University of Szeged

Hődör Gábor’s photographies have already been chosen “best astronomy photo of the month” by National Geographic twice. Besides that, the SZTE alumni has already won several other competitions. His pictures are regularly published and awarded by international photography portals, the Hungarian Astronomical Association and the National Geographic Magazine.

Despite a growing number of participants, the University of Szeged managed to maintain its position from last year and get ranked 201-250 by the Latest Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings. With these results the University of Szeged secures its position among the best universities in Hungary.

The University of Szeged was ranked as Hungary’s best university according the QS World University Rankings, and it also has outstanding results in the 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject. According to the list of the British Quacquarelli Symonds, SZTE is in the top 2% of the world’s higher education institutions.

For developing the vaccine that plays key role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Katalin Karikó is receiving the prestigious Doctor Honoris Causa title from the University of Szeged. The Senate of the University of Szeged unanimously supported the decision to award the Alumna who received both her Biology and Doctoral degree at the old József Attila University of Szeged.

For the musician brothers, István Benedekfi and Zoltán Benedekfi the University of Szeged was their Alma Mater, but today they are spreading knowledge as lecturers of the University. The young talents are associated with an own course, a unique performance style and a soundtrack nominated for Oscar.

A breakthrough has been achieved by the examination of a new type of neuron called ‘rosehip’ neuron, which has not been observed before in any kind of laboratory animals. The discovery is the result of cooperation between biologist professor Gábor Tamás and scientists of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. The single-cell based method leading to a fundamental result can be used in diagnostics.

Biologist Dávid Mucsi, graduate of the University of Szeged, spent a month doing research in Hermanus, South Africa. He observed sharks, measured their hormone levels and studied them with video traps.

Zoltán Novák MD is professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Szeged. He has not only been elected to be one of the best 100 physicians of Hungary, but he also recites in French in his free time. In their working time, they teach university students while they are in search of a remedy for incurable diseases, they create innovative inventions or explore the secrets of space.

If disease is chaos, the mathematical methods of resolving irregular processes within the body support the healing process. Two mathematicians of the Bolyai Institute, University of Szeged (SZTE) are able to tame chaos.

The perovskite family of materials holds out a hope for “dirt cheap” electricity. Why? As a result of their cooperation with American partners, this question is answered by Csaba Janáky, assistant professor of the SZTE, and his student and doctoral candidate, Gergely Samu, in the 4 articles published in the technical journal of the American Chemical Society within 7 months’ time.

During their working hours they teach university students, seek out remedies for incurable diseases, think up innovative inventions or explore the secrets of the universe. What do they change into after taking off the white coat at the end of their shift? How do the professors and researchers of the University of Szeged spend their free time? In our “Scientific hobbies” section we have asked Zsolt Datki, a neurobiologist at the Psychiatric Clinic of the Medical Faculty of the University of Szeged.

Shared Service Centres (SSCs) represent one of Hungary’s fastest-growing sectors and offer a variety of positions in a number of major Hungarian cities – including Szeged – for young graduates, with or without experience, who speak foreign languages.

Scientists at the University of Szeged are looking for ways to detect the early signs of periodontitis and oral cancer. They are also looking into the causes of these conditions, which are widespread in Hungary, as well as studying the possibilities to improve prevention and the factors influencing treatment.

A new research programme investigating the possibilities for treating neurological, inflammatory and degenerative muscle diseases has been launched. The programme will involve researchers from the University of Szeged and from the Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Science, Szeged.

Antibiotic resistance – pathogenic bacteria becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics – is a major threat to public health. This problem is exacerbated by multidrug resistance where bacteria are often resistant to multiple antibiotics and antibiotic resistance may become the leading cause of death by 2050.

Szeged and its university celebrated the 80th anniversary of Albert Szent-Györgyi’s Nobel Prize-awarding at the end of October. The celebration was unusual and remarkable with the presence of Marcia Szent-Györgyi, wife of the researcher and former rector of the University of Szeged.

Adonis vernalis (pheasant’s eye), Ajuga laxmannii (bugleweed), Anchusa barrelieri (Barrelier’s bugloss), Ranunculus illyricus, Silene bupleuroides (catchfly), Viola ambigua (violet), Vinca herbacea (herbaceous periwinkle) and many other rare flowering plants, totalling 82 are included in a plant rescue programme currently underway at the Botanical Garden of the University of Szeged.

A research programme for the development of novel diagnostic and therapy procedures for rare diseases has been launched at the University of Szeged. The programme focuses on rare metabolic diseases, genetically determined heart diseases and skin diseases.

The Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine (HCEMM) has been founded in Szeged. The project, with over 15 billion HUF funding, focuses on biomedical research and diagnostics of non-communicable, widespread and common disease, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer and inflammatory diseases, which claim around 30 million victims each year worldwide.

Researchers at the University of Szeged (SZTE) are developing intelligent materials that may be useful for special energy sources and also in the development of new methods for the storage of power, such as solar power.

Latest findings by Szeged researchers: intelligence could be determined by human-specific brain characteristics and, in turn, as the Achilles heels of the brain these could also be responsible for the development of certain brain disorders.

“What is the essence of research? We might say that it is making a new search, that is re-searching. The problem posed and the questions asked in science do not change, but developments in methodology can bring about new results,” states Antal Berényi, leader of a group that carries out research in a really friendly atmosphere, who also teaches students of medicine at the University of Szeged.

Designer drugs are getting more and more popular at clubs and pubs. We talked with Róbert Gáspár, the vice-dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy responsible for education and public relations, about the tendencies that show in the drug consumption of young people, the most popular substances, and about what can we do for drug-free entertainment.

He is both loved and hated: both the scientific and science-popularizing lectures and articles of molecular biologist Zsolt Boldogkői are immensely influential. A Google search for his name leads to 7600 hits. He has over 4600 friends on Facebook, but his appearances in the media have also provoked highly critical comments and letters threatening him with legal action.

Students at the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Science and Informatics at the University of Szeged regularly complete both locally and internationally with vehicles that they themselves have designed and constructed.

“There is no revolution.” “The changing of the guards is seamless.” This is the message conveyed by the fact that the resigning and prospective rectors of the University of Szeged have both participated at cabinet and senate meetings since the beginning of 2018, and that they appear together, as they did, for example, at the spring job fair and similar events, and that they jointly speak to the Chinese delegation. So it is only natural that the two professors, Gábor Szabó, who is performing the last weeks of his rector's assignment, and László Rovó, who is preparing for taking over the SZTE’s governorship, were asked for a joint interview by the University of Szeged Magazine, to account for the past and to look into the future before the turn on the 1^st of July 2018.