On the occasion of his 70th birthday, Dr. István Seri was greeted by his colleagues, friends and international collaborators participating in scientific cooperations. The retired professor of the 1st Department of Pediatrics was awarded the silver degree of the Pro Universitate award on the occasion.
At the beginning of the online ceremony held in compliance with epidemiological measures, Dr. Attila Szabó, Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs, President of the Clinical Center, greeted Dr. István Seri. The retired professor of the 1st Department of Pediatrics was awarded the silver degree of the Pro Universitate Award on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
Dr. István Seri graduated from Semmelweis University in 1976 as a physician, and qualified as a pediatrician in the 2nd Department of Pediatrics. Afterwards, he worked in the neonatology section of the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Here, he studied the differences in the cardiovascular system of immature preterm infants and their pharmacological influence. Based on his observations, he obtained a PhD degree in 1985. During his career, he has also worked at the Karolinska Institute, Harvard University, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition to his research work, he achieved outstanding results in clinical fields and in the field of neonatology. He has become an internationally recognized neonatologist, who established scientific cooperations across several continents. He was a founding member and head of the American Society of Perinatologists for many years. He is an outstanding lecturer, who has won the Award of Merit for Education of the University of Pennsylvania several times. He was later named the Outstanding Teacher of the Year at the University of Philadelphia.
From 2001, he became the head of the neonatology department at the University of Southern California (USC) and Professor of Pediatrics at Keck School of Medicine, Director of the Center for Fetal and Neonatal Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. He organized the Neonatology Center in the region and established one of the largest perinatology care units in the United States within the Keck School of Medicine. He developed the principles of organizationally uniform maternal-fetal care. His scientific activities have resulted in several basic insights in the field of neonatal cardiovascular regulation.
“István Seri is one of the most successful Hungarian pediatricians with a successful scientific career at the international level, who has always declared himself Hungarian, even if he spent more than 30 years of active work abroad. He came home every year, and his neonatology seminars held at Semmelweis University attracted people from all over the country. His work was recognized by Semmelweis University with the Doctor Honoris Causa award, and with an honorary membership by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In connection with his return and long-term settlement at home, he became a research professor at the 1st Department of Pediatrics of Semmelweis University”, highlighted Dr. Attila Szabó, Head of the 1st Department of Pediatrics, Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs, who also recalled his first encounter with Dr. István Seri.
“What can we learn from you? What you have always given and still give to the young, to the more experienced, and to the contemporary colleagues: partly the ability to focus, the answer to the question, the persistent search for a solution. Paying attention to small details and accurately mapping the reality that you can get to know. And although the years go by, we also learn the youthful, often almost childlike curiosity with which you search and find the answers”, pointed out Dr. Attila Szabó.
Afterwards, Dr. Miklós Kellermayer, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, held a speech in which he recalled Dr. István Seri’s most important stages in his career, as well as his most outstanding awards and honors.
“I met Professor István Seri not so long ago, in the summer of 2018, after a university ceremony. It was one of those rare moments when one immediately realizes that we are on the same frequency. Whether it is because of his sparkling eyes, his smile, or light elegance, behind which the soaring freedom of talent and spirit rises, I do not know exactly. But I was sure of that, and I am still sure that I can always count on his friendly wisdom, critical and analytical thoughts”, emphasized Dr. Miklós Kellermayer.
At the ceremony, Dr. István Seri’s colleagues, friends and international collaborators of scientific cooperations greeted the professor on the occasion of his 70th birthday:
- Dr. Tivadar Tulassay Rector Emeritus, former Head of the 1st Department of Pediatrics
- Dr. Tibor Verebély Professor Emeritus, retired Professor of the 1st Department of Pediatrics
- Dr. Tamás Machay Professor Emeritus, retired Professor of the 1st Department of Pediatrics
- Dr. Endre Sulyok, retired Professor of the Doctoral School of Health Sciences at the University of Pécs, an Honorary Member of the 1st Department of Pediatrics
- Dr. Éva Kis, retired Associate Professor of the 1st Department of Pediatrics
- Dr. János Bókay, Chief Physician of the 1st Department of Pediatrics
- Dr. Gábor Rudas Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Neuroradiology
- Dr. Martin Kluckow, Professor of Neonatology, University of Sydney, Australia
- Dr. Ben Lee, Chief Medical Officer at Sidra Medical and Research Centre, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College
- Dr. Nicholas Evans, Professor, Obstetrics Gynecology and Neonatology University of Sydney
- Dr. Gusztáv Bélteki, Consultant Neonatologist, Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow, Cambridge University Hospitals
- Dr. Zoltán Molnár, Consultant Neonatologist, Oxford University Hospitals
- Dr. Miklós Szabó, habilitated Associate Professor of the 1st Department of Pediatrics, Head of the Neonatology Departmental Group
Gallery
As the closing part of the event, Dr. István Seri thanked for the ceremony and then looked back briefly on his career: as he said, in 1976, after graduating as a physician, he still wanted to be an obstetrician-gynecologist, but he soon realized that this was not the environment for him.
“Where, in which profession are there people where competition is there but it does not dominate? It was clear that it was pediatrics”, he recalled why he had chosen his career.
He highlighted the role of his former colleagues and friends, and then also spoke about his former jobs.
“It is not worth giving up. As long as you care about what you do and it attracts you, you have to do it. You may also need to notice when it is over, when you cannot go any further, and with an intelligent decision you might have to look for something else, but you should not give up. In a person’s life, friends and luck – whom you meet, who you work with later – have a huge role to play”, Dr. István Seri said.
Ádám Szabó
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Katalin Illés-Romhányi
