Debrecen4U
May 6, 2026
Diabetologist at University of Debrecen Receives Prestigious Award
Associate Professor and specialist in internal medicine, diabetology and endocrinology Ferenc Sztanek has been awarded the Hetényi Géza Prize by the leadership of the Hungarian Diabetes Association in recognition of his outstanding professional and scientific work, the university has announced.
“This recognition is particularly important to me, as the work of Professor Géza Hetényi is founded on the integrative, patient-centred approach to internal medicine that I also strive to represent. I view patient care, education and research as a unified system in which each element reinforces the others; therefore, I do not regard this award primarily as a personal achievement, but rather as a shared success with my colleagues working at the Department of Metabolism of the Internal Medicine Clinic at the University of Debrecen. The recognition confirms that it is worthwhile to examine diabetes and metabolic diseases not as isolated factors, but in their interrelations, and to consistently apply this approach in clinical decision-making. At the same time, it carries a responsibility to continue along this path, so I see this award as a kind of signpost in my professional development,” Ferenc Sztanek, Associate Professor at the Institute of Internal Medicine, told hirek.unideb.hu.
Ferenc Sztanek graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Debrecen in 2006, and subsequently obtained specialist qualifications in internal medicine, diabetology and endocrinology. He earned his PhD in 2013 and completed his habilitation in 2022. His scientific interests focus on metabolic diseases, particularly the pathomechanisms of diabetes mellitus and its complications, as well as the role of oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. He is actively involved in teaching internal medicine, endocrinology and public health, and supervises undergraduate theses and student research projects. He is a member of numerous national and international professional organisations. His primary goal is to further strengthen an integrated approach in which patient care, education and research develop in close interaction.
“Today, diabetology is no longer solely about regulating blood glucose levels, but about understanding and influencing complex cardiometabolic processes. This is the perspective I represent both in clinical practice and in education. I consider the early recognition and complex treatment of diabetic complications, particularly neuropathy, to be a priority area, and in research I aim to pursue directions that link a more precise understanding of pathomechanisms with results that are directly interpretable in clinical practice. In the longer term, my goal is to develop a patient pathway and conceptual framework in which the early, structured identification and management of cardiometabolic risk are central. I do not wish to define a new direction, but rather to deepen and more widely apply a consistent, system-level way of thinking,” emphasised Ferenc Sztanek, specialist in internal medicine, diabetology and endocrinology at the Clinical Centre of the University of Debrecen.
Ferenc Sztanek received the Hetényi Géza Prize, a prestigious professional recognition of the Hungarian Diabetes Association, at the organisation’s 34th congress in Szeged.
Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)
