Ostrava science celebrates another success, the research group of the Faculty of Medicine has won two prestigious awards
The University of Ostrava has once again become the center of attention in the field of science. The Atherosclerosis Research Working Group at the Ostrava Faculty of Medicine achieved extraordinary success at the end of last year, winning two prestigious national awards for the best original scientific publication, one from the Czech Neurological Society and the Czech Medical Association of Jan Evangelista Purkyně (ČLS JEP) and another from the Czech Atherosclerosis Society. Such a combination of awards is truly exceptional nationwide.
The first awarded work focuses on high-risk changes in the carotid arteries that can lead to stroke. The study, titled Diagnostic accuracy of carotid plaque instability by noninvasive imaging, examines how accurately modern imaging methods can detect dangerous atherosclerotic plaques before they cause serious health complications. The research results may contribute to a better estimate of stroke risk and a more accurate selection of treatment for specific patients in the future.
"This work was published in the prestigious European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging and won the Czech Neurological Society Award for the best original work of 2024. At the same time, it earned the attention of the international scientific community, as the journal published an editorial on it, and the study is already often cited in other research. We solemnly accepted the award at the international neurological congress in Košice, Slovakia," explains the significance of the success Mgr. David Pakizer, Ph.D., the first author of the award-winning international study, Head of the Atherosclerosis Research Working Group, and Assistant Professor at the Department of Imaging Methods at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava.
The second award-winning publication, which focuses on the relationship between atherosclerotic plaque characteristics and stroke risk, received the Czech Society for Atherosclerosis Award for the best original publication of 2024/2025. The research provides insight from the ANTIQUE study and was published in the Polish Heart Journal. Here too, an editorial dedicated by the journal followed. "We were also invited to present the results of our study at the plenary session of the National Congress on Atherosclerosis in Olomouc," adds David Pakizer.
Both awarded publications are connected not only by their topic but also by their origin. They were created within one Ostrava research group and during doctoral studies, yet they succeeded in competition with established capacities in the field – experienced doctors, associate professors, and professors from all over the Czech Republic. "We see this primarily as an appreciation of the work of the entire team and the long-term research background that we have at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ostrava," adds the Head of the Atherosclerosis Research Working Group at the Ostrava Faculty of Medicine.
The double success of Ostrava scientists clearly demonstrates that the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ostrava ranks among the nation's top scientific workplaces and that the results of their research have a real impact on clinical practice. At the same time, they remind us that high-quality science is produced through long-term teamwork, systematic work, and the courage to compete with the best, and that Ostrava is not lagging behind in this regard.
Updated: 11. 02. 2026
