has been a regular invited speaker on large international, regional and national conferences all over Europe and overseas as well, with more than 300 invited international lectures over the last 5 years. He is a member of the European Society of
Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM).
He has been reviewing for most leading journals in intensive care medicine and anesthesiology for several years. He is also the member of the editorial board of several
international journals. He has published more than 260 articles, with an Independent citation index (Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RmhzXrIAAAAJ&hl=hu&oi=ao): 8455, a Hirsch-index of 43, and he is ranked as D1 researcher in Medical Sciences in Hungary with a total score of 99% (scientometrics.org, last updated: 16-02-2026). 
One of his most important initiatives is the organization of a regular Central and Eastern European sepsis conference, called SepsEast, that is held biannually since 2012, of which he is now the Honorary President.

 

 PhD programs at Semmelweis University (PhD-, and project-students, publications, international collaborations):

 

  1. Klementina Ocskay (3rd year, Semmelweis University, Center for Translational Medicine):

Our research has focused on extracorporeal therapies for acute-on-chronic liver failure and we have been running a COVID-19 registry led by the Centre for Translational Medicine.

Publications:

  1. Ocskay, K., Kanjo, A., Gede, N. et al.Uncertainty in the impact of liver support systems in acute-on-chronic liver failure: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.  Intensive Care 11, 10 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13613-020-00795-0
  2. Ocskay, K.; Tomescu, D.; Faltlhauser, A.; Jacob, D.; Friesecke, S.; Malbrain, M.; Kogelmann, K.; Bogdanski, R.; Bach, F.; Fritz, H.; Hartjes, A.; Kortgen, A.; Soukup, J.; Utzolino, S.; van Tellingen, M.; Träger, K.; Schumacher, U.; Brunkhorst, F.M.; Molnar, Z. Hemoadsorption in ‘Liver Indication’—Analysis of 109 Patients’ Data from the CytoSorb International Registry.  Clin. Med.2021, 10, 5182. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10215182
  3. Kanjo, A., Ocskay, K., Gede, N. et al.Efficacy and safety of liver support devices in acute and hyperacute liver failure: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Sci Rep 11, 4189 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83292-z
  4. Marcell Virág, Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Tamás Leiner, Balázs Horváth, Daniel Adam Blanco, Alexa Vasquez, László Bucsi, Ágnes Sárkány and Zsolt Molnár. Extracorporeal cytokine removal in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a case series. Front. Med. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.760435
  5. 40th International Symposium on Intensive Care & Emergency Medicine 2021. Crit Care25, 383 (2021). doi: 10.1186/s13054-021-03769-1 P206
  6. Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Anikó Görbe et al. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) Indicated Frailty is Associated with Increased In-Hospital and 30-Day Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 02 June 2021, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-569798/v1]
  7. Virág M, Leiner T, Rottler M, Ocskay K, Molnar Z. Individualized Hemodynamic Management in Sepsis. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2021; 11(2):157. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm11020157

 

  1. Anna Kanjo (3rd year, Heim Pál Országos Gyermekgyógyászati Intézet):

We have been focusing on extracorporeal blood purification methods in liver dysfunction and septic shock.

Publications:

  1. Kanjo, A., Ocskay, K., Gede, N. et al.Efficacy and safety of liver support devices in acute and hyperacute liver failure: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Sci Rep 11, 4189 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83292-z
  2. Kanjo A, Molnar Z, Zádori N, et al. Dosing of Extracorporeal Cytokine Removal In Septic Shock (DECRISS): protocol of a prospective, randomised, adaptive, multicentre clinical trial. BMJ Open 2021;11:e050464. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2021-050464

International collaboration:

  1. Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electronics and Informatics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium (Prof. Manu Malbrain)
  2. Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Warsaw, Poland (Prof. Konstanty Szuldrzynski)
  3. Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum Emden, Emden, Germany (Dr. Klaus Kogelmann)
  4. Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy and Pain Treatment, Poznan University for Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Prof. Krzystof Kusza)

 

  1. Piroska Pázmány (3rd year, Heim Pál Országos Gyermekgyógyászati Intézet):

Our main research interest is acute pancreatitis and the interpretation and importance of inflammatory biomarkers in the exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Publications:

  1. Pázmány P, Soós A, Hegyi P, Dohos D, Kiss S, Szakács Z, Párniczky A, Garami A, Péterfi Z and Molnár Z (2021) Inflammatory Biomarkers Are Inaccurate Indicators of Bacterial Infection on Admission in Patients With Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease—A Systematic Review and Diagnostic Accuracy Network Meta-Analysis. Front. Med. 8:639794. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.639794

International collaboration:

  1. Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München (Dr. Tobias Lahmer)

 

  1. Marcell Virág (2nd year, Fejér Megyei Szent György Egyetemi Oktató Kórház):

We have two main research interes: extracorporeal hemoadsorption in COVID-19 patients and perioperative goal directed fluid therapy in major abdominal surgery.

Publications:

  1. Marcell Virág, Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Tamás Leiner, Balázs Horváth, Daniel Adam Blanco, Alexa Vasquez, László Bucsi, Ágnes Sárkány and Zsolt Molnár. Extracorporeal cytokine removal in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a case series. Front. Med. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.760435
  2. 40th International Symposium on Intensive Care & Emergency Medicine 2021. Crit Care25, 383 (2021). doi: 10.1186/s13054-021-03769-1 P206
  3. Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Anikó Görbe et al. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) Indicated Frailty is Associated with Increased In-Hospital and 30-Day Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 02 June 2021, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-569798/v1]
  4. Virág M, Leiner T, Rottler M, Ocskay K, Molnar Z. Individualized Hemodynamic Management in Sepsis. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2021; 11(2):157. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm11020157

 

  1. Máté Rottler (2nd year, Fejér Megyei Szent György Egyetemi Oktató Kórház):

We have focused on COVID-19 patients, their frailty assessment, and also the hemostatic changes in COVID-19 patients.

Publications:

  1. Marcell Virág, Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Tamás Leiner, Balázs Horváth, Daniel Adam Blanco, Alexa Vasquez, László Bucsi, Ágnes Sárkány and Zsolt Molnár. Extracorporeal cytokine removal in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a case series. Front. Med. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.760435
  2. 40th International Symposium on Intensive Care & Emergency Medicine 2021. Crit Care25, 383 (2021). doi: 10.1186/s13054-021-03769-1 P206
  3. Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Anikó Görbe et al. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) Indicated Frailty is Associated with Increased In-Hospital and 30-Day Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 02 June 2021, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-569798/v1]
  4. Virág M, Leiner T, Rottler M, Ocskay K, Molnar Z. Individualized Hemodynamic Management in Sepsis. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2021; 11(2):157. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm11020157

 

  1. Tamás Leiner (2nd year, Anaesthetic Department, Hinchingbrooke Hospital, North West Anglia, NHS Foundation Trust, Huntingdon, United Kingdom)

In addition to COVID-19 projects we also investigated the role of frailty assessment in patients undergoing emergency, non-cardiac surgery.

Publications:

  1. Marcell Virág, Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Tamás Leiner, Balázs Horváth, Daniel Adam Blanco, Alexa Vasquez, László Bucsi, Ágnes Sárkány and Zsolt Molnár. Extracorporeal cytokine removal in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a case series. Front. Med. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.760435
  2. 40th International Symposium on Intensive Care & Emergency Medicine 2021. Crit Care25, 383 (2021). doi: 10.1186/s13054-021-03769-1 P206
  3. Máté Rottler, Klementina Ocskay, Anikó Görbe et al. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) Indicated Frailty is Associated with Increased In-Hospital and 30-Day Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 02 June 2021, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-569798/v1]
  4. Virág M, Leiner T, Rottler M, Ocskay K, Molnar Z. Individualized Hemodynamic Management in Sepsis. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2021; 11(2):157. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm11020157

 

  1. Emőke Henrietta Kovács (1st year, Semmelweis University, Dept. Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy):

Our primary interest is the hemostatic changes measured by dynamic viscoelastic tests in COVID-19 patients on different dfoses of anticoagulation and also treated with or without interleukin-6 antagonists.

Publications:

  1. Emőke Henrietta Kovacs, János Fazakas, Krisztián Tánczos: Commentary: CytoSorb Therapy in COVID-19 (CTC) patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a multicenter, retrospective registry. (Submitted for publication – under review)

 

Project student: Bo Young Lee (4th year medical student)

International collaboration:

  1. Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Insbruck, Austria (Dr. Dietmar Fries)

 

  1. Caner Turan (1st year, Semmelweis University, Dept. Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy):

Our research work is about perioperative care with glucocorticoids and goal-directed fluid therapy for patients who are undergoing liver surgery; and hemoadsorption therapy in critical care for patients with liver dysfunction. With my work, I aim to improve the safety of liver surgery and guide future clinical research for treatment options in critical care.

Project student: Isil Atakan, 4th year medical student

 

  1. Anna Réka Sebestyén (1st year, Semmelweis University, Dept. Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy):

We focus on new perioperative interventions to enhance recovery after major abdominal surgery, with special interest on preoperative oral carbohydrate loading (meta-analysis) and on the role of individualized, multimodal goal directed intraoperative fluid therapy during major pancreatic surgery (clinical trial).

Project student: Máté Baka (4th year medical student)

International collaboration:

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Center of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany (Prof. Bernd Saugel)

 

  1. Gergő Vilmos Szabó (1st year, Semmelweis University, Center for Translational Medicine, Fejér Megyei Szent György Egyetemi Oktató Kórház)

We have been investigating whether the use of point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) enhances time to diagnosis and appropriate treatment or not, in patients admitted with acute onset chest pain to the emergency department, and our other topic is to determine whether 0.9% saline or balanced crystalloid solutions are better for fluid resuscitation in diabetic ketoacidosis?

Project student: Stefanie Madzsar (5th year medical student)

 

  1. Ambrus Szemere (1st year, Semmelweis University, Dept. Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy):

Our work is focused on the sleep and circadian rhythm of critically ill patients in the pediatric intensive care unit; and the effectiveness and safety of protocolized sedation in pediatric critical care. The aim of my research is to improve sedation practice in the pediatric intensive care unit and to contribute to the universal implementation of international guidelines of sedation in pediatric intensive therapy.

Project student: Rani Ezzeddine (5th year medical student)

 

  1. Csenge Szigetváry (1st year, Semmelweis University, Dept. Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy):

We are interested in personalised mechanical ventilation in patients undergoing major surgery, building up a Hungarian registry on patients ventilated for hypoxemic respiratory failure and in the role of extracorporeal cytokine removal in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Project student: Fadl Kobeissi (4th year medical student)