Beata Vertessy

Beata Vertessy is a Full Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Biotechnology at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. She also serves as a Group Leader and Scientific Research Advisor at the Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

• PhD in Biological Sciences (Eötvös Loránd University, 1991)
• D.Sc. in Biological Sciences (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2001)
• M.Sc. in Bioengineering (Budapest University of Technology, 1984)
• M.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (University of Chicago, 1987)

Her research focuses on genome integrity, dUTPases, structural biology of phosphate-transfer enzymes, nucleotide pool imbalance in disease states, uracil in DNA, and nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking. She investigates enzymatic mechanisms in pathogens like Mycobacterium, Plasmodium, and Staphylococcus, with applications in cancer, malaria, and biotechnology.

Recent publications highlight her work on enzyme engineering (e.g., α-amylase thermostability, opine dehydrogenases), malaria diagnostics (magneto-optical hemozoin detection), and structural analysis of dUTPase-inhibitor complexes. Her studies span biocatalysis, genome stability, and disease mechanisms.

Scientific Awards:

• Best Lecturer Award (2019, 2020)
• Tankó Béla Award (2016)
• Gold Master Medal (2015)
• UNESCO-L’Oréal Women in Science Award (2012)
• Howard Hughes International Research Scholar (2000, 2005)

As a principal investigator, she has secured major grants from OTKA, EU FP6/FP7, and ICGEB. She leads two laboratories and has supervised 21 PhD students to completion with 7 currently in progress. Her labs focus on structural enzyme characterization and biotechnological applications.