Debrecen4U
April 22, 2025
University of Debrecen teachers receive prestigious awards
The outstanding professional activities of the University of Debrecen’s lecturers have recently been recognised with prestigious awards. Adjunct Professor Fanny Horváth Ildikó was awarded the audience prize of the Szent-Györgyi Albert Medical Award, while Zoltán Szekanecz was awarded the special prize of the Richter Medal of Merit.
For the third time, Richter Gedeon PLC. presented the Richter Medal of Merit Award to those specialists who are shaping the future of Hungarian healthcare with their exceptional professional knowledge, innovative approach and exemplary humanity. Professor of the Department of Rheumatology at the University of Debrecen, Faculty of General Medicine, Zoltán Szekanecz was awarded the special prize in the category of the most outstanding scientific or innovative doctor of the year.
“It is a great honour for me to have had the opportunity to apply for the Richter Merit Award, which faithfully reflects the triple unity of research, education and patient care. I have also been working in this unit since I received my degree. I believe that the results of basic, applied and clinical research are now incorporated into medicine in a short time. However, as a senior lecturer in graduate and postgraduate training, I continuously convey the importance of this unit with my colleagues and connect the research results with their practical applicability. The special award is essentially a lifetime achievement award, with which my professional activities have been recognised, Zoltán Szekanecz emphasised
The professor and his colleagues have been working on autoimmune rheumatological diseases, primarily rheumatoid arthritis (RA) comorbidities, for the past fifteen years.
As he said, RA patients develop cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and bone fractures, secondary tumors and neuropsychiatric abnormalities (depression, cognitive disorders) secondary to arthritis. In addition to the development of these comorbidities, he and his fellow researchers are also studying how the treatment of the underlying disease with targeted therapies affects the comorbidities. Currently, they are researching comorbidities not only in RA but also in spondyloarthritis (such as Bechterew’s disease) and scleroderma. All employees of the rheumatology department are involved in the scientific work.
The excellent professional activities of assistant professor at the Department of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of General Medicine, University of Debrecen Ildikó Fanny Horváth were also recognised recently. The internist, allergist, clinical immunologist, and rheumatologist received the audience award for the Szent-Györgyi Albert Medical Award, established by the Goodwill Pharma Public Health Foundation.
“For me, this is a great source of pride, a kind expression of the love of patients. As a doctor, I have been working since 2004 at the Department of Clinical Immunology of the Department of Internal Medicine, Building C, in the care of systemic autoimmune patients. Patients often find themselves in very difficult life situations due to the organ involvement caused by the autoimmune process. I have always tried to treat my patients with maximum care and empathy. During the care process, in addition to regulating their physical functions, I also cared about the positive change in their mental state, and I also placed emphasis on supporting their return to work. I feel that by receiving the award, my efforts and my empathetic skills have been recognised by my patients and their relatives, the Assistant Professor at the University of Debrecen, Ildikó Fanny Horváth emphasised.
The distinguished university expert added that she is pleased that the quality of life of autoimmune patients is improving with the emergence of new therapeutic options, and that is why she is committed to learning about innovations, applying them, and further promoting professional development.
Speaking about her scientific activities, she said that she plans to obtain a habilitation degree in the field of Sjögren’s syndrome.
Source and photo credit: dehir.hu
