MUG representatives participate in the Nephronauts scientific conference in Vilnius

13.06.2025

Representatives of the Medical University of Gdańsk took part in the international scientific conference Nephronauts, held under the Nephrology Frontiers 2025 theme, which took place in Vilnius.

The Gdańsk delegation was welcomed by Prof. Marius Miglinas, Head of the Nephrology Clinic at Vilnius University, who recalled the historical ties between both institutions. In the aftermath of World War II, six distinguished professors from the Faculty of Medicine of the Stefan Batory University in Vilnius relocated to Gdańsk: Ignacy Abramowicz, Stanisław Hiller, Kornel Michejda, Włodzimierz Mozołowski, Tadeusz Pawlas, and Michał Reicher. Their arrival brought invaluable academic capital to the newly established Medical Academy in Gdańsk, founded in 1945 on the ruins of the German Akademie für Praktische Medizin.

These scholars contributed not only with their professional expertise but also with strong moral values and a deeply rooted academic culture. They were soon followed by a group of experienced academic physicians from the same Vilnius faculty, many of whom quickly became professors in Gdańsk. Among them were Ewa Boj, Henryk Ellert, Jerzy Giedroyć, Zdzisław Kieturakis, Wanda Kondratowa, Jerzy Kozakiewicz, Ksenia Lutomska, Józef Sawlewicz, Witold Sylwanowicz, Karol Szymoński, Witold Tymiński, and Wacława Wróblowa.

The academic partnership between the two universities continues to this day. Among various collaborative initiatives, a noteworthy example is the Vilnius-Gdańsk Meeting on Hypertension, Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Protection, organised by Prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz and Prof. Bolesław Rutkowski between 2012 and 2020. In total, nine editions of this conference were held, with the most recent one taking place in Gdańsk.

The 2025 edition of Nephrology Frontiers marks the continuation of these joint academic efforts, with a particular focus on engaging the next generation of physicians and medical students from both universities. MUG was proudly represented by members of theStudent Scientific Circle of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Medicine, accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Zbigniew Heleniak, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. who delivered the opening lecture titled State-of-the-art: Use of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists in diabetic and non-diabetic CKD.

Medical students from the MUG presented the following research projects, developed under the supervision of Jakub Ruszkowski, M.D., Ph.D.:

• The use of capillary creatinine level in chronic kidney disease screening: insights from World Kidney Day 2025 in Gdańsk, Poland (Daria Urban, 4th year);
  
• Desensitization of highly immunised kidney transplant: a case report and overview of single-centre experience (Abulmajeed Alkhateeb, 5th year);
  
• Statin-induced rhabdomyolysis: a case report (Abdullah Kouli, 4th year);
  
• Critical renal artery stenosis as partially reversible cause of ESKD in elderly patient: a case report (Zuzanna Szlachta, 6th year).

We are pleased to announce that the next edition of this conference will take place in Gdańsk next year. The entire academic community is warmly invited to participate.