“CTM’s training helps PhD students to deliver their talks even in challenging environment”

He is guiding two first-year PhD students through the world of science, seeking answers to questions that can support everyday cardiological practice. He believes that CTM’s training helps students to present their scientific results even in challenging environments. In January, Prof. Dr. Gábor Duray was named Supervisor of the Month (Year 1)

Gábor Duray has been involved in CTM’s program for three years and he’s currently a supervisor for three students. “After my first year, I actively sought this training opportunity for my PhD students, because I think the structure of the program is incredibly useful and efficient. It prepares students for conducting scientific work excellently. It is a great advantage that students can practice giving presentations at group meetings, because it helps them present their scientific results at conferences in a challenging environment. Due to this practice, students are much less confused by any awkward question. We can observe this improvement after six months of training. Their presentation skills are continuously improving, which is a tremendous advantage.”

The first-year students of Prof. Dr. Duray are doing their first meta-analysis. Currently, they are collecting and sorting scientific articles. Dr. Adolf Lichtfusz is investigating the effectiveness of transcatheter mitral valve repair in patients with heart failure, while the other colleague, Dr. Nina Galdzytska is exploring the role of inflammatory biomarkers in developing severe cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease. “This is a more challenging research topic, because the human body has a wide variety of inflammatory proteins, and their effects are very complex. In our research, we are interested in which of the many proteins are the ones that are likely to affect the development of arteriosclerosis.”

Prof. Dr. Duray underlines the wide range of support provided to PhD students and highlights the assistance of methodological experts. “As a supervisor, I am in an easier position than I was with my former PhD students, because CTM provides the proper methodological background with strong statistical support. Therefore, I can focus more on the scientific work and scientific guidance.”

(Emese Szabó)