Professor Adrienne Csutak, Head of the UP Clinical Centre Department of Ophthalmology, has been awarded the Imre-Blaskovics Prize for her outstanding work in ophthalmic care in Hungary. The award, which is one of the most prestigious awards of the Hungarian Ophthalmological Society, was presented on 23 June 2023 at the annual congress of the Hungarian Ophthalmological Society.
Written by Viktor Harta
The Imre-Blaskovics medal is named after József Imre Jr. (1884-1945) and László Blaskovics (1869-1938), the founders of the two great Hungarian ophthalmological schools, and surgical procedures they developed are also named after them. Dr. József Imre was a significant figure in several fields of ophthalmology, and his arched lid plastic is still world-famous. He founded the Department of Ophthalmology in Pécs, where he was the first professor, and in 1928 he was appointed as rector of the university. László Blaskovics' operative techniques and ptosis surgery are known throughout the world. Both were personalities of great educational importance.
"I have come a long way to receive this honorary award, for which I am grateful to the former professors of the Ophthalmology Clinic in Debrecen, my teachers, colleagues, and family, who have always stood by me in the hours of difficult decisions" - said Dr. Adrienne Csutak in connection with the award. "The recognition was made possible by leading the Department of Ophthalmology in Pécs, where my colleagues and I embarked on a journey of establishing a new school of thought. Any recognition means a lot in a person's life if there is someone to share it with, and I am happy to be able to do so with my family, the Hungarian Ophthalmological Society, and my colleagues at the University of Pécs. I have trust in their continued support so that I am never alone on this journey", she added.
Dr. Adrienne Csutak started her research in 1996 with enzymatic studies of tear samples at the University of Debrecen Faculty of Medicine and completed her Ph.D. degree and ophthalmologist specialist training almost simultaneously. As the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at UP, besides improving the quality of patient care she considers it an important goal to bring basic research to an innovative level. The department has undergone significant development in the last few years, with the introduction of the latest surgical techniques, particularly in the treatment of glaucoma and cataract patients and in the field of paediatric ophthalmology, and the less invasive form of keratoplasty has also become available. Minimally invasive surgical procedures help patients recover as quickly as possible, reducing the time spent in the hospital.
The professor's team has European, American, and Hungarian patents as research results, including one sold license. Her innovation activities have been rewarded with the Invention of the Year Award (2001) of the Johns Hopkins University, the Innovation Award (2004) of the University of Debrecen, and the Millennium Award (2008) of the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office. She is the vice-president of the Hungarian Ophthalmological Society, a member of the Hungarian Professional Association of Ophthalmology, and of several other professional societies. She is a member of the editorial board of the journal titled Plos One and regularly proofreads Hungarian and international journals and grant applications.
The work of the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology was also recognized last year with a prestigious award from the Hungarian Ophthalmological Society: in the summer of 2022, she was awarded the Béla Alberth Medal. This medal is awarded every two years to a specialist who has performed his or her work in an excellent and exemplary manner.
Pictures:
Dávid Verébi
PTE