Outstanding student research awarded ranging from health to social sciences

More than ever before, a total of 456 presentations were nominated for the Students’ Scientific Conference of Semmelweis University. In addition to students from all faculties of the university, students from foreign higher education institutions also presented their research results in the framework of the online International Students’ Conference. Several presentations were also given behind closed doors due to the sensitive nature of their ongoing patent proceedings.

You can only be the best if you compete with the best, and the current 68th Students’ Scientific Conference (TDK) is the best opportunity to make this a reality, stated Dr. Péter Ferdinandy, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovations of Semmelweis University at the opening of this year’s conference. He recalled that the university’s vision is to be considered among the 100 best higher education institutions in the world, and among the top 5 in Europe in the field of medicine and health sciences. “We are not far from these goals, in the cardiovascular field, for example, the university is among the top 50,” Dr. Ferdinandy emphasized. According to him, this progress is due to the performance of three research groups.

He emphasized that the TDK is an important milestone for the presentation of the results, the development of research and presentation skills, and getting to know each other’s work. “I wish your current enthusiasm would accompany you throughout your entire research career and bring the desired fruits. Please do not stop at this stage of research but develop your research results further so that innovative products and services can be created on the market, with which you can contribute to the healing of patients. That’s why we introduced the option of making abstracts publicly unavailable at the conference,” highlighted Dr. Péter Ferdinandy.

More than ever before, a total of 456 research presentations were submitted to this year’s TDK conference. Of these, 68 came from foreign students, which were presented in six sections as part of the 13th Semmelweis International Students’ Conference. Citizens of Semmelweis, including over 20 international ones, submitted 88 abstracts from the field of medicine and health sciences, which were presented in 48 sections during the two-day conference. Due to ongoing patent proceedings, the presenters of 20 Hungarian- and seven English-language studies requested that the abstracts of their studies remain hidden from the public’s eye.

In his speech, President of the Students’ Scientific Association, Dr. Attila Szijártó called attention to the two Hungarian researchers recognized with the Nobel Prize last year, Dr. Katalin Karikó and Dr. Ferenc Krausz. According to him, in addition to persistent work and commitment, sometimes it happens that life itself plays a large part in the interpretation of results, and this can lead to a scientific breakthrough or getting ahead of competitors. “In addition to the luck factor, the first steps of thinking are also decisive, so I urge you to combine your scientific work with constant curiosity, to ask many valuable questions about nature, to be brave, and I ask you to challenge and overthrow paradigms!,” the president went on to say.

At the opening, Dr. Péter Ferdinandy and Dr. Attila Szijártó presented the Semmelweis University Outstanding TDK Educator Award, this year for 12 professors. In addition, four students were awarded for publishing their first study in 2023.

This year, the “Outstanding Supporter of Semmelweis University’s Students’ Scientific Conference” certificate was granted to Richter Gedeon PLC.

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In parallel with the in-person conference, the 13^th International Students’ Conference was also held via Zoom on February 8. In the opener, Dr. Alán Alpár, Chairman of the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and Dr. Attila Szijártó, President of the Students’ Scientific Association and Director of the Department of Surgery, Transplantation, and Gastroenterology welcomed the participants, who then presented their research in 7 sections (basic and clinical) in front of a three-member committee.

Representatives of the following eight universities took part in the virtual conference: