“Talent is essential for success, but it is worthless without perseverance and willpower, and you will be demonstrating these virtues alongside your research at this year’s Students’ Scientific Conference. As Semmelweis citizens, it is particularly important that we embrace the lessons learned from the life of our namesake, Ignác Semmelweis, that we should not be content with our daily routine, with our average performance, but should strive to offer something more,” said Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University, at the opening of the 69th Semmelweis University Students’ Scientific Conference. He also stressed that he considers it of utmost importance to identify and support talented young people who can shape the future of science with their innovative ideas, not only based on his own experience with TDK but also the need to support the next generation of scientific researchers. He also pointed out to the students that TDK not only improved their skills and perseverance but also taught them to tolerate failure and endure success. Reflecting on the career of Ignác Semmelweis, he also reminded the participants not to be discouraged if they did not perform as they had expected, as this could be a motivation to aim for better results next time. Also, since no researcher is spared rejection, it is worth holding on to one’s ideas and goals.
In his welcome address, Dr. Attila Szijártó, President of TDK and Director of the Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Gastroenterology (STéG), reminded the participants that the Students’ Scientific Conference, a Hungarian specialty, was not only a platform for presentations but also an occasion when they could experience professional debates for the first time as candidates of the next generation of Hungarian intellectuals. The mentor-mentee relationship, while helping to ensure continuity between generations of the scientific community and the further development of scientific thinking, is not outdated, even in our rapidly changing world.
In keeping with tradition, the Semmelweis University Outstanding TDK Educator Awards were presented. In the academic year 2024-2025, six mentors received this recognition from Dr. Béla Merkely and Dr. Attila Szijártó.
- Dr. Emese Ábrám, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Prosthodontics
- Dr. András Fülöp, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Gastroenterology
- Dr. Attila Kovács, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center
- Dr. Tamás Németh, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology
- Dr. Andrea Szűcs, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center
- Dr. Kálmán Tory, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Bókay Street Department of the Pediatric Center
Also at the opening ceremony, Semmelweis University’s outstanding TDK students and outstanding first-authored publications were awarded. A representative of Richter Gedeon Plc. was presented with a certificate as the outstanding supporter of the Semmelweis University Students’ Scientific Conference.
This year’s conference launched a new tradition of offering a presentation by a recent award winner. Dr. Márton Boga, Outstanding TDK Student Awardee, recalled the beginnings of his engagement in the TDK initiative and the circumstances of his choice of the topic that later became his field of scientific interest. Attila Imre, recipient of the First-Authored Publication Award, gave an insight into the process and results of his award-winning research.
Following the lectures held at the Faculty of Health Sciences on February 5, the event continued on February 6 with scientific presentations delivered simultaneously in two venues, the Nagyvárad Square Theoretical Block (NET) and the Basic Medical Science Center (EOK), as well as virtually.
The TDK conference featured 550 student presentations, of which 55 Hungarian and 19 English abstracts were classified due to pending patents. A total of 257 awards were presented, of which nearly 70 first-prize winners will be invited to participate in the 2025 National Student Research Conference (OTDK) in Pécs. The 92 second and 97 third-place finalists were nominated for OTDK candidate status to be selected as backup if someone withdraws participation. Click here for the list of awardees.
Attendees of the award ceremony listened to a presentation by Dr. András Fülöp, Assistant Professor at STéG and Outstanding TDK Educator Awardee, on how surgery and translational research have been intertwined throughout his research career.
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At the award ceremony, Dr. Péter Ferdinandy, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovations, presented the recent reform of PhD training at Semmelweis University, which, among others, allows students to start their doctoral training during their undergraduate years. He also stressed that the Translational Medicine Program offered the possibility to pursue residency and PhD training in parallel. Currently, 25 percent of PhD students participate in the program, the Vice-Rector noted. He also described how scientific results become innovations, tools, drugs, and techniques that can be used in healthcare. Finally, he advised students to check before publication whether the scientific result could be utilized in the envisaged way and, if so, to protect intellectual property beforehand.
This year marks the 14th occasion that the university has hosted the online International Student’s Conference, at which almost 50 presentations from four countries were submitted and delivered in seven sessions by the international student participants. The event was opened by Dr. Attila Szijártó, President of the Students’ Scientific Association, followed by a speech by Dr. Zoltán Benyó, President of the Doctoral Council. Click here for the abstracts of the English-language presentations and here for the list of awardees.
Melinda Katalin Kiss
Translation: Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Photos by Bálint Barta – Semmelweis University
