Piret Hussar

Piret Hussar is an Associate Professor of Histology at the University of Tartu's Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, and concurrently serves as Associate Professor of Histology at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Chair of Veterinary Biomedicine and Food Hygiene. With over 25 years of academic experience spanning multiple institutions in Estonia, Japan, Lithuania, and Kazakhstan, she has established herself as a leading expert in histological research and education.

Dr. Hussar earned her medical degree from the University of Tartu (1991-1997) followed by doctoral studies in Histology and Embryology (1997-2001), culminating in a PhD in 2002 with research on post-traumatic bone repair. Her academic journey included significant research periods in Japan as a MONBUSHO scholar (1998-2000) at Gunma University and as a JSPS post-doctoral fellow at Tsurumi University (2005-2006), where she investigated methods in histology and transmembrane glucose transport.

Her primary research interests focus on transmembrane glucose transport mechanisms, apoptosis regulation, and post-traumatic bone tissue repair. She has pioneered research on sodium-dependent glucose co-transporters (SGLT1, SGLT2) in avian species, particularly chickens and ostriches, examining their expression patterns under physiological conditions and during T-2 mycotoxicosis. Her work on the patented 'Method of bone bicortical perforation' has significantly advanced understanding of bone repair mechanisms. Her research output shows a clear trend toward increasingly sophisticated investigations of cellular transport mechanisms using advanced immunohistochemical techniques, with recent work focusing on comparative studies across avian species and under various pathological conditions.

• Quality mark for the e-course 'Histology' (2014)
• Grant Scholarship of Teaching and Learning from University of Tartu (2020)
• BAFF scholarship for participation at the international congress ICVM-11 in Washington D.C. (2016)
• ERASMUS+ program grant for teaching at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (2017)
• Kristjan Jaak Scholarship for participating in ICVM-8 in France (2007)

Dr. Hussar has supervised numerous master's and doctoral students throughout her career and has secured multiple research grants supporting her work on glucose transporters, apoptosis mechanisms, and bone repair. She has organized and taught in various specialized courses including 'Immunohistochemistry and immunoelectronmicroscopy' for PhD students, scientists, and doctors through the Centre for Continuing Medical Education at the University of Tartu. Her teaching innovations include developing over 10 e-learning objects and courses in histology, embryology, and cytology, making her a leader in digital education within her field.

Dr. Hussar is actively involved in multiple research teams and professional organizations, including the European Association of Veterinary Anatomists (EAVA), the International Society of Vertebrate Morphologists (ISVM), and the Estonian Union of Scientists. She serves as a board member and reviewer for the international journal 'Macedonian Veterinary Review' and regularly organizes seminars and workshops on advanced histological techniques.