News

January is not only a time to make plans and New Year’s resolutions but also a good moment to summarize the most important events of the past year. Below we present a compilation of most significant events and successes from 2023.

MUL Centre for Medical Studies in English is most pleased to present the effects of Around the World with MUL project. The bilingual e-book is the result of an initiative launched by a member of our Centre supported by the collaboration of the project main characters i.e. students at faculties in English with the back up from the Promotion Office. The project in primarily intended for children and teenagers, however, everyone is welcome to learn more about the content. The e-book might as well be a complement to the gifts already purchased. The new release will make it possible to get to know our students better and discover how diverse and intriguing MUL students community is. The community does not only include students from Poland but also from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, both Americas and Australia. Our student have arrived from around 70 countries, which is what we are proud of. They come from a variety of world regions and yet they have a lot in common, most notably, a dream to become a medical specialist and help people. They have all become both part of our university community and our city for 6 years. What do they fancy doing in their leisure time? Why do they want to be doctors? We invite and encourage you to read and find out!

Below we present photos from the Cultural Soiree 2023 and the speech of Melissa Akalonu, 3rd year student of 6MD programme, MUL Student Government Social Director. Full gallery is available here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB9FBk What is Culture? According to the Oxford dictionary – “Culture is the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society”. So, in other words, Culture is a compass. It’s our eyes, our smile, the distinct nose we inherited from our fathers. It is our tongues, whenever we speak – always points us straight home. And for when words fail, it is our dance and the movement of our bodies. Culture is our communication: Dzień Dobry, Bonjour, Otuotuoma, Maskadii, مرحبا “Marrhaban”, Namaste – all of which means one thing – “Hello”. It is what brings us together. Although I identify as both Nigerian and Irish, I remember my first year studying in Ireland. I was so determined to blend in and fit in, that every time my teachers spoke, it took me about 1 minute to understand him. The words didn’t quite translate as easily in my head and so what I did was – practice. I practised changing my accent, practising each word exactly as my teacher would say. But most times, I preferred to be silent, if I hadn’t yet practised the rhythm and flow of the words yet. I stopped rolling my “r’s” and speaking in cursive and instead, opted for the same font as everyone else around me. Then, I thought culture was about assimilating and changing but it wasn’t. Because when you do that, you deny yourself of your own heritage… what makes you – You. So, I’ll tell you what culture isn’t, it is not our ever fluctuating currencies or our somewhat questionable government – it is about acknowledging our similarities and celebrating our differences. It is about knowing that integration is far better than assimilation and that there is a power in this diversity that we share. The truth is, we are not all the same. For some of us the history has been kind and unkind to our ancestors, but with culture, we learn about empathy and community. I don’t know your pain, but I see you, I hear you, I support you, I stand in solidarity with you. Culture is about being compassionate, and today, we get to celebrate the beauty in each other and what our uniqueness brings, to the Medical University of Lodz. This is a wonderful day to celebrate our openness as students and future doctors, and I am blessed to be a part of this event. And so, on this special day , I encourage you all, to celebrate diversity , work on Unity, to overcome all adversities. And why should we do this ? Because “Our Culture is Our Compass , It always points us home.”

On Thursday, December 7th, the 10th Gala for the Best Academic Teacher of the Medical University of Lodz took place. During the ceremony, awards were presented to the best academic teachers of the Medical University of Łódź, selected based on the results of student surveys for the academic year 2022/2023 (with a total of over 43,000 completed surveys). The ranking has been compiled based on the results obtained in university-wide evaluation surveys filled out by students. The laureates of the Best Teacher of the Medical University of Łódź title for the academic year 2022/2023 are: – Prof. Sebastian Kłosek – Department of Oral Pathology– Prof. Józef Kobos – Department of Histology and Embryology – Prof. Łukasz Kuźma – Department of Biology and Pharmaceutical Botany– Prof. Anna Lipert – Department of Sports Medicine – Prof. Małgorzata Serwach – Department of Medical Insurance and Health Financing – Dr Justyna Agier – Department of Microbiology, Genetics, and Experimental Immunology – Dr Maria Bartczak – Center for Medical Simulations – Dr Krystyna Bogus – Department of Conservative Nursing – Dr Małgorzata Brauncajs – Department of Microbiology and Laboratory Medical Immunology – Dr Filip Jaśkiewicz – Department of Emergency Medicine and Disaster Medicine – Dr Danuta Małańczuk – Department of Midwifery Didactics – Dr Beata Michalska – Department of Synthesis and Technology of Medicinal Products – Dr Jarosław Pyzowski – Department of Analytical Chemistry – Dr Kinga Rośniak-Bąk – Department of Laboratory Diagnostics and Clinical Biochemistry – Dr Aleksandra Słodka – Department of Psychodermatology – Dr Dagmara Szmajda-Krygier – Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry and Molecular Diagnostics – Dr Michał Kolejwa – Clinic of Pediatrics, Nephrology, and Immunology – Dr Łukasz Kowalczyk – Department of Bioethics – Mgr Beata Czechowska – Department of Teaching Methodology of Physical Education – Mgr Emilia Jakubowska – Center for Foreign Language Teaching – Mgr Monika Kenig – Physical Education Studio – Mgr Klaudia Marek – Clinic of Neurological Rehabilitation – Mgr Robert Szewczyk – Clinic of Immunology and Allergology Congratulations to all the awarded teachers! And to the students, we encourage you to fill out the evaluation surveys. Your voice matters!

We cordially invite the distinguished group of lecturers, students and employees of UMED to a multicultural meeting! The event will be full of interesting facts from around the world, including traditional dishes, dance shows, musical performances and many other attractions. When: December 9 (Saturday) at 1:00 p.m. Where: CDUM, street Pomorska 251 (foyer next to the aquarium and at the entrance to Aula 1000) We would like to encourage all participants to wear traditional costumes or take items typical of the country they represent, so that we can celebrate the cultural diversity preset in our academic environment.

Are you a student or employee of the Medical University of Lodz passionate about making a difference in the world of medicine? 🏥 Do you want to unlock the POWER of patient involvement in healthcare and put yourself in the shoes of the patient? 🌍 Look no further! 🎓 We’re thrilled to invite you to an EXCLUSIVE event that promises to reshape your patient perspective! 🌟 📅 Date: December 12th 🕒 Time: 6pm CET📍 Location: Online – Zoom details sent after registration Lodz Citizen/patient event (google.com) 🔥 Why Should You Attend? 🔥 🚀 Unique Experience: This is your chance to gain insights from a renowned University of Oxford tutor who is a fervent advocate for citizen/patient involvement in healthcare. Our speaker’s expertise is unparalleled, and this event is a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY to learn from the best! 🧠 What to Expect: Get ready for an eye-opening journey into the world of patient experience. You’ll explore hear about real-life applications, current citizen/patient projects and discover ways to integrate the patient perspective into your studies and future career. 🌟 Limited Spaces: Hurry! We have only a LIMITED NUMBER OF SPACES available. Reserve your spot today to ensure you don’t miss out on this exclusive event! 🌐 Impact on Your Future: By attending, you’ll not only enrich your knowledge but help you stand out from the crowd. Learning the art of patient involvement make you a more empathetic, effective, and sought-after healthcare professional. 🤝 Society-Wide Change: Your participation in this event will contribute to a more patient-centered healthcare system. Be part of a movement that’s shaping the future of medicine for the better. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. REGISTER NOW to secure your place at this game-changing event. Be a healthcare trailblazer and elevate your future! 🚀 Remember, greatness awaits those who embrace patient involvement. See you on December 12th! 🌟👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️  #PatientExperienceRevolution #HealthcareLeaders

We are honored to announce that the winner of the Rector’s Award 2023 is Ms. Hoang Bao Ngoc Tran.Congratulations! Ms. Hoang Bao Ngoc Tran, 6th year 6MD student comes from Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam. She is a laureate of 8th edition of the UMED Grants 2022 program – she received a grant for the project “Extracellular collagen effect on connexin 43 in heart fibrosis”. Her presentation “Regulatory effect of Extracellular Matrix components and a2B1 integrin on connexin 43 density in cardiac fibroblasts” won 3rd place during the conference Juvenes Pro Medicina (11-14.05.2023). The student has been actively participating in research and scientific work of the Department of Pathophysiology for several years under the supervision of Prof. Jacek Drobnik. Below you can read about student’s scientific work: “My name is Tran Hoang Bao Ngoc and I am from Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. I have had the honor to, currently, study and research at the Department of Pathophysiology – Medical University of Lodz. I am under the guidance and supervision of Prof. Jacek Drobnik and Ms. Malgorzata Galdyszynska, M.Sc. Our main target is to explore the role of cardiac fibroblasts, their interaction with the Extracellular matrix (ECM) and how these phenomena can influence the pathological mechanism of cardiac fibrosis.  To be more specific, recently we have taken a look into the activity of Connexin 43 as this gap junction has not only been linked to the cardiac fibrosis itself, but also its complications such as arrhythmia. As the result of our hard work, we can conclude that the ECM and α2β1 integrin exert regulatory effect on Connexin 43. We are very excited about our result and we are all eager to learn more about how this regulation is mediated. Additionally, we also have a small project which we observed the cardiac fibroblasts that we cultured in a non-conventional environment called hanging drops. We have recorded many key differences such as shape and ECM metabolism of these cells in comparison to the conventional one. This is very interesting to us and we are hoping that our finding may contribute to the development of a more advance culturing method for study of cardiac fibroblasts.” Here’s Ms. Hoang Bao Ngoc Tran’s comment on winning the Rector’s Award: ” I am honored to receive the prestigious Rector’s Award. This recognition is a testament to the support and encouragement that I have received from those who have played a pivotal role in my academic journey. First and foremost, I would like to express my profound gratitude to my supervisors, Prof. Jack Drobnik and Ms. Malgorzata Galdyszynska, whose dedication and meticulous guidance have been instrumental in shaping my academic aspirations. I also extend my appreciation to the Medical University of Lodz. I would like to say thank you to all our university’s members, especially to my Coordinator, Ms. Ewa Domińczak, our Dean, Prof. Sebastian Kłosek, and Rector, Prof. Radzisław Kordek, for their constant support and commitment to fostering a vibrant educational environment. Last but not least, I am eternally grateful to my family and friends for their love and encouragement.  I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude for these remarkable individuals. I want to wish them all the best in life and once again, thank you all so much!”