Szeged University Medical Alumni Association

Honored by the Medical School for their exceptional contributions in teaching, research, and service, 4 newly appointed Emeritus Professors received the title:

Prof. Dr. Varga Endre
Prof. Dr. Tiszlavicz László
Prof. Dr. Facskó Andrea
Prof. Dr. Ábrahám György István

Congratulations!

Leonidas Papastavrou (Class of 1996)

MD, FETCS, FEBTS
Thoracic Surgeon
Head of Department of Head of Robotic Thoracic Surgery,
Athens Medical Centre

Congratulations Leonidas! We are very proud of you

Priorities of the New Dean: Education and Research

Professor Márta Széll assumed the position of Dean of the Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School at the University of Szeged on 30 May 2026, succeeding Professor György Lázár. She is the first woman to lead the Medical School in its history.

Professor Széll earned her degree in molecular biology in Szeged and began her scientific career in plant molecular biology at the Biological Research Centre, Szeged. In 1999, she joined the research group of the Department of Dermatology, where, under the mentorship of Professors Lajos Kemény and Zsuzsanna Bata, she acquired the foundations of medical research and the methodological approach essential for its design, implementation, and interpretation. Since 2012, she has served as Head of the Department of Medical Genetics at the Medical School.

’Our primary focus is genetic diagnostics, encompassing both cytogenetic testing at the chromosome level and molecular genetic diagnostics at the DNA level. In addition to providing genetic diagnostic services for the Southern region of Hungary, we perform several highly specialized procedures and tests on a national scale. Our department is also responsible for teaching Clinical Genetics and Genomics to fourth-year medical students in the Hungarian, English, and German programs. Genetics is becoming an increasingly important part of everyday medical practice, making it essential for future physicians to gain a solid understanding of this field,’ Professor Széll explained.

Between 2014 and 2018, she served as Vice Dean for Scientific and International Affairs at the Medical School. Since the summer of 2026, she has been leading the faculty as Dean. According to the University’s announcement, the continued development of education and research will be among her highest priorities in the years ahead.

’We must identify the most effective ways to help today’s students acquire knowledge in an era when the volume and complexity of medical and biological information far exceed what previous generations encountered. It is estimated that medical and biological knowledge now doubles every 73 days,’ the new Dean noted.

Professor Széll also places particular emphasis on strengthening research activities at the Medical School: ’The scientific work carried out at the Medical School is of exceptionally high quality and contributes significantly to the University’s overall research performance. Several of our research groups and laboratories are recognized among the leaders in their respective fields internationally. It is our shared responsibility to support and further develop these activities, while also helping to educate and inspire the next generation of researchers and scientists.’

Professor Lázár Retires as Dean and Head of Department

As of 30 May 2026, the Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School of the University of Szeged has a new dean. The outgoing dean, Professor György Lázár, led the Medical School for two consecutive terms spanning eight years (2018–2026).

Among the most significant milestones of this period was the renaming of the Medical School, which took the name of Albert Szent-Györgyi — former dean of the Faculty and rector of the University of Szeged. The change reflected the institution’s strong intellectual connection to the Nobel laureate’s legacy, work, and philosophy.

One of the major priorities of the past eight years was the reform of the medical curriculum in Szeged. Implemented in two phases over several years, the curriculum was modernized in terms of teaching hours, structure, content, and emphasis in both theoretical and clinical subjects.

Another important objective was to strengthen the institution’s scientific performance. The Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School consistently achieves outstanding results in both national and international rankings. This success is the result of collective effort and strong academic collaboration. Research activity, scientific publications, high-impact studies, and the growing number of qualified faculty members have all contributed to these achievements.

Alongside developments in education and research, infrastructure modernization also played a central role. The former building of the Department of Surgery was renovated and repurposed for educational use. The Banga Ilona Health Sciences Training Center has become a multifunctional facility meeting 21st-century standards, worthy of the legacy of Nobel laureates Albert Szent-Györgyi and Katalin Karikó.

On the occasion of Professor György Lázár’s 65th birthday, the Department of Surgery and the South Hungarian Regional Chapter of the Hungarian Surgical Society organized a jubilee scientific meeting on Saturday, 30 May. More than 150 guests gathered at the Banga Ilona Health Sciences Training Center to honor the professor, who, in addition to concluding his term as dean, also stepped down as Chair of the Department of Surgery after more than two decades in the position (2004–2026). Surgeons and colleagues arrived from across Hungary, joined by faculty members and clinical staff from Szeged.

Attila Paszt, the newly appointed head of the Department of Surgery, emphasized the symbolic significance of the venue, noting that Professor Lázár had spent a considerable part of his professional life in the lecture hall of the former surgical hospital, where he had also begun his medical career. Rolland Gyulai, Vice Dean for General Affairs, welcomed Professor Lázár on behalf of the Dean’s Office and presented him with the faculty’s silver commemorative medal. András Papp, President of the Hungarian Surgical Society, highlighted that György Lázár has spent more than four decades teaching, performing surgeries, and contributing to the advancement of medicine.

Following the welcome speeches, professional presentations were delivered on the history and development of surgical care in Szeged. Speakers discussed advancements in kidney transplantation, minimally invasive surgery, vascular surgery, as well as breast, pancreatic, and liver surgery. At the end of the meeting, the outgoing department chair was surprised with a humorous photo montage featuring memorable moments from his decades at the department.

Professor Lázár also received several gifts, including a smoker, an 1881 surgical textbook, and a large celebratory cake prepared for the more than 150 guests attending the event. The Professor himself presented symbolic gifts as well. He handed over the ceremonial key of the Department of Surgery — carved from a scalpel — to his successor, Associate Professor Attila Paszt, and presented a sculpture depicting a human liver to his deputy, Professor András Petri, a pioneer of liver surgery in Szeged.

Professor Lázár also spoke about his plans following retirement. He emphasized that his passion for medicine remains unchanged, and that he intends to continue operating for as long as possible, remain active in academic work, and dedicate more time to teaching and passing on his professional experience to younger generations.

Photos: Sahin-Tóth István and Karnok Csaba

It is that time of the year again . . . graduation 2026 🎓👏🍾

Warmest congratulations on your well-deserved success!

The Center of Gastroenterology at the University of Szeged Has Received International IBUS Accreditation

The Center of Gastroenterology at the University of Szeged is the first in Hungary to receive accreditation from the International Bowel Ultrasound Group (IBUS) as a training center for intestinal ultrasound (IUS), which is considered a significant international professional recognition.

Thanks to this accreditation, specialists from around the world will be able to come to Szeged for high-quality IUS training in the future, and the center can become an active participant and initiator of domestic and international clinical trials and research collaborations. The wider application of modern, rapid, and non-invasive intestinal ultrasound examinations also facilitates more accurate monitoring of inflammatory bowel diseases and more personalized treatment for patients.

The training center is led by Prof. Dr. Tamás Molnár, who is the only person in Hungary to have passed the IBUS-XP exam, while Dr. Klaudia Farkas, Dr. Emese Ivány, and Dr. Bernadett Farkas have joined the international training program; Dr. Mariann Rutka and Dr. Péter Bacsur play key roles in clinical and scientific work.

Open University at SZTE: An International Success Story

In just a few years, SZTE’s Open University program has grown into one of the University’s most successful and distinctive educational initiatives. Open to both the SZTE community and the wider EUGLOH Alliance, the program offers an inspiring international environment for interdisciplinary learning. Now entering its sixth year, it continues to attract hundreds of students from across Europe each semester.

Building on strong foundation and reinterpreting it for a digital learning environment, EUGLOH Open University evolved into a new model for international learning. Featuring high-quality lectures delivered in English and designed to remain accessible to a broad audience, the program explores timely topics that resonate with both specialists and non-specialists.

Every Thursday evening, team members coordinate speakers, moderators, and the digital infrastructure behind the broadcasts – ensuring that students across Europe can participate in the lectures live, regardless of location.

Each semester is organized around a broad central theme, explored from multiple perspectives by scholars representing a range of academic disciplines and interdisciplinary fields. The themes explored over the years have been just as diverse as the voices and perspectives behind them. The course has addressed topics such as attention, the many meanings and functions of the placebo effect, the relationship between fact and fiction, and the interplay between religion and science.

Within this intellectually and culturally diverse environment, students from a variety of academic backgrounds can engage more easily with the topics while developing a deeper understanding of them. Perspectives from the humanities, the arts, and the social sciences play a particularly important role in shaping the program.

Alongside faculty members from the University of Szeged, the series regularly welcomes guest speakers from EUGLOH partner institutions and, beyond the alliance, experts from other Hungarian and European organizations as well as researchers teaching at leading universities in the United States. Through SZTE’s contributions to the initiative, EUGLOH students have had the opportunity to learn from scholars affiliated with University of California, Berkeley, Brown University, Duke University, and Georgetown University.

Since the 2020/21 academic year, the course has been offered each semester through the University’s online academic platform and, in keeping with its international mission, has been delivered entirely in English. Throughout the semester, students can join lectures via livestream and complete an online exam at the end of the course to demonstrate what they have learned. Those who successfully complete the program earn three academic credits.

With 140 lectures reaching a total of 5,694 participating students what began as a local initiative has developed into a teaching model recognized across Europe. Through its interdisciplinary outlook, international speakers, and innovative digital format, SZTE’s Open University offers a learning experience that extends well beyond the framework of a traditional university course.

This year marked the very first 'ballagás' of the fifth year students in the German Program, so all 5th-year medical students in the English, Hungarian and German Program said good-bye to formal, classroom-based education together. We wish you best of luck for the forthcoming exam period and the approaching internship year!

Efficiency of Robotics in Cardiology

With the new navigated robotic surgical system, Szeged University will rank among Europe’s leading centers in education, research, and patient care.

The Stereotaxis Genesis is a robotic magnetic catheter navigation system developed primarily for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. The uniqueness of the technology lies in the fact that catheter guidance is achieved with a computer-controlled magnetic field. As a result, the catheter tip can be moved within the heart with exceptional precision and delicacy.

The system creates a controlled magnetic field in the patient’s chest using magnets positioned on both sides, which act on tiny magnets embedded in the tip of the catheter. This makes the device’s movement more stable and predictable, which is particularly important in more complex procedures. One of the greatest advantages of the system is that it facilitates interventions in anatomically hard-to-reach areas where conventional manual techniques are limited. This is especially significant in cases of congenital heart disease, post-surgical conditions, or complex arrhythmias.

The introduction of the system provides an opportunity for students and professionals to learn catheter-based intervention techniques using state-of-the-art technology.

Professor Endre Varga and the Szeged Trauma Team in Stockholm

Takayuki Kurokawa (Class of 2016)
Andrew Pozder (Class of 2017)
Riku Watanabe (Class of 2025)

Congratulations to the whole team!