Another virologist from Pécs wins the Junior Prima Award

Awardbiologyscience

The National Virology Laboratory of the University of Pécs has received another outstanding recognition: Dr. Zsófia Lanszki, a young virologist researcher and assistant professor at the Institute of Biology of the Faculty of Sciences, won the Junior Prima Award in 2025 in the Hungarian science category. The award is given each year to young talents under the age of 33 who have achieved outstanding results and whose work not only shapes the future of their own field of science but also contributes to the development of the domestic and international scientific community.

Zsófia Lanszki earned her doctorate with summa cum laude honors in 2024. Her research focuses on pathogenic organisms that can cause epidemics in animals or humans, or in some cases both. The young researcher works in line with the "One Health" approach, which means she takes a complex look at the interactions between humans, animals, and the environment, helping to map the risks of zoonoses and newly emerging viruses. In recent years, his work has focused on the study of globally widespread animal viruses and the prevention of epidemics associated with them.

The Junior Prima Award is of particular significance to the scientific community in Pécs, as another award winner has previously come from the National Virology Laboratory: Dr. Gábor Kemenesi, virologist and director of the National Virology Laboratory at the University of Pécs, who is an internationally recognized epidemiologist and remains Zsófia Lanszki's mentor to this day. This continuity shows that Pécs has a scientific workshop that is capable of training the most talented researchers of the next generation and integrating them into the international scientific community. Dr. Zsófia Lanszki said:

"This recognition is a tremendous honor for me, confirming that it is worthwhile to work persistently and responsibly. The goal of my research is to better understand the viruses that occur in wild animals and thus contribute to the prevention of future epidemics."

The Junior Prima Award confirms the importance of the mentor-student system that forms the basis of virology in Pécs. The National Virology Laboratory and the University of Pécs intend to continue to support young researchers in every way possible so that their work can contribute to the advancement of science and serve society.

An interesting interview with Zsófia Lanszki was recently conducted about her research work in Bangladesh.