Activities of the Institute
Short-term work placement at the Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, December 2024
In the pre-Christmas period, Assistant Professor Michal Miko was actively involved in the teaching process at the Jagiellonian University Faculty of Medicine (Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Collegium Medicum), where he led practical exercises for foreign students (general medicine and dentistry programmes) at the local Department of Histology and also participated in a pre-clinical PBL (problem-based learning) seminar. At the same time, he introduced our department to Polish colleagues.
This trip is important for comparing different approaches in the teaching process and for gaining inspiration for innovations in teaching at both departments.
In conclusion, we can proudly say that the level of teaching of our subjects in Bratislava is in no way inferior to that of the famous Jagiellonian University.
Success of PhD student Mgr. Feitscherová, November 2024
On the occasion of the Students' Day, on 18 November 2024, from the hands of the Rector of Comenius University in Bratislava, prof. JUDr. Marek Števček, DrSc., also received an award from a full-time PhD student of the Institute of Histology and Embryology of the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Mgr. Claudia Feitscherová. The topic of her research is the distribution of immune cells within selected organs of the reproductive system and their influence on fertility. She conducts her research using immunohistochemistry methods. She has published her previous research results in 8 indexed scientific outputs, including journals such as Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology or Experimental Biology & Medicine. She is also fully involved in the teaching activities of the training institute, as well as in the promotion of human anatomy, histology and embryology in the framework of scientific popularization events such as the European Researchers' Night.
Congratulations Claudia, we are happy for your success and fingers crossed for the finalisation of your dissertation!
11th Baltic Morphology Meeting 2024, November 2024
The traditional Anatomical Congress of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia was held this year at the Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology (Anatomicum) of Riga Stradiņš University, in the capital of Latvia. Among the invited lecturers were prof. Andreas Winkelmann, Head of the Institute of Anatomy at Bradenburg Medical School (Germany), prof. Michal Polguj, Head of the Institute of Anatomy at the Medical University of Lodz (Poland), prof. Dainius Pauža, Head of the Institute of Anatomy at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Lithuania), prof. David Kachlík, Head of the Institute of Anatomy at the 2nd Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague, as well as Prof. Ivan Varga from Bratislava. In his lecture, Prof. Varga presented the results of immunohistochemical research on uterine Natural Killer cells in relation to implantation and recurrent miscarriages, which he carries out together with his PhD student, Lenka Lapides, M.D., and the Head of the Institute of Pathological Anatomy of the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, prof. Pavel Babál.
ENLIGHT Conference in Estonia, October 2024
The fourth ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Conference was held at the University of Tartu from 7 to 9 October 2024, with the theme Innovation and Creativity in Higher Education. Participants were able to share their experiences and ideas on how ENLIGHT's educational goals and concepts can be linked to the practice of teaching and learning.
Comenius University sent a strong team to Tartu and its Faculty of Medicine was not missing. Our Department of Histology and Embryology was also represented and we hope that we will be able to implement some of the progressive and modern ideas of education in the curriculum of the courses we teach.
(photo: Zeinäb Mirzojeva, Andres Tennus a Marianna Danková)
Lecture of prof. Ali Mirjalili, September 2024
On September 20, 2024, Professor S. Ali Mirjalili, MD, PhD, the Head of Human Anatomy department at The University of Auckland, New Zealand, delivered the first lecture for General Medicine students in the winter semester of the new academic year 2024/2025. The lecture took place in the Great Auditorium of our Faculty of Medicine and covered a fascinating combination of gross anatomy, microscopic anatomy, and the development of the cardiovascular system. The lecture was well-received by students, scientists, and teachers in attendance, showcasing international cooperation in medical studies at our institute. We eagerly anticipate more such excellent lectures in the future! Thank you again, professor! We will happily host you again!
IFAA Meeting, South Korea, September 2024
At the beginning of September 2024, Professor Ivan Varga, actively participated in the world anatomy congress (IFAA 2024 meeting) in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. One of the goals of such world events is to connect experts from different countries and support their mutual cooperation. We believe that this will also lead to the internationalization of Slovak anatomy, and soon our colleagues and students will be visited by some internationally recognized experts, such as prof. Wojciech Pawlina (Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, USA), prof. Ali Mirjalili (University of Otago, New Zealand), prof. Friedrich Paulsen (FAU Erlangen, Germany) or prof. David Kachlík (Charles University, Czech Republic). Another important part of the world congress were the sections dedicated to the innovation of the teaching of anatomy and morphological sciences, which is receiving a lot of attention worldwide.
Cooperation with International Federation of Medical Students Associations, August 2024
We were also active at our institute during August. This summer, an interactive workshop focused on Clinical Embryology and Reproductive Health was held under the auspices of the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA) and the Slovak Association of Medical Students (SloMSA).
The workshop was led by Lenka Lapides, MD gynecologist and PhD student at our institute and Martin Klein, MD, PhD., Assistant Professor at our institute.
Almost 20 medical students from all over the world took part in this education activity. We thank them for the fantastic atmosphere and stimulating discussion!
Thesis defences at the institute
International Congress in Prague, September 2023
A part of the team of the Institute of Histology and Embryology participated in the 17th European Association of Clinical Anatomy & 14th International Symposium of Clinical and Applied Anatomy in Prague (14th - 17th September 2023). Mr. Prof. Ivan Varga chaired together with prof. Susana Biasutto from Argentina in the section focused on anatomy education. In this section MUDr. Paulína Gálfiová delivered with great success a lecture on the ultrastructure of organs of the digestive system in the image of scanning electron microscopy in the context of teaching microscopic anatomy.
We also presented three posters as part of our active participation:
Varga et al. - Immunohistochemical Study of Uterine Natural Killer (UNK) Cells and Their Role During Implantation
Gálfiová et al. - Teaching Human Embryology Nowadays: Are The Specimens of Human Embryo Still Useful Enough?
Csöbönyeiová et al. -Morphological Study of the Lymphatic Lacunae Inside the Uterine Tube Mucosal Folds and Their Possible Role in Reproduction
At the congress we also met many friends and colleagues from all over the world, e.g. from the USA, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, Romania, Greece, Hungary, Poland and of course from the Czech Republic, with whom we exchanged valuable experiences and ideas.
Conference dedicated to the celebration of 100 years of teaching of histology in Slovakia
Cooperation with The Faculty of Health Care Studies of University of West Bohemia in Pilsen
Thanks to the cooperation between our institute and tThe Faculty of Health Care Studies of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, on 19 and 20 September, the visit of Mgr. MUDr. Michal Mika, PhD. at this faculty. During his stay he had the opportunity to get acquainted with the teaching in the study programmes Physiotherapy, General Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Rescue and to see in detail all the teaching rooms serving the students (including the Simulation Centre with a real ambulance). He also shared his knowledge with the 2nd year midwifery students in the form of a lecture on the 1st and 2nd week of embryonic development, methods of assisted reproduction, ethical and moral issues related to IVF. He had the opportunity to visit and tour the ZČU campus, which is built in the urban area of Bory, where most of the faculties of ZČU are located. In the framework of cooperation with our institute is also valuable cooperation of prof. RNDr. Ivan Varga, PhD. , who has become one of the mentors of the Faculty of Health Studies in the field of science and research and will support the creation of quality publication results.
International Congress in Portugal, September 2022
From 15th to 17th September 2022, part of the scientific and pedagogical team of the Institute of Histology and Embryology of the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University, headed by Prof. Ivan Varga, participated in the 13th International Symposium of Clinical and Applied Anatomy - ISCAA 2022 in Vilamoura, Portugal. In the form of posters we presented our scientific results on the following topics:
Communication between epithelial cells of fallopian tubes and oocytes, sperm and early embryo and its importance in reproduction
Paulína Gálfiová, MD, and team: Comparison of the ultrastructure of the surface of the fallopian tube epithelium in bioptic and necroptic specimens in scanning electron microscopy.
Professor Ivan Varga presented his lecture in the section focused on innovations in teaching anatomy, where he shared his experience with the implementation of the new compulsory elective course Clinical Embryology and Reproductive Medicine into the curriculum of the study programme of general medicine.
At the conference we also met many experts from abroad such as prof. David Kachlík and MUDr. Radovan Hudák (2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague) and prof. Susana Biasutto (National University of Cordoba, Argentina).
Visit of professor Kapeller
The staff of our institute do not forget the greats of history and still cultivate lively and convivial relations with former employees and executives. This was evidenced by a recent home visit by the Institute staff to Professor Kapeller, our long-time head of institute. On this occasion, we also presented the highest award of the Slovak Medical Society - the Honorary Plaque of T. R. Niederland for his merits for the development of the Slovak Medical Society, which was awarded to him on the occasion of the centenary of the teaching of histology in Slovakia. We are very glad that even at his venerable age (year of birth 1926), the professor is still a fountain of knowledge and an inspiring personality for us!
Our institute at European Researchers' Night
The 16th edition of the European Researchers' Night took place on 30 September 2022 in the Old Market Hall in Bratislava. The aim of this science festival is not only to promote science and research itself, but also to encourage young people to experience learning. At this year's festival in Bratislava, numerous lectures were given and dozens of departments from various universities and the Slovak Academy of Sciences presented their activities. The Faculty of Medicine of the Charles University in Bratislava also found its place at this event.
The block of popular-scientific lectures was started in the morning by prof. RNDr. Ivan Varga, PhD., Head of the Institute of Histology and Embryology of the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University with a lecture entitled "Before we are born". He took the high school students through an engaging presentation full of pictures through a story that begins with fertilization and ends with childbirth. A story that lasts an average of 266 days, and we've all been through it once. But no one remembers it from their own experience.
At the same time, our institute in cooperation with the Anatomical Institute of the Faculty of Physical Sciences of the University of Physical Sciences created a stand called "Mysteries of the structure and development of the human body" in the premises of the Old Market Hall and offered those interested a unique insight into the macroscopic as well as microscopic structure of the human body. In the anatomical part, plastic models of the whole body and organ systems, as well as real plasticised models and corrosive preparations of selected organs of the human body were exhibited. In the histological part, the interested visitors could see stained sections of various organs of the human body in a light microscope. Newly created models of developmental stages of human embryos, which were printed by the staff of the institute with the help of a 3D printer, with the support of the project of the Ministry of Education KEGA 81UK-4/2021 "Creation of study materials for the newly created subject of Clinical Embryology and Reproductive Medicine", were a diversification of the exhibition
