Mrs. Zuzana Sekeyová | Formulation Science | Best Researcher Award

Slovak Academy of Sciences | Slovakia

Mrs. Zuzana Sekeyová is a highly accomplished virologist and microbiologist with extensive expertise in the study, diagnosis, and prevention of rickettsial and intracellular pathogens. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Virology from Comenius University, Bratislava, and completed her Ph.D. at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, focusing on the biology of Rickettsiae and related organisms at the Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences. She advanced her knowledge through postdoctoral training at the University of Maryland, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Baltimore, USA, and through multiple visiting research fellowships supported by the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD) at Justus Liebig Universität, Giessen, Germany, and the WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsial Reference and Research, CNRS UPRESA 6020, Marseille, France. She further enhanced her global expertise as a visiting research fellow with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science at Obihiro University of Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo, Japan.Mrs. Sekeyová began her career as a scientific assistant and young scientist at the Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, progressing to senior research scientist and deputy head of the Department of Rickettsiology, where she currently oversees the Laboratory for Diagnosis and Prevention of Rickettsial and Chlamydial Infections. She serves as an expert verifier for the Slovak National Accreditation Service under the Good Laboratory Practice Compliance Program and is a key member of the National Reference Center for Surveillance and Laboratory Diagnostics of Rickettsiae. She is also an internationally recognized expert in synthetic biology, participating in the Open Ended Online Forum and the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.Her research emphasizes the molecular biology, epidemiology, and diagnostics of rickettsial and related intracellular microorganisms, contributing to innovative detection methods and preventive strategies. Notable publications include Evaluation of cytotoxic activity against A549 human lung cancer cells using green synthesized N-Cholyl D-Penicillamine encapsulated silver and gold nanoparticles, Mucoadhesive and drug release of cholic acid based thiomeric micelles and encapsulated silver and gold nanoparticles for anticancer studies, and C-type natriuretic peptide induces cell death and sensitizes the effect of cisplatin in human non-small cell lung cancer cells. Through decades of research, Mrs. Sekeyová has combined rigorous laboratory investigations with translational and global health applications, establishing herself as a leading authority in virology, rickettsial diseases, and synthetic biology, with a strong commitment to advancing international scientific collaboration and public health initiatives.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Špitalská, E., Sabaka, P., Komorníková, A., Minichová, L., Palkovičová, K., Fenollar, F., Škultéty, Ľ., Miková, E., Sekeyová, Z., & Fournier, P.-E. Abdominal manifestations of Q fever. International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Danchenko, M., Benada, O., Škultéty, Ľ., & Sekeyová, Z. Culture Isolate of Rickettsia felis from a Tick. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Sekeyová, Z. Case studies of rickettsiosis, anaplasmosis and Q fever in Slovak population from 2011 to 2020. Biologia.

Sekeyová, Z. Detection of Rickettsia raoultii in Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis inermis ticks in Slovakia. Biologia.

Sekeyová, Z. Hymenopteran Parasitoids of Hard Ticks in Western Africa and the Russian Far East. Microorganisms.