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The leaders of the municipal government presented the city’s awards in the concert hall of the Kodály Center at the ceremony held on the occasion of Pécs City Day. The honorary citizen of Pécs this year was Dr. Barthóné Dr. Júlia Szekeres, who passed away in March, and Dr. Dóra Reglődi received the Scientific Award of the City of Pécs.

On 1 September 1367, Pope Urban V signed a letter authorizing the founding of the medieval university of Pécs. Since 1994, this day has been celebrated as Pécs City Day, commemorating this outstanding historical moment.

“This day belongs to everyone in Pécs, regardless of where they come from, what they believe in, or what they think about the world. A day when there is no place for division, conflict, or exclusion. A day free from all the dark shadows that politics has cast around itself in recent decades, and which is perhaps why it can become what it is: a true community celebration. In these intimate moments, even time seems to slow down around us for a little while. Perhaps this is why such elevated celebrations are best suited to help us realize that our beautiful city exists not only in space but also in time. It is like a deeply rooted tree with lush foliage. Its roots reach down to the deepest layers of history, its thick, massive trunk is shaped by today’s community, and its foliage is made up of our shared thoughts, plans, and hopes for the future,” pecsma.hu quotes Mayor Attila Péterffy.

The Municipal Government of the County City of Pécs awarded Dr. Barthóné Dr. Júlia Szekeres the title of Honorary Citizen of the County City of Pécs posthumously in recognition of her decades of work in the field of reproductive immunology and her contribution to the scientific, educational, and research life of the city.  

Dr. Júlia Szekeres (10 December 1950 – 29 March 2025) was born in Pécs, graduated summa cum laude as a physician, and was a dedicated scientist and teacher. She spent most of her career at the Pécs Medical University, where she was the head of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology for ten years from 2005. Her main area of research was reproductive immunology, and she discovered the progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) in 1989. She was the leader of several domestic and international scientific societies and also served as vice-rector and held different positions in various committees at the university. Her work is marked by more than two hundred international publications and numerous prestigious awards, including the “Eötvös József Wreath.” She was the supervisor of sixteen PhD students. Her work ethic, openness, and helpfulness were exemplary. She also had a fulfilling family life with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Until the end of her life, she remained optimistic, respectful, and committed to science and the university.

The award was accepted by her husband, Professor Loránd Barthó.

The Bishop Vilmos Award, the Scientific Award of the City of Pécs, was presented to Professor Dóra Reglődi in recognition of her educational and research work in the field of anatomy, as well as her organizational activities in scientific life.

Dr. Dóra Reglődi graduated summa cum laude from the Pécs Medical University in 1994. Since then, she has been a member of the staff at the UP Department of Anatomy, working as head of department since 2013. Her research focuses on the PACAP neuropeptide, which was first isolated during her scholarship period at Tulane University. She has published more than 330 scientific publications, with over 9,500 citations. She holds a PhD, a habilitation, and a doctorate from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and has been a corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences since 2023. She is involved in significant educational and scientific organizational activities and has been the chair of the organizing committees of several international conferences. She is an outstanding mentor: 27 of her PhD students have successfully defended their theses, and her TDK students have given nearly 300 presentations. Her awards include the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award, the Academic Youth Award, and the Pro Cura Ingenii Award. She speaks four languages and also teaches in several languages. She combines her scientific work with artistic activities, has participated in more than 50 exhibitions, and is also active in community scientific outreach.

“The recognition is positive feedback that what we are doing is good and worth continuing. It encourages us to work even harder. The award goes to our entire team because results cannot be achieved alone. Fortunately, I have been able to work with excellent people and continue to do so today,” said dr. Dóra Reglődi.

Congratulations on the recognition!

Source:

pecsma.hu

Photo:

MJV/Andrea Müller