SARAJEVO, MARCH 8 (ONASA) – Nine winners of the 10th International Medis Awards for Medical Research (IMA) were formally announced last night at the National Gallery in Ljubljana.
Among them is Assoc. prof. Ph.D. sci. Gordana Bukara-Radujković, Ph.D. med., from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Her scientific research work was the best in the field of pediatrics. For ten years now, the competition has been rewarding excellent scientific research achievements of doctors and pharmacists from nine countries in Central and Southeastern Europe.
Prof. prof. Ph.D. sci. Gordana Bukara-Radujković, Ph.D. med., is the first author of the article “Evidence of increasing incidence of type 1 diabetes and ketoacidosis among children in the Republic of Srpska in period 2017–2022 with special focus on COVID-19 global pandemic years.”
The article was published in the respected scientific journal Frontiers in Public Health.
Professor Gordana Bukara-Radujković said about the research: “We hope that the results of our research will help determine the answer to the question of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the occurrence of type 1 diabetes in the world.” Furthermore, the results of our research could help local and global health policy makers to make action plans, prevention programs, etc. about how to act in potential future pandemic crises and not allow a patient to be admitted to the hospital with ketoacidosis before diabetes is detected.”
All winners of the 10th International Medis Awards for Medical Research competition (in alphabetical order of areas):
– Pharmacy: dr. sci. Milena Anđelković, M.Sc. pharm., Serbia
– Gastroenterology: David JM Bauer, Ph.D. Med., Austria
– Gynecology: dr. sci. Gábor Szabó, dr. Med., Hungary
– Intensive medicine and anesthesiology: Nikola Bradić, dr. Med., Croatia
– Neurology: Marija Babunovska, dr. med., North Macedonia
– Ophthalmology: dr. sci. Maja Živković, Ph.D. med., Serbia
– Pediatrics: Assoc. prof. Ph.D. sci. Gordana Bukara-Radujković, Ph.D. med., Bosnia and Herzegovina
– Pulmonology and Allergology: dr. sci. Jure Urbančič, Ph.D. Med., Slovenia
– Rheumatology: Irina Gessl, dr. Med., Austria
Doctors and pharmacists who published their scientific research works in reputable scientific publications with an impact factor higher than 1,500 could apply for the 10th International Medis Awards.
This year, 242 applications were received from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia. 148 applications met all the high criteria for nominations for the International Medis Awards.
President of the international expert commission, prof. Ph.D. sci. Borut Štrukelj, M.Sc. pharm., commented on the submitted works: “Every year, an international expert committee reviews the received top scientific works. This fills us with hope for the future of medicine and pharmacy in our environment. At the same time, we also feel a great responsibility when it comes to evaluating works, especially when we choose those that really stand out. I congratulate all the authors whose research reached the high standards required for publication in the most prestigious scientific journals, and I invite them to participate in the International Medis Awards competition in the future.”
Tone Strnad, M.Sc. pharm., the founder of the International Medis Awards and the company Medis, said at the ceremony: “We started these awards ten years ago in order to improve the recognition of the achievements of doctors and pharmacists in Central and Southeast Europe in the professional, and above all lay public, and at the same time encourage them to continue further or even more extensive work in the chosen field of scientific research. Over the decades, the awards have grown into a respected professional reference in medical and pharmaceutical circles. As the initiator of these awards, I look at it with great pleasure and pride.”
Mr. Maja Strnad Cestar, director of Medis, explains why the company supports this competition: “Our mission is to improve the quality of life of patients in our region, and in this the role of doctors and pharmacists is indispensable. That is why we are the main sponsor of the IMA awards for the tenth year. I believe that with the support of these awards, we increase optimism in medicine and pharmacy, encourage trust in science and thereby contribute to creating a better tomorrow for all of us.”
Dr. sci. Martina Perharič, M.Sc. pharm., professional director of the company Medis, emphasized the importance of scientific research: “Working in science is a difficult job full of challenges. If you do this alongside your regular clinical work, especially in countries where there is not much money or support for research, then the commitment to science is truly remarkable. It undoubtedly deserves wider attention from the professional, as well as the lay public. The awards also help to strengthen the trust and reputation of hard-working doctors and pharmacists who help people get better treatment options.”
The International Medis Awards for Medical Research is an international award given by an independent international expert committee for outstanding scientific research achievements in nine countries of Central and Southeastern Europe in nine medical fields. The award is given once a year. Each winner receives a bronze sculpture called “The Future” by respected sculptor Jakov Brdar, a diploma and a small financial prize.
The International Medis Awards for Medical Research is a recognition of breakthrough doctors and pharmacists who, in addition to their regular work with patients, are also engaged in research.
The aim of the awards is to present these doctors and pharmacists to the public in order to spread knowledge about their work and to encourage them and others to further scientific research work.
With their work, they bring important innovations in medicine and pharmacy, thereby contributing to more effective control of diseases.
The award was founded in 2014 by the Slovenian pharmaceutical company Medis, d.o.o., from Ljubljana, which is still the main sponsor of the competition.