More than 500.000 pacemaker implantations are done in Europe every year, and this number is continuously increasing. Significant innovations have been made in this field in recent years, however, their benefits have not yet been fully clarified. This is what Bernadett Miriam László-Dobai wants to do in her research. In November, she was named Best First-Year Ph.D. Student (Year 1) at the Centre for Translational Medicine.
Dr. Dobai graduated as a medical doctor from the George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, and joined CTM as a student researcher in 2018, when she met Prof. Péter Hegyi. “I was involved in a meta-analysis and later became involved in a research project again. After graduation, I started working as a cardiology resident at the Cardiovascular and Transplant Emergency Institute of Târgu Mureș, and as a Ph.D. student and assistant lecturer at the George Emil Palade University. This year, I had the opportunity to start my Ph.D. at CTM in Budapest, in a bilateral program between the two universities. So, I am here thanks to the collaboration between Semmelweis University and George Emil Palade University. My supervisors are Prof. Gábor Duray and Dr. Péter Bógyi from Budapest, and Prof. Dan Dobreanu and Dr. Silvia Lupu from Târgu Mureș.”
In the first year of her CTM Ph.D. training, Dr. Dobai is in Budapest, undergoing training in cardiac electrophysiology and pacemaker therapy. “Besides clinical practice, I dedicate as much time as possible to research. I have weekly joint meetings with my supervisors and also individual meetings. It's a real team effort, and we get all the support we need from the CTM team.”
In her research, Dr. Dobai is comparing the safety and effectiveness of pacing modalities in patients with bradycardia. Clarifying this question is essential because right ventricular pacing has been the standard approach, but in some cases, it can lead to ventricular dyssynchrony, and can cause or worsen heart failure. Alternative pacing modalities, such as conduction system pacing, have emerged in recent years, but their benefits have not yet been clarified.
“Having a clear vision and choosing the best pacing modalities are always crucial. To achieve this, we are preparing a systematic review and meta-analysis, which will provide evidence and support for doctors in choosing the best available pacing modality for the individual patient. Our second project is still in preliminary phase. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis, in which we aim to clarify the incidence and pattern of atrial fibrillation after atrial flutter ablation. This is important because the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in these cases is not well-explored, nor the optimal duration of anticoagulation post-ablation. Clarifying these questions could also make our daily clinical practice better.” Since Dr. Dobai likes to do research, she plans to continue her academic work after obtaining her Ph.D. As an assistant lecturer, she already enjoyed working with students in Târgu Mureș, and when she returns home, she intends to continue teaching, alongside her day-to-day life as a dedicated doctor.
(Emese Szabó)