The Junior Prima Prize was awarded to outstanding young scientists for the fifteenth time this year. The award recognizes outstanding performance of young scientists, whose career has been distinguished by outstanding international results, a continued commitment to excellence in endeavors of science, research, and education in Hungary. The award ceremony will be organized at a later date. The shortlist of the awardees was announced early December. This year’s honorees include three young scientists from Semmelweis University.
Dr. Lajos Vince Kemény is a resident at the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology. Following his 5-year-long research work at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University he returned to Hungary to continue his specialized medical training. As a result of his outstanding work abroad, he published numerous prestigious internationally recognized articles. His findings shed light on the fact why redheaded patients have a higher tolerance for pain and also did research on why they like being in the sun. His research findings also contributed highly to the better understanding of the biology of melanoma. Dr. Kemény is aiming to continue his research which he had begun abroad as a Bolyai-scholarship recipient. His main research areas include the regulation of skin pigmentation and the biology of melanoma. At the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology, he is working in close collaboration with professor dr. Miklós Sárdy, dr. Sarolta Kárpáti and dr. Péter Holló. In addition to his work as supervisor in the Hungarian Research Fund, he is actively collaborating in numerous Hungarian and international scientific projects. He also acts as the secretary for the Hungarian-English section of the Hungarian Dermatological Society, where he is responsible for organizing resident long-distance education. He is a major actor in the research works of the Students’ Scientific Association..
Dr. Balázs Pósfai obtained his medical degree at Semmelweis University in 2017 and has been a member of the Neuroimmunology Scientific Group at the Institute of Experimental Medicine ever since. He is also a presidency member and secretary of the Students’ Scientific Association of Semmelweis University. He obtained his PhD degree at Semmelweis University and currently he is about to finish his doctoral studies. So far he has published 8 scientific papers, three as first author. At this time his publications’ impact factor is over 120. His outstanding scientific work and efforts has been recognized multiple times during his career. He won the scholarship of New National Excellence Program of the Ministry of Human Capacities four times, and he is a three-time winner of the National Higher Education Scholarship. Furthermore, he was granted the Semmelweis 250+ Excellence PhD Scholarship, the Semmelweis University Doctorate Excellence Prize and the Stephen W. Kuffler Research Scholarship.
Dr. Pósfai was also distinguished with the Pro Scientia’s gold medal and several awards of the Hungarian Society for Microscopy and the European Microscopy Society. His research interest focus on the microglia-neuron interactions. With the help of his previously acquired technical knowledge and his co-workers, his research team successfully discovered the structural base and the functional significance of a new type of membrane connection between the rapidly moving microglia cell extensions and neurons. The discovery has been published in the prestigious periodical “Science”. This research may contribute to developing the standards for the immuntherapy of the brain. The revolutionary findings can be a source of inspiration and hope of treating neurodegenerative diseases, which represent a serious societal and economic burden.
Dr. Éva Sághy obtained her pharmacist degree in 2012 and her PhD in 2016. She was the recipient of the Richter Gedeon Talentum Foundations scholarship. During her PhD studies she was involved in the neuropharmacological research at the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy at the University of Pécs under the direction of dr. Zsuzsanna Helyes, dr. Éva Szőke and dr. Erika Pintér. Since 2016 she has been working as senior lecturer of the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy and member of the Cardiovascular and metabolic research group under the direction of dr. Péter Ferdinandy and dr. Anikó Görbe. Her research areas include: influencing factors of ischemia and the reperfusion injury of the heart. Her research findings have been published in 19 prestigious international periodicals (6 as first author) and her research work has a long-term practical relevance in developing drugs, which have a great effect in treating comorbidities. In addition to her research activities, she is also involved in the Hungarian and German language pharmacology education. Her scientific work and effort has been recognized several times, she was awarded the Mayor’s Grant, the scholarship of the New National Excellence Program, the Young Investigator Award, the Hungarian Fuzzy Association Youth Award and the Excellent Author’s Prize. She also received a Dr. Rácz István Foundation Prize, Kovács Tibor Prize and was granted a János Bolyai Research Scholarship.
The founders of Prima Primissima made a decision in 2007 to create a special prize to support and recognize the excellence of professionals of the younger generation. The young scientist talents were nominated based on the decision of the technical committee of the Hungarian Development Bank. Similarly to the last occasions, scientists, researchers, leaders of institutes submitted their vote recommending their students and young colleagues, who they consider to be worthy of the prestigious award.
Pálma Dobozi
Source of photos: MFB
Translation: Norbert Lukács
