On the occasion of her significant life jubilee, the Presidium of the SAS awarded a Commemorative Plaque of the SAS to Ľubica Lacinová from the Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics (IMPG) of the Center of Biosciences SAS. She received the recognition on Friday, December 6, 2024, from the hands of the Vice-Chairman of the SAS, Martin Venhart.
“Granting awards by the Slovak Academy of Sciences is one of the most delightful moments of academic life when we honor individuals we deeply respect, who are the pillars of the Academy. I value today’s occasion even more as it is a double celebration,” stated M. Venhart at the beginning of the ceremony. The laudatory speech was then delivered by Karol Marhold, Vice-Chairman of the SAS for the 2nd Division of Sciences.
Prof. RNDr. Ľubica Lacinová, DrSc. graduated in nuclear physics with an individual study plan in biophysics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Comenius University in Bratislava. After graduation, she joined the Center for Physiological Sciences (CPS) of the SAS as a research fellow, working in the group of RNDr. Juraj Poledna, DrSc., where she studied the changes in optical properties (anisotropy) of skeletal muscle cells during excitation and subsequent contraction. “This was during the era of MacGyver-style approaches to science and research, where results were obtained using prototype instruments, many of which were developed and constructed with her personal contributions at the Biophysics Laboratory of the CPS SAS,” emphasized K. Marhold.
After the societal changes of 1989-1990, she continued her work as a scientist at the IMPG SAS, which succeeded the CPS. From 1990 to 1991, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine in Philadelphia, where she learned the patch-clamp technique and studied the excitability of cardiac myocytes in rodents. Between 1993 and 2001, she worked as a researcher at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Technical University of Munich, initially joining for a three-month internship. “To maintain active connections with Slovakia, she became part of the authorial team of the pioneering journal InZine, where she popularized contemporary scientific findings and became a member of the liberal Bratislava intellectual scene before it was even ‘cool,” highlighted K. Marhold.
Her scientific output is extensive, comprising 92 publications that have been cited over 2,360 times (excluding self-citations). Alongside her research, Ľubica Lacinová has been active in education, supervising five bachelor’s theses, 14 diploma theses, two rigorous works, and mentoring nine Ph.D. students.
In addition to her scientific and pedagogical work, Ľubica Lacinová has been engaged in scientific management. At the IMPG SAS, she held roles such as head of the laboratory, department head, deputy director, chairwoman of the scientific council, acting director, and a member of the SAS Assembly. Between 2013 and 2017, she served as the chairwoman of the SAS Assembly and the head of its 2nd Chamber. She has been a member of the SAS Presidium since 2017 and is part of the SAS Scientific Council.
“Ľubica Lacinová is a multifaceted personality who, alongside her unquestionable scientific expertise, has strong opinions on various societal issues. She actively shares these views in electronic and print media, particularly concerning ethics, gender equality in modern society, the marginalization of minority opinions, and the handling of GMOs,” noted K. Marhold.
In her speech, Ľubica Lacinová expressed her gratitude to her colleagues who supported her scientific work and to her peers at the SAS Presidium.
For the full report (in Slovak): https://www.sav.sk/?lang=sk&doc=services-news&source_no=20&news_no=12449
Compiled by: Andrea Nozdrovická
Photo: Katarína Gáliková
