László Fésüs - Biography#

László Fésüs was born in Hungary in 1947, became an MD in 1972, then decided to do research in biomedical sciences and received his PhD in immunology in 1978. He spent 3 years as a postdoctoral fellow and visiting scientist at NIH, USA, then started a university carrier in Debrecen where became professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in 1988 at the Faculty of Medicine, then chairman of department between 1993 and 2013. His research group focuses on the biochemistry of protein cross-linking transglutaminase enzymes and molecular mechanisms in cell death and disease developments; published 190 papers which were cited close to 6000 times. He was visiting professor at the University of Texas and the University of Rome, coordinated major European projects of COST, ESF and EU-Frame Work programs.

He became member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1998, chaired its Science and Ethics Committee (2008-2014) and was elected to chair the Biology section of the Academy (2014). He was chairman of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee for Higher Education (2004-2007) and the Hungarian Biochemical Society (2005-2015).

He served as rector (1999-2001, 2007-2010) and president of the Medical and Health Science Center (2001-2007) of the University, successfully coordinated the technology transfer program of the University. In 2010 the Debrecen University was selected and obtained specific funds as one of the five research universities in Hungary and since then he coordinate this program and its funding system, then initiated a molecular medicine excellence program.

In 2009 he was elected to be member of the Science and Ethics Committee of All European Academies (ALLEA). Since 2012 he is chairman of the Publications Committee of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies and member of the Executive Committee of FEBS.