Szeged University Magazine 2021

S Z E G E D

U N I V E R S I T Y

Engineering Student of the SZTE Competes at the Tokyo Olympics Page 32.

CENTENARY PROGRAMS ON THE 440TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE UNIVERSITY Page 24.

M A G A Z I N E

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THE PORTRAYAL OF THE "STEADFAST" RESEARCHER, KATALIN KARIKÓ, ON SIX MOSAICS

Katalin Karikó visited her alma mater, the University of Szeged, between 19 and 21 May 2021. She visited the Rector’s Office on Dugonics Square, the Klebelsberg Library at TIK (József Attila Tanulmányi és Információs Központ) and the Institute of Biology. She met PhD students, talked to the Rector, the Chancellor, and the leading researchers of the SZTE. Page 4-7.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) DECLARED A PANDEMIC ON 11 MARCH 2020 AS COVID-19 SPREAD RAPIDLY FROM WUHAN, CHINA. THE WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC OF CORONAVIRUS

180 729 950

808 076 PEOPLE

3 915 828

INFECTED

NUMBER OF CONFIRMED COVID-19 INFECTIONS

BY COUNTY IN HUNGAR

KILLED

*Source: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (27 June 2021)

TRENDS IN THE NUMBER OF NEWS RELATED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED AND THE COVID EPIDEMIC

876

867

809

563

52 2020. JU

44 2020. AUG

*www.koronavirus.gov.hu/cikkek/ fertozottek-szama-18073-millio-halalosaldozatoke-39-millio-vilagon (29 june, 2021)

HUNGARY

TOTAL NUMBER OF DOSES ADMINISTERED: 10,4 MILLION NUMBER OF PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED: 4,87 MILLION PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED: 49,9% Source: Our World in Data (july, 2021)

THE LIVES OF 2-3 MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR ARE AT STAKE TODAY, MORE THAN 100 MILLION CHILDREN WORLDWIDE ARE VACCINATED EVERY YEAR AGAINST VARIOUS DISEASES, INCLUDING DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS, WHOOPING COUGH, TUBERCULOSIS, POLIO, MEASLES AND HEPATITIS B. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

ESTIMATES THAT VACCINATIONS

SAVE AROUND 2-3 MILLION LIVES EVERY YEAR, AND REDUCE THE COST OF TREATMENT WHEN THESE DISEASES DEVELOP.

376

370

284

83 2020. OCT

158 2020. DEC

182 2021. FEB

OTHER NEWS

257 2021. APR

81 2021. JUN

COVID NEWS

NUMBER OF VACCINATIONS ADMINISTERED BY SZTE

128 490

(UNTIL 7 JULY 2021)

5 MONTHS - 1 BILLION VACCINES

DECEMBER 2020 - APRIL 2021:

1 002 938 540

VACCINES ADMINISTERED IN 207 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD

MORE THAN HALF OF THESE ( 58 %

WERE ADMINISTERED IN THREE COUNTRIES:

USA (225,6 MILLION),

CHINA (216,1 MILLION),

INDIA (138,4 MILLION). source: MTI.

SZTE: COVID-19 TIMELINE 2020.

8-19 June: the University of Szeged is the first higher education institution in Hungary to provide organised and free testing for about 4500 health care workers 1 July: In agreement with the SZTE Coronavirus Operative Committee (SZTE Coronavírus Ügyi Operatív Bizottság), the university leaders send 22 circulars issued between 26 February and 21 May 2020 to keep the institution running in an emergency situation.

26 August: 26 August: SZTE provides two PCR tests for free in the first semester of the academic year 2020/21 for international and Hungarian students who are living in countries next to Hungary who are subject to quarantine to enter the country.

4 September: Rector and Chancellor’s joint decree No. 3/2020 (4. IX.) states that "during the health crisis" the wearing of masks covering the nose and mouth is mandatory in the buildings of the SZTE. 2 October: Shorter recovery times and fewer complications are expected with the administration of the anti-coronavirus drug Avigan containing favipiravir. SZTE SZAKK is among the first in the country to treat seriously ill patients with Avigan.

16 November: In order to prevent the spread of the infection caused by the new coronavirus, the University of Szeged will switch to online education and no events will be held from 16 November 2020 until the withdrawal of the announcement of the Prime Minister of Hungary made on 9 November 2020.

24 November: The University of Szeged temporarily relocated several clinical units from the Centre for Epidemiological Care to other buildings in order to cope with the increased influx of patients of the second wave of the pandemic and to ensure safe management.

UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED

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CONTENT 02 04

PROFESSOR LAJOS KEMÉNY M.D.: ‘WE ARE WITNESSING AN EXPLOSION IN MEDICAL SCIENCE’ In recognition of his outstanding research, teaching, and patient care activities, Prof. Lajos Kemény M.D. has been awarded the Széchenyi Prize. The Director of the SZTE SZAKK Department of Dermatology and Allergology is a László Batthyány-Strattmann Prize-winning physician and the corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

We asked him about COVID-19 and other things.

PANDEMIC THE PORTRAYAL OF THE "STEADFAST" RESEARCHER, KATALIN KARIKÓ, ON SIX MOSAICS

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THE 100-YEAR-OLD PROFESSOR GOT VACCINATED BY HIS FORMER STUDENT

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VOLUNTEER STUDENTS OF THE SZTE ARE OF A GREAT HELP

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"COVID EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR"

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"NO ONE SHOULD GIVE UP: WE WILL WIN, NOT COVID" ANTHROPOLOGISTS OF THE SZTE HAVE FOUND TRACES OF A BARBARIC MASSACRE

2021.

25 February: several doctors who had previously been infected with COVID and the university's Director-General for Legal Affairs, Administration, and Human Resources get the Sinopharm vaccine at the vaccination centre of the Albert SzentGyörgyi Health Center of the University of Szeged.

9 March: Sputnik V and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines arrive at the University of Szeged. Vaccination of the general population and health workers continues at the vaccination centres.

26 May: Five types of vaccines - Pfizer, Sinopharm, Janssen, Moderna, and Sputnik V - are available for registration. People are welcomed at the vaccination centres of the Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center of the University of Szeged.

19 June: The National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary makes it possible for foreign citizens without a social security number to register and book appointments for vaccination online.

7 July: The “Rector-Chancellor’s joint decree No. 3/2021 (7. VII.) on the rules to be applied at the University of Szeged during the health crisis states that "wearing a mask is not mandatory in the buildings of the University of Szeged unless stated otherwise, but anyone is entitled to wear a mask."

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MODEL CHANGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED

The University of Szeged's main decision-making body, the Academic Senate, agreed at its meeting on 29 January 2021 to transform the university from a state-run university to a higher education institution sustained by a state-established foundation. This decision opens up a new path for the university, providing new opportunities for the city and the region to increase its competitiveness.

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SZEM SZEGEDI EGYETEM MAGAZIN GROUP - SZEGED UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE IMPRESSUM: Founder, Publisher: University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Dugonics tér 13. Publisher: Prof.

Dr. László Rovó. Rector of SZTE. Created by: SZTE Directorate of International and Public Relations.

Editor: Ilona Újszászi. Translation to English: Borbála Zakar. Design: Miklós Meisner. Layout: Gábor Gór-Nagy. Editorial office:. 6720 Szeged, Dugonics tér 13. E-mail: sajto@szte.hu. Website: https://uszeged.hu ISSN ID: 0230-791X. Printing house: Innovariant Printing Ltd. (Algyő). Distribution: at SZTE events and in SZTE buildings. Materials were collected by July 16., 2021

Katalin Karikó visited her alma mater, the University of Szeged, between 19 and 21 May 2021. She visited the Rector’s Office on Dugonics Square, the Klebelsberg Library at TIK (József Attila Tanulmányi és Információs Központ) and the Institute of Biology. She met PhD students, talked to the Rector, the Chancellor, and the leading researchers of the SZTE.

THE PORTRAYAL OF THE "STEADFAST" RESEARCHER , KATALIN KARIKÓ, ON SIX MOSAICS

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Szeged University Magazine 2021

Ilona Újszászi Anna Bobkó, István Sahin-Tóth István, I. Ú.

On 9 April 2020, we were among the first to write "Katalin Karikó, alumna of the SZTE, the pioneer of the most promising vaccine against coronavirus." The nucleosidemodified mRNA technology, the vaccine developed on this basis became a key in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. Since December 2020, the researcher and her discovery have been in the news all around the world. Rotating fragments of sentences from thousands of newspaper articles over the past six months in an imaginary kaleidoscope, the portrait of Katalin Karikó changes in 6 mosaics.

THE MESSAGE OF THE “O-ACUTE”

When news spread about the development of vaccines against COVID-19, the name of Katalin Karikó appeared in all major media of the world.

Emphasis on the "o-acute", because she insists on the Hungarian spelling of her surname. The biochemist, who went to high school in the small Hungarian town of Kisújszállás, became a biologist at the University of Szeged, then a researcher at her first job, in the laboratories of the Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences at Szeged (MTA SZBK), and then worked in the USA from 1985 and in Germany since 2013, emphasized that she was "not only born in Hungary", but she is "Hungarian".

LIFE IN A NUTSHELL

Laymen and scientists are both curious about the life and work of Katalin Karikó. Since November 2020, her story has been told in a nutshell in thousands of articles: "life started for the Hungarian inventor of the vaccine, Katalin Karikó, in a thatched hut... "; "in '85, the money they got for their Lada [car] was taken out of Hungary in a teddy bear, and now the coronavirus vaccine may be based on her patent..."; "all her life she drew strength from [the Hungarian singer,] Zorán's song, for example, when she lost her job..."; "my dad made sausages and I did biology"; "I used to carry RNA in my arms from Chicago to Buffalo in an ice pack"; researchers looking for mRNA were laughed at by colleagues, but fortunately that didn't stop them.

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES

What is the driving force behind the work of the "struggling" but "steadfast" researcher, also known as the "mother of the mRNA vaccine"? Some of the phrases that have been said in her interviews are: "Money has never been my motivation... "; "Having nothing gives you the freedom to live without fear"; "I owe thanks to those who have made my life difficult"; "I have to think about what I can do... " She gave half of the multi-million Széchenyi Prize prize money (Széchenyi-díj) to the foundation of her high school in Kisújszállás, saying: science education and talent management need support.

Personal objects and virtual exhibition The virtual exhibition in the Repository of Gallery and Media Library of the Contenta system of the SZTE University Library is a rich collection of information about Katalin Karikó documents and photos, important articles, and films. The repository has been expanded with personal items donated to her alma mater by the former SZTE student, who became worldfamous. An English-language guide is also available to help you find your way around the constantly updating collection.

MÉRFÖLDKÖVEK

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THE SECRET OF MRNA

Reports on "the inventor of mRNA technology", "Professor Karikó's incredible scientific journey" are looking backward, but also forwards. "How will mRNA technology change the world?" The answer is that "the story of mRNA is unlikely to end with COVID-19: its potential goes far beyond this pandemic."

SHARED KNOWLEDGE

As a researcher, Katalin Karikó still seeks advice from colleagues she once met at the University of Szeged.

She has passed on her laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania to his compatriot, Norbert Pardi, who also holds a doctorate from the University of Szeged. Pardi introduced Csaba Bajusz, who also holds a doctorate from the University of Szeged to the secrets of mRNA-LNP technology, and a group at the National Laboratory of Biotechnology under the control of Karikó's first workplace, the Biological Research Centre. The researcher, who is the mentor of graduates of the SZTE and other universities, also helps young people to publish their work. For example, the names of three young SZTE "alumni" appeared as co-authors of her Spring 2021 article.

AGAINST VIRUSES

"Katalin Karikó is the pioneer and the messenger of hope", according to journalists and her followers. On the "bumpy road" to "saving the world", it turned out that "Katalin Karikó's research could also be the key to fighting tumours". "The revolution of the mRNA vaccines has just begun - mRNA has brought us the COVID-19 vaccine at record speed: next time it could be a solution for flu, malaria, or HIV."

Messenger of the SZTE In two years, the University of Szeged has been mentioned more than 7,500 times in the world press. This makes SZTE the second best-known Hungarian institution, according to a May 2021 publication of the Ynsight Research team. According to the global netnography, which covers more than 120 countries, the University of Szeged "exploded" into the international online world from the second half of 2020. For the

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Szeged University Magazine 2021

reason that all the significant international media of international press reports about the former SZTE student, Katalin Karikó, "the coronavirus vaccine woman" and her colleagues, including several current faculty members and "alumni" of the SZTE, such as Norbert Pardi. Therefore, Katalin Karikó, the inventor of the nucleoside-modified mRNA technology became the messenger of the greatness of education and research at the University of Szeged.

AWARDS IN THE NEWS Katalin Karikó was ahead of Albert Szent-Györgyi, because in 1973, as a student, she won the Jermy Gusztáv Prize, an award of the Móricz High School in Kisújszállás, which was bestowed by the school to the Nobel Prize-winning rector of the SZTE a year later. She was awarded a scholarship for academic excellence at the University of Szeged for 3 years between 1975 and 1978 and was supported by the academic scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences between 1978 and 1980.

The recognition of the importance of messenger RNA or mRNA in medicine has been accompanied by the appreciation of Katalin Karikó's work. This is reflected in the number and variety of awards she has received from mid-2020 to June 2021.

The world-famous Hungarian scientist's SOCIAL HONOUR is the title of ‘honorary citizen’ of Kisújszállás, Szeged and Csongrád-Csanád County. The "Public Media Person of the Year Award" recognises her achievements in promoting science. As a sign of respect, she is recognised by the Council of Human Dignity for "following in the footsteps of her predecessors, such as Ignác Semmelweis and Albert Szent-Györgyi".

Among the PROFESSIONAL AWARDS, the title of Honorary Doctor of the SZTE was awarded by her alma mater, the University of Szeged. The two most significant awards she received from the Hungarian state are the Széchenyi Prize and the Semmelweis Prize. Among Hungarian professional organisations, for example, the National Public Health and Medical Officer Service awarded her the Fodor József Memorial Medal. The Straub Plaque was awarded by her first and former place of work, the SZBK (Biological Research Centre, Szeged). On the occasion of its 100th anniversary, the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office has recognised the co-inventor of 13 patents accepted by the US with the Jedlik Ányos Prize.

Among her international awards, the first was the Rosenstiel Award, also known as the precursor to the Nobel Prize, by which Brandeis University in the US rewards outstanding work in

medicine. The Public Health Award of "Research!

America" honours outstanding achievements.

The Bill Foege Global Health Award is an award from MAP International. The Pioneer Award is the World Conference on Precision Medicine's recognition. The Wilhelm Exner Medal was awarded by the Austrian Trade Association and the Reichstein Medal by the Swiss Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The Prize of the Vilcek Foundation recognises the contribution of immigrants to the success of the United States in the field of biomedical sciences.

In the category of science and technology research, 7 researchers involved in the development of vaccines against the coronavirus, including Katalin Karikó, have won the Princess of Asturias Aw a r d, k n ow n a s " t he Spanish Nobel Prize".

MILESTONES

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LÉVAY GIZELLA ANNA BOBKÓ, SAHIN-TÓTH ISTVÁN

THE 100-YEAR-OLD PROFESSOR GOT VACCINATED BY HIS FORMER STUDENT On 26 February 2021, Prof. Csaba Lengyel M.D., President of the Albert SzentGyörgyi Health Center (SZAKK) and Head of the Second Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology Center, gave the vaccination to Prof. Vince Varró M.D..

It was said that Prof. Varró's responsible request for a COVID-19 vaccine may set an example for many.

Vince Varró M.D., Professor Emeritus, is a nationally and internationally known internist and gastroenterologist. The former head of the First Department of Internal Medicine of the University of Szeged (1972-1991), he got vaccinated at the SZTE Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center.

‘It is a great honour for me to have been able to administer the vaccine to my predecessor,’ said Prof.

Csaba Lengyel M.D., Director of the Department of Internal Medicine and President of the Albert SzentGyörgyi Health Centre (SZAKK). He recalled that more than 30 years ago, in 1990, he was recruited to the Department of Internal Medicine by Prof.

Vince Varró, the leading professor at the time. ‘The generations he appointed have f unda ment a lly determined and continue to determine the functioning of our clinic,’

SZTE

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DOCTORS ENCOURAGE VACCINATION

Several experts of the University of Szeged argued in favour of the COVID-19 vaccination in the spring of 2021 in the M1 news: - Prof. Lajos Kemény M.D., Head of the Department of Dermatology and Allergology at the University of Szeged; -Éva Kereszty M.D., PhD, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the SZTE; - Annamária Letoha M.D., Deputy Director of the Centre for Epidemiological Care of the SZTE; - Prof. Csaba Lengyel M.D., President of the Albert SzentGyörgyi Health Center of the University of Szeged, Director of the Department of Internal Medicine; -Zoltán Pető M.D., PhD, D.E.A.A. Associate Professor, Head of the Emergency Department, SZTE; - Prof. Tamás Várkonyi M.D., PhD, Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center of the University of Szeged.

The SZTE News Portal article of 7 June 2021 included 8 short films. For example, the more than 6-minutes long video of the SZTE presented important information about the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, step by step. The MTA (Hungarian Academy of Sciences) produced a short film on the mechanism of action of coronavirus vaccines.

said the head of the department, who has been in charge of the institution since 2018. ‘I can say that in some ways I consider myself his ‘great-grandson at the department’, he is my mentor and my role model.’

‘I am very proud that, like all responsible citizens, the Professor is taking part in the vaccination process and thinks it to be important to accept the vaccine,’ said the head of the SZTE SZAKK. ‘By doing so, he sets a good example for all of us!’

VOLUNTEER STUDENTS OF THE SZTE ARE OF A GREAT HELP Volunteering of the students of the SZTE in the fight against the pandemic was important and extremely successful.

They worked mostly for the National Ambulance Service, vaccination centres, and COVID departments.

The ability to rely on the students’ help is a key pillar in the fight against the coronavirus at the University of Szeged.

In the late autumn of 2020, during the second wave of the pandemic, the volunteering of the students of the University of Szeged started: "they helped with tests and at the SZTE Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Diagnostics," Dénes Balogh told us. According to the experience of the Head Nurse of the Directorate of Nursing and Health Care Education of the SZTE Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center, the number of volunteers tripled when the vaccinations started. As the third wave came, more and more students volunteered to assist COVID departments and COVID intensive care units, in addition to the already working vaccination staff.

More than 190 students from Szeged worked at the vaccination centres. They helped with patient management and various administrative tasks such as triage, registration, and vaccine delivery. Nearly 55 university students with a degree in health sciences worked in the COVID departments of the SZTE Center for Epidemiological Care and in other clinics from which health workers were transferred to COVID care.

Students of the University of Szeged are still helping with the samples and in the microbiology laboratory.

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“As a medical student, I have to do my part in dealing

with the difficult health situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Sára Magyar. The 6th year medical student at the University of Szeged started volunteering during the second wave in November 2020.

She first helped at the Institute of Microbiology with the administration and processing of the incoming samples and the preparation of COVID testing kits, and since January 2021 she has been helping at a vaccination center.

“In October 2020, I worked at the Institute of Clinical Microbiology in Szeged, later on at the testing of the university staff, and from March onwards I work 12-hour shifts at the COVID Department of the SZTE Center for Epidemiological Care," said Patrik Oláh. The 5th year medical student of the SZTE also took part in coordinating and training other volunteers. He said he wanted to prove himself on the frontline of COVID-19.

ABOUT THE 10 FACULTIES OF SZTE

From the 12 faculties of the University of Szeged, a significant number of about 620 students from 10 faculties regularly work in different areas of COVID care at the Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center. Students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the Juhász Gyula Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Science and Informatics have also cooperated in the fight against coronavirus.

The largest number of applicants, nearly 525 students, came from healthcare faculties, i.e. the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Studies, the Faculty of Dentistry, and the Faculty of Pharmacy.

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HELPED THE WORK OF THE VOLUNTEERED AT CLINICS AND NATIONAL AMBULANCE SERVICE STUDENTS VACCINATION POINTS VOLUNTEERS MILESTONES

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Gizella LÉVAY Anna BOBKÓ

PROFESSOR LAJOS KEMÉNY M.D.: ‘WE ARE WITNESSING AN EXPLOSION IN MEDICAL SCIENCE’

In recognition of his outstanding research, teaching, and patient care activities, Prof. Lajos Kemény M.D. has been awarded the Széchenyi Prize. The Director of the SZTE SZAKK Department of Dermatology and Allergology is a László Batthyány-Strattmann Prizewinning physician and the corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

We asked him about COVID-19 and other things.

- According to the appreciation speech of the Széchenyi Prize, you were awarded this prestigious honour for your ‘achievements in the discovery of the mechanism that plays a central role in the communication between the skin and the microbes, and for the development of new kinds of light therapy in the treatment of skin diseases, and [your] high quality work in the teaching of dermatology and clinical immunology.’ What can a successful career in science depend on?

- The Széchenyi Prize is a personal award, but of course, it is also a joint recognition of the successful work of the doctors and biologists working at the clinic, and it helps to raise the profile of dermatology.

The SZTE SZAKK Department of Dermatology was already considered the biggest ‘scientific citadel’ of dermatology in Hungary in the 1980s. I believe that we have succeeded in carrying on this honourable rank and tradition.

- The two units, the research laboratory and patient care, work in symbiosis at the clinic, which is a center for translational medicine. What is the impact of this?

- Research results are directly and more quickly applied to patient care. For example, in cell therapy, we will

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use stem cells isolated from adipose tissue to heal wounds. We will also develop cell therapy procedures to cover burns. Our long-term plans include treating certain skin diseases that can be traced back to genetic causes. For example, when the skin does not develop properly and therefore various sores and ulcers develop from an early age. If we can replace the missing gene through biotechnology, by mutating a cell removed from the patient and return it into the patient, we c a n e x p e c t to see healthy, normal skin from previously wounded skin.

- How do you see the future of dermatology and the SZTE SZAKK Department of Dermatology?

- We are witnessing an explosive development in medicine. In the field of dermatology, this mainly includes procedures based on cell therapy. This means that new techniques and technologies that emerge from preliminary experiments with 3D tissue printing will be very easy to put into practice. It is also possible that this 3D tissue printing will be done on the patient, rather than in a laboratory. In other areas, we are already achieving long-lasting symptom relief for more and more skin diseases by using biomedicines. Psoriasis was the first of these, but now more and more medicines are available for the treatment of hereditary, very severe eczema. Several biological drugs are in the research and development phase that will help patients with very severe patchy hair loss, for example.

- How do you think COVID-19 has influenced the development of medical and pharmaceutical research?

SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOPS

treatment research. HCEMM is the first partner institute of the EMBL in Central Europe. The University of Szeged, the Semmelweis University (Budapest), and the Biological Research Centre, Szeged are currently collaborating in the project, but the consortium also welcomes researchers from abroad.

The MTA-SZTE Dermatology Research Group, part of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network, brings together physicians, biochemists, and mathematicians working in frontier areas of science work on basic research.

The Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine (HCEMM) laboratories at the SZTE SZAKK Department of Dermatology are the result of an international tender with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, one of the top ten life science research institutes in the world. The HCEMM is an excellence-driven molecular medicine research center and a member of the National Laboratory Programme. Its profile is prevention research, diagnostic research, and

- Revaccination at periodic intervals will build protection. However, we have to see that there may be types of viruses, other than the coronavirus, that we need to be better prepared for. All over the world, including Hungary, attention is being paid to this, and it is no coincidence that a vaccine factory is being built in Debrecen. Thanks to this, there will be enough vaccines available in the country next year.

In addition, national laboratories are being set up to ensure effective protection against a possible new pandemic. This is a very good direction. Never before has drug development been so rapid and there has been a huge development in medicine during the pandemic.

MILESTONES

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GIZELLA LÉVAY BOBKÓ Anna

"COVID EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR"

Four health care workers of the Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center (SZAKK) of the University of Szeged (SZTE) have been awarded the "Covid Employee of the Year" award.

Who are they? All of them have been fighting for the health system and the recovery of patients since the most difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 24 October 2020, nurse Gábor Ormándi (31) was transferred to the SZTE Center for Epidemiological Care from the SZTE Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy.

"Since 15 March 2021, intensive care has been provided on five floors at the SZTE Center for Epidemiological Care, and since then I have been the head of the third floor. Part of my job is to ensure that the department has the right amount of drugs, to think ahead about what treatments can be ordered for patients, and to ensure that there are reserves. This in itself is a 2-3 hours daily task, then all this has to be ordered, and when the rounds are over, the daily interventions and diagnostic tests begin, and of course, we nurses help with these tasks." Said Gábor Ormándi who graduated from the SZTE Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Studies with a nursing degree.

"At first, I was a bit scared about how I would cope as a surgeon in a COVID-19 department. It was quite a big change in my life." Said Richárd Rokszin, M.D., surgeon, and specialist at the SZTE SZAKK Department of Surgery, when asked how he experienced the transfer on 30 October 2020. The assignment was originally for forty-four days, but since only a very small number of transplant surgeries were performed during the pandemic, he decided to stay where he was needed more. "In this difficult situation, all positive support counts, it helps the doctors and nurses to be thought of and to be surprised by a kind gesture" he said. On one occasion, he surprised the team with 20 liters of soup and 40 cinnamon rolls he had made himself.

Biologists, pharmacists, doctors, and clinical nurse

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specialists worked superhumanly to fight the coronavirus, often well beyond working hours to ensure that all the tests were completed on time.

"This is very important for several reasons: firstly, to ensure that patients receive the most appropriate care as soon as possible, and secondly, to protect patients who need care for other reasons by isolating those who are infected. We analyse various tests coming from the clinic, including the COVID-19 PCR test and, in the case of a post-COVID syndrome, now also COVID-19 antibody tests," said Hajnalka Juhász. The biologist at the SZTE SZAKK Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Diagnostics graduated as a biologist from the SZTE Faculty of Science and Informatics in 2014 and obtained the clinical microbiologist qualification in 2019.

"I fed, changed diapers, and provided hygiene care to elderly, mostly over seventy, critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection requiring full-time care. Such primary care tasks required special attention. Of course, I could not neglect my tasks as a specialist nurse either," said Réka Molnár-Gábor. The graduate nurse of the SZTE SZAKK Department of Surgery was transferred to the COVID department for four months from 27 November 2020.

The critical months of the pandemic have made people aware of many things. For example, the importance of empathy, patience, and willingness to help. Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and everyone else were involved in caring for COVID patients with a common goal. They worked for their speedy recovery, and only together could they succeed.

SZTE SZAKK IS AN "EXCELLENT CLINICAL CENTRE" ONCE AGAIN The Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Center (SZAKK) has been awarded the "Outstanding Clinical Centre" (“Kiváló Klinikai Központ”) title again in 2020, following the 2013 and 2019 years.

árán érhető el.

"This award praises the high quality work and dedication of the nearly 4,500 health care workers of the Health Centre of Szeged, who met the challenges of the pandemic - said Prof. Csaba Lengyel, M.D., Head of the SZTE SZAKK - "I am proud of the work of my colleagues, because - as we all know - high-quality healthcare can only be achieved through well-organised and enthusiastic teamwork.

MEMORIAL CANDLES

On 2 May 2021, the staff of the emergency care unit, SZTE SZAKK Emergency Patient Care Unit, commemorated the victims of the coronavirus in front of the Votive Church. Nearly 28,000 candles were placed on Dóm Square to symbolize the number of Hungarian victims of the pandemic at the time. As part of the commemoration, the bells of Szeged tolled for five minutes.

"NO ONE SHOULD GIVE UP: WE WILL WIN, NOT COVID" "We dance for you: for your smiles because smiles conquer fear. For you too, who weep.

For you too, who mourn. For you who cure and nurse. For you who wait for the end of the pandemic. We will not give up, and together we will win. Let us all stand together! And let us celebrate life together."

These are the words from the video of the clinical staff of the University of Szeged who joined the Jerusalema Dance Challenge in May 2021. The staff of the SZTE SZAKK emergency patient care unit danced to the ancient, tribal rhythms of the popular South African hits of Master KG and Nomcembo in the various rooms of the New Clinic and the adjacent Petri Gábor Clinical Block.

The dance of the frontline COVID-19 workers of the University of Szeged sent the message that "nobody should give up: we will win, not COVID."

MILESTONES

13

Ádám KOVÁCS-JERNEY István SAHIN-TÓTH

"Music has taught me how to listen to other people," says Professor Béla Pukánszky.

At the University of Szeged, professors teach students, search for a cure for incurable diseases, dream up innovative inventions or explore the mysteries of outer space. But what do they change their white lab coats for after work? How do University of Szeged teachers and researchers spend their free time? In our interview series, we explore this topic. This time, we talked to Béla Pukánszky, professor at the Institute of Special Needs Education at the Juhász Gyula Faculty of Education (JGYPK) of the University of Szeged.

- How long have you been playing music?

- Since I was a little child. I was born in Szeged in 1954. I went to school in Orosháza, where my mother was a primary school teacher. She taught in a school where the Kodály method was used. In the first grade, after an entrance examination, I was admitted to the specialised vocal section. Around the 3rd grade, we had a singing teacher, István Dinnyés.

Uncle Pista, as we used to call him, looked at my hand and said, "You have big hands, you're going to play the cello..."

- What is your most memorable experience regarding your hobby?

- I couldn't pick one. I prefer to remember the moments when I was sitting in front of the audience without the overwhelming burden of responsibility.

Around 2008, we performed in Győr, at the Apáczai Csere János Teacher Training College, at a concert for a pedagogical conference. With my chamber partner Erzsébet Dombiné Kemény, we played the Kodály Sonatina. The audience did not know that I was a music teacher, "lost" among the university teachers. The miracle happened there... It is rare, but it happens that a musician can play music with complete freedom, without the essence of professionalism, and this freedom has a noticeable effect on the audience. They were silent, listening intently. Of course, there was a sense that what

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Szeged University Magazine 2021

they were hearing was not a studio recording, but a live performance - with all its flaws - born there and then. It was the first time I experienced it, but since then I have experienced many times how moving it is when the performer and the audience build that live, almost personal, spiritual connection that only happens at concerts.

- What is the connection between teaching at the University of Szeged and playing the cello?

- In no other occupation have I experienced what it is like to feel more alive by music. Maybe there’s a similar flow that ‘takes over’ me when I'm writing a book, my thoughts just keep coming. In my case it does not happen every day, I have to fight for it.

But when I'm making music, especially in a band or in a group, I always experience that something special, something extraordinary is happening, something more that gives me so much. I can give an example of this with a fond memory of mine. In 1976, in Switzerland, we were the first swallows to fly beyond the Iron Curtain as Hungarian music students, thanks to the international organisation called Jeunnesses Musicales. We played a lot during our two weeks there, in various chamber ensembles.

In the orchestra, I met young people who played the pieces with complete freedom, not striving for the unrelenting perfectionism of professionalism that we had as musicians in Hungary.

15

I asked them where they were studying and they said ‘Waldorf School’. It was then when I realised that you can play music like that, and musical performance is not the cause of anxiety.

We must not strive for perfection per se, but we have to experience the joy of making music.

Biography Béla Pukánszky, a researcher in the history of education and one of the founders of the Special Needs Education in Szeged, is a professor at the JGYPK SZTE. He graduated as a cello teacher from the predecessor institution of the Bartók Béla Faculty of Arts, the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. He has a good knowledge of higher education in Hungary. He earned his degree of pedagogy at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest and habilitated at the Kossuth Lajos University of Debrecen. He is the Head of the Doctoral School of Education at Eszterházy Károly College. He has served as Vice-Rector for Education at SZTE, but also as Vice-Dean of the SZTE BTK (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) and SZTE JGYPK. In addition to his research work as a lecturer and researcher for several faculties of the SZTE, Professor Béla Pukánszky, known as the "Vice-Rector for Cello", has carried the cello almost his whole life, and music has carried him on his life's journey, creating the sense of freedom and serving as an anchor for the musician and his audience.

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Szeged University Magazine 2021

It was probably this experience that set me on my path and gave me my main principle that is to make music and teach - both music and pedagogy – with enthusiasm.

- What is your message for the students that your hobby of making music has taught you?

- We train special needs teachers who can be successful in their careers and life if they do not focus only on the study material because nothing else can be more important than the child being cared for, developed, and taught. Music has taught me how to listen to other people, especially playing chamber music. Many people think that the music itself is primary and important, the personality of the performer on the other hand is secondary. I don't quite agree. I believe that the two are inseparable. In today's fast-paced, performance-driven, alienated, and estranged world, it is no longer easy to relax and recharge. Culture and art can help to preserve the essence of man. This is when we need to read a book, a poem, watch a play or a good film, listen to a concert. If we are not able to do this, we lose what is our most important element: an open and interested mind towards other people and the world around us in general, the ability to experience and understand reality through art.

SZTE SOLUTIONS FOR GREEN ENERGY

Several research groups at SZTE are exploring environmentally friendly ways to meet the growing demand for energy

SECRETS OF CARBON DIOXIDE ELECTROLYSIS TECHNOLOGY Ilona Újszászi

Angelika Samu, Andrea Serfőző

SZTE researchers have made a new discovery to help stabilise the operation of electrochemical reactors that convert carbon dioxide into a useful material.

instead of lye flowing through the anode. Another discovery by the group at the Institute of Chemistry at the Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science (FKAT) was the direct introduction of cations into the cathode space. With this, they increased the performance of the electrolysis machine while reduced the precipitation that causes rapid depletion.

What makes an elec trolysis device work well or not? This question is answered in a recent a r t icle by Dr. C s a ba Janák y, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science and Informat ics ( T TIK ), a nd f ive members of his research team, " We ca me to under s t a nd a published in the world's leading problem that is in the interest energy science journal. of researchers and the industry alike. We have also explained " We have reache d f inding s the root causes and of fered that affect the wider research a s o l u t i o n ," c o n c l u d e s D r. communit y," sa id Dr. Csa ba Csaba Janáky. "We helped to Janáky about the publication understand the stable operation of t heir resea rch result s in of carbon dioxide electrolysis Nat u re E n e r g y 6 (4), 43 9 - cells."

448, 2021. They studied the oper at ion a nd per forma nce The team of SZTE is working differences between two types on increasing the size of the machine under laborator y of electrolysis cells.

O n e of t h e ir re vo lu t i o n a r y conditions. The aim is industrial innovations was the use of water use.

WILLOW BIOMASS IS THE BEST FEEDSTOCK Tamara Pósa

István Sahin-Tóth

A long-known and used biotechnological process has been extended, made more economical and environmentally friendly by the Department of Biotechnology of the University o f S ze g e d (S Z T E ) a n d t h e Department of Plant Biology of the Szeged Biological Research Centre (SZBK).

"The research aims to increase and properly apply green energy in an environmentally friendly way, which is becoming increasingly important due to the growing energy demand," said Dr. Zoltán Bagi, the leader of t he resea rch. T he senior lecturer of the Department of Biotechnology of the Faculty of Science and Informatics of the University of Szeged added that they worked under the leadership of Dr. Dénes Dudits, Academician (SZBK).

fermentation tanks. For example: -manure of animal origin -by-products and waste from the food industry -carcasses of dead animals -parts of plants -organic household waste -sewage sludge Biogas is a renewable energy carrier that can be produced using micro-org a nisms a nd biotechnological methods.

Organic mat ter cannot be recovered for energy production by other processes and can cause several environmental and health problems when released into the environment.

Joint research has shown that, alongside conventional organic waste, willow biomass is one of the best feedstock for biogas production when used in biogas reactors. The development of fermentation technologies using willow biomass has increased Several organic materials can the economic viability of biogas be used to produce biogas in the plants.

SZTECHNOLOGY

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Ilona ÚJSZÁSZI István PERGER, Zsolt BERECZKI

ANTHROPOLOGISTS OF THE SZTE HAVE FOUND TRACES OF A BARBARIC MASSACRE Talking corpses - Anthropologists from the University of Szeged have uncovered new information of international importance on the history of the Battle of Mohács which was fought on 29 August 1526. The research work will help to identify the battlefield near Mohács and the soldiers who fought the Turks there and also to explain their fate.

Several research groups of the University of Szeged are involved in the project, which will end on the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács.

Five mass graves provide the most important historical sources of the Battle of Mohács on 29 August 1526. Based on the small amount of archaeological information from the German, Czech, and Hungarian coins, it was possible to determine that the remains of the victims of the Christian troops were found in these mass graves.

The mass graves were found in the 1960s, and were partially excavated in 1976 but then reburied.

In 2020, the investigation of grave No. III has begun at the Historical Memorial Park of Mohács, which is under the management of the DanubeDrava National Park. The task associated with the "Mohács 500" project is a huge professional challenge for anthropologists, not only because of the large number of tens of thousands of human bones but also because of the extreme conditions of decomposition due to the special reburial and the subsequent damaging factors.

"It is the job of the anthropologists to examine the skeletal elements picked up one by one, determine their anatomy, and hand them over to the archaeological technician, who will pack and register each part separately. In the meantime, the archaeologists take photographs, document them on the computer and, using a special software, continuously save the individual layers and details of the mass grave in 3D," said Dr. György Pálfi. The Head of the Department of Human Studies of the

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Szeged University Magazine 2021

University of Szeged and his colleagues have been involved in the project since 7 September 2020, which is being prepared for the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács and is due to be completed by 2026. The archaeological research is carried out by the Janus Pannonius Museum in Pécs. The Hungarian Natural History Museum is participating in the anthropological studies.

Anthropologists examining nearly 500-year-old bones have found evidence of barbaric massacres and mass executions.

"Our aim is to sort out the individual skeletal parts from the chaos of the mass grave," stressed Dr. György Pálfi. It is important that the remains of the people who were dumped in piles can be placed in individual graves to pay last respects in a proper way in the military cemetery in Mohács, which is to be built by 2026.

CAN A BULLET IDENTIFY THE BATTLEFIELD?

The excavation of the mass grave could also help to identify the battlefield near Mohács. While excavating the remains of the bones, a rifle bullet was discovered that matches the size of the bullets found in the area 4-5 kilometres from the mass grave. In the near future, intensive archaeological research will be carried out in the area, as archaeologists want to find the potential location of the Battle of Mohács, so it can be commemorated with a monument.

WHO FOUGHT AT MOHÁCS?

Plans include the extension of anthropological field research, paleopathological, paleomicrobiological, and radiologic studies, as well as isotopic and genetic analysis. These could, among other things, help to clarify the geographical origin of the deceased who fought against Suleiman's troops near Mohács.

MASS GRAVE NO.III. IN NUMBERS

120

SKELETONS

HAVE BEEN EXCAVATED

80

SKELETONS

HAVE BEEN INSPECTED

ANTHROPOLOGISTS FOUND

A LARGE NUMBER OF MEN AGED BETWEEN

18-40 150-300 HUMAN REMAINS

KNOWLEDGE MAP

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Tamara PÓSA SZTE MGK

SZTE JOINS THE HUNGARIAN

DRONE COALITION

The University of Szeged is training agricultural engineers who not only understand but can also lead the digital transformation of agriculture. That's why the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Szeged has joined the Hungarian Drone Coalition, which already has more than sixty members.

SUCCESSFUL OR NOT?

In agricultural production, processes are rarely under our control, but with the help of drones, it is possible in some cases. When the data collection and analysis system of precision agriculture is fully developed and continuously provides information on every production step, the farmer will know exactly whether production is successful or not.

The regular use of drones contributes significantly to the competitiveness of Hungarian agriculture, while at the same time it can bring great progress in agricultural education. The SZTE Faculty of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Faculty of Science and Informatics, offers the most successful precision agriculture engineering course in Hungary, which was the first in the country to focus on drone applications.

The "unmanned aerial vehicle" can now be used to detect - and thus quickly manage - such issues as the disruption of the nutrient supply, problems of

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early weed control, and sudden threats from pests and diseases. They can be used to measure soil moisture tension, assess and locate wildlife damage, and also calculate continuous yield estimation.

When and what is going on in the fields? The answer can be precisely provided through drone monitoring.

BUZZING IN THE AIR Drone = "A male bee in a colony of social bees, which does not work but can fertilize a queen." or "A continuous low humming sound."

Gréta ÚJVÁRI István SAHIN-TÓTH

Rehabilitation Tools are being Developed at the Faculty of Engineering of the SZTE Soft robotics uses highly compliant materials for different directions and degrees of movement. Attila Mészáros and Sándor Csikós are developing a rehabilitation device with a soft actuator. The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Szeged has won a grant in the SZTE Proof of Concept Fund Competition.

In contrast to devices used today, soft robotics have less limits on the natural movements of the joints and muscles of the injured limb. This great freedom of movement provided by the flexible elements can improve the rehabilitation process.

- The basic principle of soft robotics is that these

IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE IDEAS

The Proof of Concept Fund aims to promote the prototyping process and commercialisation of technologies developed at the university. In 2020, the University of Szeged, together with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, supported 11 projects with HUF 60 million in the Proof of Concept Tender.

machines use flexible materials to achieve movements in different directions and degrees, unlike devices made of rigid materials. Softactuators are able to generate motion using compressed. When the air is inflated, the airbags on the top of the actuator expand, while the bottom r e m a i n s t h e s a m e l e ng t h .

T h i s c r e a t e s a b e n d i ng motion. Depending on the posit ioning of t he chambers and the

surface of the actuators, these soft robots are capable of a variety of different types of motions.

Soft-robots created with this technology are capable of movements similar to those of living organisms and can therefore be used in a wide range of applications," explained Attila Mészáros, engineer at the Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Technology, SZTE. The production of soft-machines, supported by 3D scanning and printing technology, can be fully customised to an individual's lower limb. Bot h t he actuators of the machine and the components in cont ac t with the limb can be manufactured with the individual p a r a m e t er s in a short time.

KNOWLEDGE MAP

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ALLERGY PATCH INSTEAD OF PILLS Éva Antal

Anna Bobkó, István Sahin-Tóth

No swallowing, rapid absorption of 80 % of its active substance. A new allergy treatment method has been developed by a pharmacy PhD student at the University of Szeged. Krisztián Pamlényi won the ‘Most Innovative PhD thesis’ award at the SZTE Innovation Award 2020.

Cetirizine is an anti-allergy drug that enters the human body in a new form with Pamlényi Krisztán's method. It is not a pill, but a polymer ‘patch’ from natural ingredients that is put on the buccal mucosa, on the lining of the cheeks and the back of the lips, to reduce allergic reactions.

The carrier is a biodegradable polymer. After the application and after the absorption of its active substance, the drug carrier film

layer is completely absorbed in the oral cavity and eliminated from the body, with no toxic effects.

This form makes it easier to manage anaphylactic reactions that can cause laryngeal oedema and swallowing difficulties. The patch can also be put on patients in a coma or under anaesthesia.

Patients can apply the patch themselves during an allergic attack even before the ambulance arrives.

EFFECT: WITHIN 3-5 MINUTES

The active ingredient is not absorbed by the liver, but it immediately gets into the systemic circulation and it effects the body within 3-5 minutes, depending on the formulation.

NEW GENERATION DENTAL IMPLANT SYSTEM

A new process developed by the University of Szeged and Denti System Kft. increases the lifespan of dental implants. The research work was supported by modern equipment. The experience gained here can also be used to improve the knowledge of dental students.

The K+F+I project was set up to develop a new generation of dental implant systems. The consortium between SZTE and Denti System Ltd. aimed to reduce the possibility of bacterial infections around implants. This could increase the lifespan of dental implants and improve the quality of patients’ lives. The new generation of implants developed as the result of interdisciplinary research meets the requirements of modern dentistry,’ said project leader Dr. Zsolt Tóth, senior research fellow of the SZTE. The special feature of the implant system is that the intervention can be planned and carried out taking into account the anatomical characteristics of the periodontium.

The geometrical design of the implant system ensures perfect application even for patients who suffer from periodontal diseases and poor bone quality.

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Together with the specialists of Denti System Ltd., the researchers of the SZ TE Dentistr y have developed a surgical toolkit that spares the tissues of the oral cavity even during implantation, thus making the healing process faster and more effective.

FROM TESTING TO CONTROL

The Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Pharmacy, and the Faculty of Science and Informatics also cooperated with Denti System Ltd in the project,’ said Dr. Zsolt Tóth. With the involvement of highly skilled researchers and the appropriate infrastructure, SZTE has been involved in the entire development cycle, from test samples, through in vitro and in vivo experiments, to clinical validation.

INVENTION AGAINST AFRICAN

POACHERS DESIGNED IN SZEGED Anna Bobkó

Ákos Lédecz

Testing has begun on a shot detector by scientists of Szeged to protect African elephants from poachers. The SZTE Innovation Award-winning shot detectors will be tested in Kenya. The development was dreamed up by Vanderbilt University in the USA. The project, which was joined by two colleagues from the University of Szeged, follows the principle of the long-established use of shot detectors to deter crime. Dr. Miklós Maróti, Associate Professor at the Department of Algebra and Number Theory of the

Bolyai Institute of the SZTE Faculty of Science and Informatics, met György Kalmár, Assistant Professor at the Department of Technical Informatics of the Institute of Informatics of the SZTE Faculty of Science and Informatics in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The development has faced scientists with some serious challenges. They needed to be able to detect sounds with the device for several years and to record the sounds in good quality. The surface of the device was therefore improved to protect it from the harsh tropical weather and to allow high-quality sound recording.

The research team, with the help of George Wittemyer, a world-renowned expert on elephants, successfully tested their invention first on cows and then on elephants at the San Diego Zoo. Soon, two Kenyan elephants will receive "Szeged’s protection".

TWO-YEAR WARRANTY

Previous shot detection systems only worked for a few months. In contrast, the device developed by the researchers of the University of Szeged can protect elephants for up to 2 years.

KNOWLEDGE MAP

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Ilona ÚJSZÁSZI Anna BOBKÓ

CENTENARY PROGRAMS ON THE

440TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

FOUNDING OF THE UNIVERSITY

In 2021, SZTE celebrates the 440th anniversary of the founding of the university and the 100th anniversary of the relocation of its predecessor, the Jesuit Academy of Kolozsvár (present-day Cluj-Napoca) to Szeged.

On behalf of the students of the University of Szeged, Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Rector, and Prof. Péter Zakar, PhD, Vice-Rector for International and Public Relations, laid the wreath of honour at the bust of the founder of the university, Stephen Báthory (hu.: Báthory István), in the National Pantheon on Dóm Square in Szeged on 12 May 2021. In his speech, the Vice-Rector emphasized the importance of the founding of the university established by Stephen Báthory [Voivode of Transylvania (1571–1576), Prince of Transylvania (1576–1586), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1576–1586)] as the Jesuit Academy of Kolozsvár on 12 May 1581. He also outlined the university’s history-defining moments of the past 440 years.

"Significant developments will be achieved in the centenary, as the modernisation of the infrastructure and the facilities of the University of Szeged continues," said the Rector of the SZTE, who also referred to the historical significance of Báthory and Kuno von Klebelsberg (hu.: Klebelsberg Kuno), Minister of Culture (1875–1932). Between 1 September 2021 and 1 September 2022 "440 years in the service of education and science, 100 years for the development of Szeged and the region." In the spirit of this motto, the University of Szeged and all its units will welcome the academic

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year of the centenary from 1 September 2021 to 1 September 2022 with a variety of events.

COMMON ROOTS

The University of Szeged and the Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB) celebrated the anniversary of the founding of their predecessor. On 12 May 2021, at the UBB's online ceremony the Cluj-Napoca campus, Farkas Street, and the quadrilingual commemorative plaque was showed, and then the rectors of UBB and SZTE delivered speeches.

On the occasion of the anniversary, the Rector of the University of Szeged, accompanied by the ViceRector for International and Public Relations, visited the tomb monument of the university founder Stephen Báthory in Krakow on 23 June 2021. In the Wawel Cathedral, together with the Vice-Rector for Education of the BBU, they laid a wreath at the tomb monument of Stephen Báthory. This gesture showed that both SZTE and UBB link their origins and institutional roots to the Jesuit Academy of Kolozsvár that was founded by Báthory 440 years ago.

Dorina CSÁSZÁR István SAHIN-TÓTH

TWO SZTE RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND A MANUSCRIPT OF HUNGARIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY THOUGHT TO BE LOST

Péter Kasza and Gábor Petneházi, working in the Department of Classica-Philology and Neo-Latin Studies at the University of Szeged, have discovered a manuscript of great importance for Hungarian humanist historiography. They found the work of Johannes Michael Brutus, the historian of the Transylvanian prince István Báthory, in Trento, Italy. The Research Centre for the Humanities was also involved in the study of this exceptional manuscript.

On the website www.manusonline.it, Gábor Petneházi, a researcher at the Department of Classica-Philology and Neo-Latin Studies of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Szeged, discovered that a manuscript of the Brutus codex is preserved in a church collection called Vigilianum in the Italian city of Trento. Based on the published opening and closing lines, he discovered that the work is not identical to what historians have known so far. With his colleague Péter Kasza, they travelled to the site in July 2020 and they found something completely new.

The Venetian emigrant Giovanni Michele Bruto (lat.: Johannes Michael Brutus, 1517-1592) was the historian of István Báthory (1575-1586), the Transylvanian prince, Polish king, and Lithuanian Grand Duke who founded the predecessor of the University of Szeged. He sought to record the historical events of the failure of the "country conquered by Turks". Brutus began his comprehensive work with the death of King Matthias and ends with the election of Báthory as a prince."This period is an era of competing narratives.

There are two kingdoms. What happens from the time of Matthias to the disintegration can be written in many different ways," said Péter Kasza, who wonders what responsibilities Brutus raises in his Rerum Ungaricarum libri.

A DECADE OF WORK

The two lecturers of the SZTE have been offered a position and a group at the Institute of History of the Research Centre for the Humanities of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH). Their task for the next decade will be to read, translate and publish the volume with explanatory notes. In the meantime, they will have to explore Brutus’ sources and his relationship to contemporary historiography.

Brutus and historian István Szamosközy wrote their signatures on the manuscript, which is of inestimable scientific value.

"The fact that Brutus wrote in it, and made many corrections, makes the volume particularly exciting and valuable. Szamosközy's handwriting is the evidence that this work appeared in Transylvania in the late 16th century, and his corrections and marginal notes suggest that he was commissioned to prepare the manuscript for publication," the researcher of the SZTE e x pla ine d. T his f inding rearranges the relationship bet ween 16th and 17thcentury historians.

CULTURE

25

Dorina CSÁSZÁR

WORLD-FAMOUS OPERA SINGER ANDREA ROST TEACHES AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED

Andrea Rost, a world-famous opera singer, who has given several masterclasses, from the academic year of 2021/2022 will be teaching at the Department for Voice of the Béla Bartók Faculty of Arts (BBMK) of the University of Szeged. The world-renowned opera singer, the winner of the Kossuth, Bartók-Pásztory, and Liszt Ferenc Prizes aims to provide future singers with a high-quality, multifaceted education that will enable them to build an international career.

Andrea Rost has many ties to Szeged. She has sung Tosca at the Open-Air Festival of Szeged, appeared as a guest performer at the National Theatre of Szeged, participated in a musical talk show portrait event with conductor Tamás Pál, and participated as a performer in a master class at the invitation of the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts of the University of Szeged (today: Béla Bartók Faculty of Arts). The world-famous opera singer said that she felt already then that she would have a closer relationship with the University of Szeged in the near future and would be involved in the highquality education that is taking place here.

"I will start teaching at the Department for Voice led by Professor Mária Temesi at the Béla Bartók Faculty of Arts of the University of Szeged from the first semester of 2021. It's no secret that I have serious goals for teaching starting in the autumn," said Andrea Rost. A deep, instinctive, and natural musicality is crucially important to the world-

RIGOUR, PATIENCE, DEVELOPMENT

famous artist. She revealed that for an aspiring singer, she looks at how musical the young singer is. She believes that the basis of singing is a good breathing technique. "I e xpec t to run a school that meets the challenges of the 21st century," she addressed.

"Music educat ion in Sze ge d is le genda r y.

The foundations and traditions laid by Valéria Berdál are very important. However, I plan to go further and fur ther. I would like to integrate the vocal studies at the University of Szeged into the international sphere."

Andrea Rost would not only focus on the basics of music and musical technique.

The Kossuth, Bartók-Pásztory, and Liszt Ferenc Prize-winning opera singer and renowned artist said referring to her appointment to teach at the BBMK: "I can only promise my future students what I have received from the teachers who have shaped my life: rigour, patience, and development." She believes that the institution should support the future singers offering them a perspective that goes beyond Szeged and Hungary, giving them the chance to pursue an international career.

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TRADITION AND INNOVATION:

NEW COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED In addition to its traditionally popular courses, the University of Szeged is continuously renewing its portfolio. Innovative courses and practice-oriented education are both parts of SZTE.

SZTE IS THE ONLY UNIVERSITY IN HUNGARY TO OFFER CHINA SPECIALISATION Ferenc Lévai

SZTE NKI

From September 2021, the International and Regional Studies Institute of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of the University of Szeged will launch the China Specialisation in the Master's degree programme in International Relations.

After a long preparation, the Ed u c a t i o n a l A u t h o r i t y h a s a ccept e d t he a ccre di t at ion application submitted by SZTE. T he China Specia lis at ion is suppor ted by the Confucius Ins t i t u t e of t h e Uni ver si t y of Szeged. In addition to the le c t urer s of t h e S Z T E , t h e programme will also include internationally renowned China researchers, diplomat s, and economists.

This programme is unique in Hung a r y. T he Facult y of Law and Political Sciences of t he Univer sit y of Szeged is the only one to offer a China Specia lisat ion in Hung a r ia n language in the International Relations MA. Candidates will gain insight into interesting areas such as the operation of the state and the legal system of the People's Republic of China, a nd a lso into t he count r y's geopolitical and geostrategic potential, foreign policy, and recent history. The course will also cover topics focusing on Sout hea st A sia , t he Middle East, and China's economy and economic history. Students will also gain insights into Chinese intercultural knowledge and personal experience.

NINE DECADES OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN SZEGED

Modern teacher education has a history of more than 90 years at the University of Szeged. In 1928, Kuno von Klebelsberg, who served as Minister of the Interior and Minister of Culture of the Kingdom of Hungary between the two world wars, moved the teacher training to Szeged.

GAMIFICATION

SZTE GTK is a pioneer in the use of gamification, being a member and leader of several international Erasmus+ consortia. Gamification reinforces the methodology of education. Gamification is used in many countries around the world and can also be used effectively in online education.

MICROSOFT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BUSINESS SCHOOL - SZTE GTK'S RANGE OF COURSES EXPANDS Bernadett Kocsis

István Sahin-Tóth

Students of SZTE learn about modern solutions and the applicability of artificial intelligence. The Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of the University of Szeged was one of the first to join the Microsoft AI Business School.

One of the goals of the development concept of the Fa c u l t y o f E c o n o m i c s a n d Business Administration of the University of Szeged is to renew the educational technology tools and the smart device park.

"We are introducing more and more elements in our training courses where students can use modern solutions. Microsoft's Business School of Ar tificial Intelligence is related to this, a s technolog y is playing a n increasingly important role in the operation of business life," emphasised Dr. Péter Kovács, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of the University of Szeged.

The economics students will learn about the use of databases, how to ex tract data from different sources for decision-

making, how to use different IT tools and smart solutions in business. The course develops the analytical skills and complex thinking of the Marketing MSc students at the University of Szeged.

"It is important for us to add even more uniqueness to the course and to increase the labour market value of our graduates," said Dr. Péter Kovács. Pieces of training are available for our colleagues as well, so they can also develop their skills in AI. Two mobile computer rooms will be set up at the Facult y of Economics a nd Business Administration of the University of Szeged, where laptops can be loaded on mobile trolleys.

The rooms will be equipped with smar tboards and intelligent systems.

KNOWLEDGE MAP

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"SZTE: MOVE!" SZTE has bridged the most intense period of the pandemic and the lockdown with nationally outstanding sports programmes. How to get people moving, how to keep university sports alive during the quarantine? As a first step, the University Sport Centre created the conditions for the online implementation of the programme on the CooSpace platform and then launched incentive and community-building programmes that managed to involve a significant number of students, teachers and alumni in a shared experience.

WHO WILL GO FURTHER? Period: 13/04/2020 – 17/05/2020 GOAL: To reach the largest possible number of students and to involve them in regular exercise. In partnership with SZTE Alma Mater, the university staff was also invited to join.

SPECIAL FEATURE: citizens of the SZTE virtually travelled around the world. SZTE students covered a total of 43395.57 kilometres. (The equator is about 40075 km long.)

27 480,5 KM

BY BICYCLE

6284,899 KM

BY RUNNING

5358,17 KM ON FOOT

1901,01 KM

BY INDOOR SPORTS EQUIPMENT

1370,15 KM

BY SCOOTER, ROLLER SKATES, SKATEBOARD

1000,84 KM

BY WATER SPORTS EQUIPMENT USED

BY A SINGLE PERSON

Winners of the race of the “Longest distance faculty”: 1. Faculty of Engineering, SZTE: 7114,543 km. City virtually reached: New York (USA) 2. Faculty of Science and Informatics, SZTE: 6505.25 km. City virtually reached: Dhaka (Bangladesh) 3. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, SZTE: 6004,936 km. City virtually reached: Kathmandu (Nepal)

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Szeged University Magazine 2021

- SPORTS FOR HEALTH AND COMMUNITY

GET YOUR MOVE ON! Period: 21/10/2020 – 13/12/2021

GOAL: Keep a healthy lifestyle! The importance of physical activity and healthy eating.

SPECIAL FEATURE: with Christmas approaching, exercise during active rest was not measured in distance but calories. Hundreds of university students joined the call.

Over 4 weeks, 920 registered workouts were recorded. Participants burned 300,277 calories.

The most preferred forms of exercise by students: - Outdoors - walking: 152 exercises, running: 116 exercises, cycling: 74 exercises; - Indoors - 85 bodyweight exercises, 62 exercises to home workout videos Based on the overall performance of the participants in the programme: - Burned the equivalent of 91 kilograms of calories of candy while exercising.

- This is the equivalent of the energy of 6,000 coconut balls or 116 litres of palinka.

TAKE A PHOTO! Period: 12/01/2021 - 04/04/2021 GOAL: Capture a moment while exercising!

Fill the campus with life and movement through images! – that was the call of the SZTE Sport Centre. The uploaded pictures are used to create a mosaic of the Rector's Office of the University of Szeged.

SPECIAL FEATURE: despite online education and isolation, students and staff of the university were able to experience the unifying power of sports.

- The mosaic brings the façade of the Rector's Office to life with more than a thousand photographs.

- The mosaic is a reminder that university sports have not been forgotten in the online era.

SZTE 100!

Period: 07/04/2021 – 23/05/2021 GOAL : To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the University of Szeged with covering 100 kilometres by hiking, running, or cycling.

SPECIAL FEATURE: The first 100 students to reach 100 kilometres by running or cycling received a special, unique commemorative medal. This programme is the first in a series of events linked to the 440th/100th anniversary academic year of the University of Szeged.

SPORT MOVE

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EUGLOH Five Universities, One Alliance

The aim of the European University Alliance for Global Health is to strengthen links between higher education institutions. What does this mean for students in Szeged? To summarise the first 18 months of the Alliance's operation: fantastic programs and courses, even during the pandemic.

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

EUGLOH member universities in Europe represent the whole of Europe, showing the cultural diversity that characterises our continent.

This rich diversity is reflected in each EUGLOH programme, whether it is -sports, -intercultural training, -joint courses or -joint research projects.

For those who like to gain experience in international teams, the EUGLOH’s events are great occasions.

And as the pandemic winds down, the virtual programmes will hopefully be followed by face-toface meetings and travels to motivate participants.

EDUCATION ACROSS EUROPE

EUGLOH students are part of a community of 210,000 students who can apply to participate in: -joint programmes, -courses, -training for credits.

This means that every student in Szeged is also a student of 5 highly ranked European universities and is free to choose from EUGLOH’s offers. They can also transfer the credits earned at the partner universities to their studies in Szeged because their participation in the programmes is rewarded with a EUGLOH credit certificate.

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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE EUGLOH ALLIANCE:

EUGLOH stands for European University Alliance for Global Health.

The alliance was formed in 2019 with the participation of five universities: • Université Paris-Saclay • Lund University • Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich • University of Porto • University of Szeged

The Alliance takes a global view on HEALTH and therefore addresses many areas that all contribute to a better understanding of the societal challenge of global health.Health must be considered globally and transdisciplinary.

Therefore, EUGLOH addresses numerous fields, which all contribute to a better understanding of the societal challenge of global health.

5 30 UNIVERSITIES

PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

4

LARGE RESEARCH FACILITIES

6

COMPANIES

11

RESEARCH CENTRES

21.000 STUDENTS

23.000 TEACHERS AND RESEARCHERS

EUGLOH TOPS

Most Szeged participants in EUGLOH programmes are from TTIK (Faculty of Science and Informatics) and ÁOK (Faculty of Medicine).

The first EUGLOH programme: Rush Game in Pharmaceutical Marketing course.

The first programme organised by Szeged: EUGLOH Online Summer School on Biomedical Data Processing and Global Aspects of COVID-19 (July 2020).

INNOVATION

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SUCCESS

Gábor MÁTÓ, Ferenc LÉVAI

– Naturtex-SZTE-Szedeák Won the Bronze Medal in the Championship

István SAHIN-TÓTH

Never before has the Szeged men's basketball team achieved such a good result as in the 2020/2021 season: the Naturtex-SZTE-Szedeák finished third in the top league.

The name SZTE is not only in the team's name.

Students from several faculties of the University of Szeged are part of the Naturtex-SZTE-Szedeák team: Ákos Mayer is a student at the Juhász Gyula Faculty of Education, Sports and Recreation Management programme at the University of Szeged, I v á n Kelle r s t u di e s S p o r t s Coaching. Balázs Kerpel-Fronius and Szilárd Balogh are studying Sociolog y at t he Facult y of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Szeged. At the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Gáspár KerpelFronius is studying Business Administration and Management and Kristóf Polányi is studying Finance and Accounting.

The players have two training sessions a day and have to cope with the challenges of university life, but they are successfully overcoming the obstacles. They have competed in the playoff and have already had a lot to do on their way to the semi-finals.

The Szeged team had a great run in the regular season, with closed gate games for most of the championship, and qualified for the

playoff, where they won the match against PAKS to reach the final four. This made it certain that the team would play to win the title.

In the semi-finals, the defending champions, with lots of players in the Hungarian national team, came from Szombathely. After a long time, the basketball players of Naturtex-SZTE-Szedeák were back to play in front of their fans.

The team with six SZTE students, won a game against the last championship winner Falco KC from Szombathely, thus equalizing in the semi-finals and playing one of the most memorable matches of the season.

The 96-92 win was also watched

by Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Rector of the University of Szeged with many other supporters of the team.

However, altogether Falco won the series with a 3-1 lead, and Szrecsko Szekulovic's team played for the bronze medal against the other university team, Debrecen.

This match was played until the first team won two matches, and Szedeák won in the Újszeged Sports Hall, and then Szeged defeated Debrecen in their home and won the bronze medal.

Engineering Student of the SZTE Competes at the Tokyo Olympics Bence Nádas, a student of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Szeged, will compete in the 500m kayak four at the XXXII. Summer Olympics in Japan.

The food engineering student won the K-1 500m World Cup 2021 in Szeged. Due to his team and individual success, the captain of the national team decided to

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choose him to be a part of the Olympic team. Hungary will be represented in the K-4 500m by Bence Nádas, Kolos Csizmadia, Sándor Tótka and Bálint Kopasz.

So far, 17 former students of the University of Szeged have stood on the podium at previous Olympics: https://u-szeged.hu/olimpikonjaink

MODEL CHANGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED

SZTE INFO István SAHIN-TÓTH

The University of Szeged's main decision-making body, the Academic Senate agreed at its meeting on 29 January 2021 to transform the university from a staterun university to a higher education institution sustained by a state-established foundation. This decision opens up a new path for the university, providing new opportunities for the city and the region to increase its competitiveness.

Confirming the decision of the Academic Senate of the University of Szeged, on 27 April 2021 the Parliament adopted the legislation that, among other things, provides the legal framework for the change of the University of Szeged's maintenance.

WHY CHANGE IS NECESSARY? Among other reasons because SZTE had reached the limits of its development in the current framework that governs its everyday life.

THE MODEL CHANGE GIVES A NEW GUIDELINE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY and can set it on a fresh and dynamic path Model-changing universities, such as SZTE, can provide the training, research, and innovation services needed to boost the competitiveness of THE REGION AND HUNGARY as the driving force of local social life, higher education and economic development.

A MORE PREDICTABLE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT will allow our institution to respond more flexibly and quickly to economic needs.

With the change of maintenance INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSETS WILL BELONG TO THE UNIVERSITY. This will lead to A MORE FLEXIBLE AND FREE MANAGEMENT AND PROCUREMENT SYSTEM, LOWER ADMINISTRATION BURDEN and SIMPLER DECISION-

MAKING MECHANISMS. With the new operational model EMPLOYEES will get MOTIVATION, FINANCIAL IMPROVEMENT, and -a performance-oriented CAREER STRUCTURE will be introduced. The University of Szeged is already among the best universities in the world and Europe and will continue to improve its well-established and respected reputation.

FROM STUDENTS' POINT OF VIEW

Important information for students on the model change of the University of Szeged: -It doesn’t affect the type, composition, and size of the state• funded COURSES. -After 1 August, student BENEFITS, such as dormitories and • scholarships, will remain unchanged -For students who have already started their studies, there • will be no change in the TUITION FEE. It will remain the responsibility of the university to determine the amount of the tuition fee.

- The model change will not affect the recognition of the • DEGREES obtained at the University of Szeged.

INNOVATION

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RENEWING UNIVERSITAS

DEVELOPMENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED The University of Szeged is making extraordinary developments. Thanks to the investments made with government support, EU funds and its own budget, the institution will have all the necessary facilities to develop an infrastructure for teaching, research and medicine that meets the requirements of the 21st century.

THE ALBERT SZENT-GYÖRGYI HEALTH CENTRE (SZAKK) DEPARTMENT OF RADIOLOGY, SZTE

The new diagnostic medical imaging equipment, the region's state-of-the-art MR centre and a new patient management system have been developed at the SZTE SZAKK Department of Radiology, which was re-launched on 1 June 2020 to meet the most professional medical technology and patient safety requirements of the 21st century.

• 4.8 billion HUF in targeted government support • Nationally outstanding technological development The highest level of progressiveness of the health care facility complex in • the Southern Great Plain (hu.: Dél-Alföld). The University of Szeged provides radiological care services to the population.

3D CENTRE

The 3D Centre of the University of Szeged is located in the building of the Finance Office of the SZTE Albert Szent-Györgyi Health Centre. In the future, this will make it possible for ENT specialists, oral, orthopaedic, cardiac or neurosurgeons to plan a surgery on a model created with the help of a 3D printer, or to place an implant in a patient's body printed according to the patient's individual parameters. 3D printing can be used to create individual organs and biological tissues, tiny organs of the ear, a prosthesis, a skull or jaw bone replacement or the surface of articular cartilage.

The infrastructure of the unique research centre of the SZTE which uses complex • 3D printing technology The construction, mechanical characterisation and development of metal, • polymer and biological structures and medical devices • Personalised medical care for patients • Life science research • Support for education, training and innovation in medicine Background for medical and industrial collaboration and several national tenders •

SZTE DEPARTMENT OF OTO- RHINOLARYNGOLOGY AND HEAD-NECK SURGERY

Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Rector and Director of the Department of Oto- RhinoLaryngology and Head-Neck Surgery, inaugurated the new operating theatre in the new wing of the Department of Oto- Rhino- Laryngology and Head-Neck Surgery of the University of Szeged with a cochlear implantation surgery in December 2020.

• Government funding of HUF 1 billion 800 million The old five-storey clinic was extended and connected to a new three-storey • wing of about 900 square metres The ground floor houses the outpatient department as well as the new Cochlear • Implantation Centre and a hearing testing room On the first floor, a 300-square-metre otolaryngology and laryngology operating • theatre block has been created and equipped with the latest technology

BIOBANK

The Biobank under the development of the University of Szeged reached a major milestone in May 2021. A world-leading automated biobank sample storage system was assembled.

• It can store millions of biological samples SZTE has expanded the capacity of the Biobank with a unique innovation: the • construction of BSL-2 laboratories • Background in biomedical research and diagnostics against COVID-19

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