At the end of August, the Centre for Translational Medicine held its opening ceremony for the 2026–2027 academic year. During the event, achievements from previous years were highlighted, and awards recognizing outstanding performance were handed out. The Excellence in Modern Patient Care Prize was also presented, this time to the Vas County Markusovszky University Teaching Hospital and to the Bethesda Children’s Hospital.

CTM’s opening ceremony for this academic year began with a welcome speech by Director Péter Hegyi. In his speech, the professor introduced the essence of translational medicine and then he spoke to the audience about the CTM program, highlighting its main objectives and key achievements. He shared that, for example, physicians at Szent-György Hospital in Székesfehérvár had noticed that antibiotic usage was nearly 80% among patients with acute pancreatitis, even though it is unnecessary in many cases. They began investigating the reasons for this over-treatment, and their findings led to a 31% reduction in antibiotic use. Their research has not only led to local improvements but also helped reduce antibiotic usage in other hospitals. In recent years, healthcare professionals have joined CTM's Ph.D. program from many other hospitals, and they all choose research topics that can help improve patient care and make it more efficient. Interest has come not only from students but also from medical institutions. This is demonstrated by the fact that 33 partner hospitals have already joined CTM's Ph.D. Residency Program. The supportive attitude of hospital directors was also evident at the opening ceremony, as several of them attended the event in person. CTM also collaborates with institutions worldwide on research projects and welcomes international students. So far, healthcare professionals from 48 countries have participated in its training program.

Following Professor Hegyi’s welcome speech, certificates were handed out to recognize students’ achievements. Eighty students were congratulated on completing their first year in the program, and seventy-five on passing the Complex Exam in their second year. Certificates were also awarded to eight new colleagues who will serve as Scientific Methodology Supervisors, assisting students with their research at CTM. As members of the SMS team, they will ensure that students receive all the information, guidance, and support they need. With their first-hand experience, they will play an important role in supporting the research. In addition to them, those who completed CTM's Supervisor Masterclass were also recognized at the event. Through this training, they strengthened their supervisory knowledge and skills, which helps them provide better support to their students throughout their academic journey.

The Most Cited CTM Publication Awards were also presented at the opening ceremony, recognizing four CTM-affiliated publications that have achieved outstanding scientific impact and international visibility. The awarded publications are available here, here, here, and here. While the awards were presented to the first authors, they also recognize the scientific contributions and collaborative efforts of all authors involved in these publications. The Excellence in Modern Patient Care Prize was also presented. This year, the award was given to the Markusovszky University Teaching Hospital, Vas County and to the Bethesda Children’s Hospital, Budapest. Markusovszky Hospital has a strong tradition of teaching: it has been a teaching hospital of the University of Pécs since 1967, and this year, fifteen of its healthcare professionals have enrolled in CTM’s Ph.D. program. Previously, two doctors from this hospital had already begun the program individually and are now in their third year. Bethesda Hospital has six students participating in the program, and one of its physicians has already earned his Ph.D degree.

At the ceremony, Professor Hegyi also announced that, starting this academic year, the Translational Medicine Training Program will be delivered across four campuses. In addition to Semmelweis University and University of Pécs, Ph.D. students will be trained at the University of Szeged, and there will also be a dedicated campus at the Markusovszky University Teaching Hospital. This will be the first non-university hospital in Hungary to establish a Translational Medicine Campus. This presents a unique opportunity for the hospital’s physicians and healthcare specialists to engage in scientific work on-site, alongside their clinical duties.

The opening ceremony not only focused on the Ph.D. program, but it was also announced that students who had successfully completed CTM’s MSc program had just received their degrees. Their graduation ceremony took place just before the opening event and was attended by Professor Dr. Péter Nyirády, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. He gave a speech to the recent graduates, emphasizing that their degree represents more than just successful completion of an academic program. It also signifies membership in an academic community founded on professional excellence, responsibility, collaboration, and service to society.

(Szabó Emese)