János Csák, the Minister of Culture and Innovation, praised the recent Nobel laureates who graduated from Hungarian universities, highlighting that their presence enhances the prestige of these institutions. He mentioned that Katalin Karikó, the Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine, graduated from the University of Szeged, while Ferenc Krausz, the Nobel laureate in physics, completed his studies at Eötvös Loránd University and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
The minister emphasized the government's efforts to involve more renowned scientists in Hungarian research projects to boost the reputation of local universities and research institutes and reiterated that Hungary has been allocating 20 billion Hungarian forints for Krausz Ferenc's research in a six-year contract.
The six-year agreement with the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, led by Krausz Ferenc, and Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, aims to develop a diagnostic tool capable of predicting diseases, including cancer, based on the examination of electrons and various particles in cells and blood.
Minister Csák highlighted that the development of such a tool and the ability to predict diseases through lifestyle changes could lead to substantial cost savings in Hungary's healthcare system.
Minister Csák also recalled that Krausz Ferenc and his colleagues conducted groundbreaking experiments in the early 2000s, leading to numerous practical applications, noting that scientific advancements often have far-reaching effects across various fields, from materials science to life sciences.
Regarding Katalin Karikó's work on mRNA vaccine technology and Ferenc Krausz's research on laser physics and electron movement within atomic nuclei, the minister emphasized that these discoveries contribute significantly to humanity's progress, aligning with Alfred Nobel's criteria for Nobel Prizes.