In December, 84 first-year Ph.D students delivered presentations at the 3-month Progress Report of the Centre for Translational Medicine. They included specialists, residents, medical doctors and dentists, MD-Ph.D. and DMD-Ph.D. students. Alongside them, several psychologists and dietitians, a biologist, a nurse, a physical therapist, and a health economics specialist presented their research as Ph.D. students.
In early December, the CTM 3-Month Progress Report was held at Semmelweis University. The opening speech was given by Anett Rancz, Year 1 coordinator, who presented the essence of the program. “Our specific mission is to achieve a groundbreaking change in patient care. We believe in innovation as an opportunity, not a burden – an opportunity to learn new knowledge and apply it in the real world. We founded and created this new cycle model, translational medicine, a few years ago. The key here is that we ask a scientific clinical question, and after we answer it, we don’t just publish it, but circle it back into patient care and apply it as a new practice,” she said.
Dentistry and Critical Care
On the first day of the Progress Report, Ph.D. students of the Dentistry and Critical Care Group delivered their presentations. The Dentistry Group had 17 participants; in addition to dentists and DMD-Ph.D students, residents and specialists, such as a pediatric dentist, were among the presenters. The topics were diverse; for instance, one student is researching dentofacial anomalies, while another is investigating the optimal method for root canal disinfection. An interesting research might show the prevalence rate of different oral bacteria in Alzheimer’s disease. One student evaluates treatment options for peri-implant diseases and periodontitis, while another explores the spectrum of oral disorders in autoimmune diseases. There is a student searching for alternative methods in caries prevention. There are orthodontic and oral surgery topics, and there are also students dealing with psychological issues and dental management of children with special needs, or the oral health of patients with eating disorders.
The Critical Care Group had 9 Ph.D. students participating in the Progress Report. Most of them work at anesthesiology and intensive therapy departments or emergency departments. Some of them are specialists, others are clinical physicians. There are members of the group who are MD-Ph.D. students, and there is also a student who is a psychologist. The research topics are varied in this group, but what they have in common is the focus on critically ill patients. There is only one exception: the psychologist, who is investigating the link between blood circulation and depression. The medical topics are all focusing on subjects such as sepsis or resuscitation. For example, one student is researching targeted neuroprotection for post-cardiac arrest patients, and two are investigating the role of artificial intelligence in critical care. AI can be used, for example, in decision-making for extubation of mechanically ventilated patients.
Gynecology – Urology, Miscellaneous and Gastroenterology
The Gynecology – Urology Group had 14 Ph.D. students presenting their research and reporting on their progress. Participants included MD-Ph.D. students, medical doctors, residents, and a radiotherapy and clinical oncology specialist. The research topics presented were also varied for this group. For example, there was a Ph.D. student who is investigating the efficacy and safety of abiraterone and enzalutamide in patients with metastatic prostate cancer, and one who is investigating how inflammatory processes of the urinary tract may be related to genitourinary cancers. An important research topic deals with the management of breast cancer surgery complications, while another is investigating techniques in implant-based breast reconstruction. One student is researching the effect of oral contraceptive use on the risk of hematological cancers and on the risk of lung cancer. There is a student who is doing a meta-analysis on adenomyosis and infertility, and one who wants to find safe and effective techniques to increase the success of assisted reproduction. There is also a student who tries to predict the development of preeclampsia in pregnant women.
From the Miscellaneous Group, 7 Ph.D. students gave presentations. This group is very diverse, including residents, a nurse, a dietician and a health economics specialist. Their topics are also varied; for example, one student investigates the effect of insulin therapy in cystic fibrosis patients, while another researches the role of inflammation in the progression of abnormal glucose tolerance. A meta-analysis on better management of differentiated thyroid cancer is also in progress. An intriguing question is also being answered by a Ph.D student who is investigating the effects of micro- and nanoplastics on health. Another important study aims to reduce the risks of refractive surgery in ophthalmology.
There were 13 Ph.D. students from the Gastroenterology Group who participated in the Progress Report. This group includes specialists and residents in surgical, internal medicine, gastroenterology and clinical oncology fields, and also includes a clinical dietitian, a biologist and a psychologist. Many of them deal with surgical and oncological topics related to pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. For example, one of the students is trying to find opportunities for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Another student is investigating whether endoscopic sampling of pancreatic diseases is more efficient if the sample is immediately examined macroscopically by an endoscopist. Another topic related to pancreatic cancer is what PET-MRI can add to the diagnosis of this disease. There is also a first-year student who is researching the risk factors for pancreatic cancer diagnosed before the age of fifty. Students are also researching the best treatment strategy for pancreatic cancer that is still operable. The meta-analysis of the biologist wants to clarify the role of gut microbiome in acute pancreatitis. The dietitian is trying to clarify clinical questions on inflammatory bowel disease in her study, while the psychologist is dealing with eating disorders, and investigating the links between IBS and functional dyspepsia.
Dermatology – Pediatrics, Cardiology – Sport Science
The third day of the Progress Report started with presentations from the 11 members of the Dermatology – Pediatrics Group. This group includes MD-Ph.D students, medical doctors, residents and specialists, and a psychologist. Some students are investigating the accuracy of optical diagnostic imaging techniques for basal cell carcinoma, while others are dealing with the skin microbiome. There is also a research topic on psoriasis, investigating how new biological treatments affect the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with psoriasis. One of the Ph.D. students is conducting research on psychotherapy in atopic dermatitis. There is a research also investigating how biological therapy for psoriasis affects the risk of inflammatory bowel disease. The Ph.D. students who are researching in the field of pediatrics deal with topics in nephrology, gastroenterology, pediatric intensive care, and neonatology. For example, there is one student who is researching the role of psychological interventions in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease, while another is investigating the impact of depression and anxiety on IBD activity. There is also a student who is researching IgA vasculitis with nephritis. The group’s psychologist member is investigating the prognostic accuracy of different biomarkers for the detection of neurocognitive deficits in children with neonatal encephalopathy, and her presentation was also interesting.
The Cardiology – Sport Science Group had 13 students present their research at the Progress Report. Members of this group include MD-Ph.D. students, medical doctors, residents, and a physical therapist. The research topics are diverse in this group; for example, a student is comparing the safety and effectiveness of pacing modalities in patients with bradycardia, and one is investigating the optimal timing of coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with acute myocardial infarction. In addition to cardiology, research topics cover orthopedics, neurosurgery, oncology and psychiatry. For example, a psychiatry student is investigating the correlation between heart rate variability and the severity of anxiety. There is also research comparing the safety and effectiveness of kinematic and mechanical alignment in total knee arthroplasty. There is a meta-analysis that investigates the role of alternative treatment methods of lung cancer, and one that explores the effect of radiation lobectomy in patients with liver tumors. These are also research topics with great potential for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of medicine and patient care.
(Szabó Emese)