Internationally renowned professors in pulmonary pathology, dentistry, ophthalmology, cardiology, pediatrics, nephrology, neurology, couple and family therapy, and surgery, including two experts of Hungarian descent, received honorary doctorates at the Semmelweis Salon.

This year, seven professors were awarded honorary doctorates on the proposal of the Faculty of Medicine, two on the recommendation of the Faculty of Dentistry, and one on the initiative of the Faculty of Health and Public Administration. Although written records of Semmelweis University’s first honorary doctorate titles go back to the end of the 19th century, the institution dates the present Doctor Honoris Causa Award to 1967. Since then, only national and international academics and researchers with close working relations with the university may receive the institution’s highest distinction.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Rector Dr. Béla Merkely emphasized that researchers were inspired not only by the greats of the institution but also by outstanding individuals such as this year’s honorary doctors. He pointed out that the scientific relations and cross-border cooperation with these professors played a decisive role in Semmelweis University’s increasingly high position in international rankings, most recently ShanghaiRanking’s 2024 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. “The innovative international relationships that we have developed with the professors sitting here have played a significant role in these achievements and our dynamic growth. Without these contacts, without your cooperation, Semmelweis University could not be that successful,” the rector said, adding:

The ultimate goal of research, development, and scientific work can never be anything other than to provide our patients, the people entrusted to us, with more effective therapies, better chances of recovery, and more years of good health.

After the opening ceremony, Dean Dr. Péter Nyirády presented the professors nominated by the Faculty of Medicine.

Dr. András Khoor

He is an internationally recognized lung pathologist, his research area is the molecular biology and clinicopathology of lung tumors. He obtained his medical degree at Semmelweis University in 1981. From 1984 to 1988, he was an assistant professor at the Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, and then a staff member at the Mayo Clinic. Between 2006 and 2018, he headed the Department of Pathology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. He has published nearly 100 scientific papers and authored 23 book chapters. He is a visiting professor at numerous institutions and a frequently invited lecturer worldwide. He is an editorial member of several international journals, including Human Pathology, Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and POR. He is a member of various educational, clinical, and research committees of the Mayo Clinic, and an active instructor of the Mayo Clinic’s residency training, having mentored 24 students so far. Dr. András Khoor maintains a close professional relationship with the Hungarian medical and pathologist community. He served as president of the Hungarian Medical Association of America between 2016 and 2020. Since 2016, he has been a visiting professor at Semmelweis University. He is a professional consultant and lecturer at the Institute of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research. So far, he has organized the Pulmonary Pathology workshop of the Mayo Clinic at Semmelweis University four times and has offered training opportunities for early-career pathologists to the renowned American clinic.

Dr. Tünde Pető

Her main specialty is diabetic retinopathy. She received her medical degree from the Faculty of General Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, Szeged, Hungary, in 1990 and received her PhD from the University of Newcastle, Australia in 1998.  She became a specialist in ophthalmology in 2001 at the University of Szeged. In 2016 she became the director of the Department of Ophthalmology of the Queens University Belfast; she serves as the leader of the Belfast Trust and the clinical lead of the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DESP) in Northern Ireland. She has published more than 400 peer-reviewed ophthalmic scientific articles. She played a leading role in establishing an ophthalmic screening program for diabetics, the so-called reading centers in the UK, sharing her experiences at several national and European conferences. Following the close cooperation between Queens University and Semmelweis University, a reading center has also been established at Semmelweis University, which is planned to be expanded into a national screening program in cooperation with the Hungarian Diabetes Association.

Dr. Tienush Rassaf

He obtained his medical degree from the University of Düsseldorf in 2001. In 2010 he was awarded the Heisenberg Professorship of the German Research Foundation, one of the most prestigious awards in science in Germany, for his work on cardio-protection in myocardial infarction. Since 2015, he has been the director of the Clinic for Cardiology and Vascular Medicine at the University of Essen; since 2016, he has served as the president of the West German Heart and Vascular Center in Essen. In 2024 he was appointed vice-dean of technology transfer at the Medical Faculty of the University of Essen. Dr. Tienush Rassaf is the editor of the Basic Research in Cardiology; and is a member of the editorial board of Clinical Research Cardiology, and the British Journal of Pharmacology, among others.  He is listed on several patents and authors 506 publications, with an H-index of 70 (Google Scholar). He has jointly published several papers with Semmelweis University and is working closely with the university’s Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy.

Dr. Claus Peter Schmitt

He is a professor of pediatric nephrology, hepatology, and rheumatology and chief executive consultant at the Center of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Heidelberg University. Following a two-year postdoc fellowship of the German Research Foundation and a six-year pediatric residency, he was appointed assistant professor of pediatrics in 2004 and professor of pediatrics in 2009. Claus Schmitt conducted numerous experimental studies and clinical trials on dialysis, chronic kidney disease-caused metabolic bone disorder (CKD-MBD), and other metabolic kidney diseases. He is a member of ten national and international medical associations, the IRB of the Medical Faculty Heidelberg, the European Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ESPN) Pediatric Dialysis and CKD MBD Working Groups, the German collaborative research group on reactive metabolites, and work package leader in the European Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Research Consortium. He is the co-lead of the International Pediatric Dialysis Network and heads the International Pediatric Peritoneal Biobank. He has a long-standing and close collaboration with Semmelweis University’s Pediatric Center, both in the fields of research and joint publications, as well as in hosting and mentoring young researchers.

Dr. Ajay Singh

He is the Senior Associate Dean for Postgraduate Medical Education at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Director of the Master in Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation Program. His professional relationship with Semmelweis University dates back to 2019, and he has played a pivotal role in the curriculum reform initiative that structurally renewed education at the university. In 2022, Harvard Medical School signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Semmelweis University, launching the Clinical Scholars Research Training Program at Semmelweis University. Dr. Ajay Singh’s research focuses on the anemia of chronic kidney disease, including erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. He is the author of 160 publications and review articles and is a regular contributor to the New England Journal of Medicine. He has authored or edited 11 books on internal medicine and nephrology. Since 1998, he has held a distinguished role at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, one of Harvard’s primary teaching hospitals. He leads the Office of Postgraduate Medical Education, he has served as clinical director of the Renal Division and director of Dialysis Services, as well as associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He has been executive director for the Dubai Harvard Foundation of Medical Research since 2008.

Dr. Antonio Toscano

He is the Secretary General of the European Academy of Neurology and a professor at the University of Messina. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Messina in 1981, his focus being neuromuscular research and patient care. Since 2011, he has led the Regional Reference Center for Rare Neuromuscular Disorders, he is the coordinator of the Translation Medicine and Surgery PhD Programme of the University of Messina. He is a member and advisor of several national and international professional organizations and president of the Italian Association of Myology. He has authored over 330 publications and serves on editorial boards of several prestigious journals, including Neuromuscular Disorders, the Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases, and Neurological Sciences. His work on complex disorders such as Pompe disease, limb-girdle syndromes, mitochondrial diseases, myasthenia gravis, and peripheral neuropathies has strengthened diagnostic and treatment approaches. He has had a collaboration with Semmelweis University since 1988.

Dr. Masashi Yoshida

He is considered one of the most famous Japanese surgeons, he is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He got an M.D. degree in 1988 at Kyorin University and a PhD in 2002 at Keio University School of Medicine. Hundreds of scientific publications and professional presentations are attributed to him. Throughout his career, he has held numerous executive board positions, including director of the Japanese Society for Wound Healing, and councilor of the International Society for Digestive Surgery. He is a pioneer of fluorescence-guided surgery. He helped develop the camera HyperEye Medical System. He is co-founder and vice-president of the Japanese Society for Fluorescence Guided Surgery. Since the foundation of the Japan-Hungary-Poland Surgical Society in 1996, he has organized scientific biannual symposia in these countries, helping the young generations of surgeons and research fellows develop new methods in surgery and create friendships. He has been a visiting professor at Semmelweis University since 2015, presenting annual lectures to students in the Department of Experimental Cardiology and Surgical Techniques and the Heart and Vascular Center.

Dean Dr. Gábor Gerber presented the recipients nominated by the Faculty of Dentistry:

Dr. Francesco Guido Mangano

He graduated from the University of Milan in 2003. He specializes in implant dentistry and aesthetic dentistry. He is credited with the world’s first two-year master’s degree in digital dentistry at the University of Varese. In 2016, he completed his PhD in biotechnologies, biosciences, and surgical techniques. He teaches at the Sechenov First State Medical University, the University of Hong Kong, and the University of Lyon. He is the section editor for the Digital Dentistry Section of the Journal of Dentistry, he is an associate editor for the Journal of Dental Research, Dental Clinics, Dental Prospects, and a board member of the International Journal of Prosthodontics; in addition, he works as a reviewer for some of the most important international, peer-reviewed journals with high impact factor, including the Journal of Prosthodontics, The International Journal of Computerized Dentistry, and The International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants. He is a founding member and the president-elect of the Digital Dentistry Society. He is co-author of several books on implant dentistry, his impact factor is 280, and his H-index is 38 (Scopus) and 50 (Google Scholar).

Dr. Walter Renne

He studied biology at the University of Charleston and earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Dental Medicine, where he has been teaching for more than a decade. His expertise spans a spectrum from restorative techniques to groundbreaking research in CAD/CAM dentistry and digital workflows. Over the years, he has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, furthermore, he has co-authored ten manuscripts with Semmelweis University in the last five years. He has earned several patents and national teaching awards. In 2021, he co-founded The MOD Institute, an institution dedicated to modern optimized dentistry. Passionate about 3D printing, Dr. Walter Renne currently focuses his clinical, teaching, and research efforts on this innovative technology.

Dean Dr. Beáta Dávid Pethesné presented the professor nominated by the Faculty of Health and Public Administration:

Dr. Scott R. Woolley

He is a professor in the Couple and Family Therapy Program at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, California. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an approved supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and a certified emotionally focused therapist, supervisor, and trainer. He has done nearly 400 workshops and training courses all over the world. For almost two decades, he was the systemwide director of the Couple and Family Therapy Graduate Programs at Alliant International University, responsible for all aspects of the Master’s and Doctoral programs in Marriage and Family Therapy. He is the Executive Director of the Alliant Couple and Family Clinic. Dr. Scott R. Woolley has been in regular professional contact with Semmelweis University since 2014, he has conducted faculty training, taught an elective course for graduate students, supervised the research of several doctoral students, and hosted students and faculty visiting San Diego. He has provided training to a wide range of family therapists and mental health professionals in Budapest; his workshops on the Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy method have been attended by nearly 800 professionals in Hungary.

After the laudations, Rector Dr. Béla Merkely and the deans nominating the recipients presented the honorary doctorate certificates and stoles to the awardees, followed by the professors’ acceptance speeches.

The ceremony concluded with a performance of Mozart’s Flute Quartet in A major by Letícia Ákontz-Kiss, Emese Börcsök, Gellért Csuja, and Inken Holm, musicians of the Medic Orchestra.

Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Photos by Bálint Barta – Semmelweis University