Réka Spohn received the L'Oréal - UNESCO For Women in Science Hungarian Scholarship

2022. okt. 6. | News

This year, the L'Oréal - UNESCO For Women in Science Hungarian Scholarship, endowed with a total of HUF 6 million, was awarded for the 20th time at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The goal of the award is to support the careers of Hungarian women in the scientific world.

Food and cosmetic products are an ideal, nutrient-rich environment for bacteria, so inhibiting bacterial growth and proliferation with preservatives is essential for the long-term shelf life of these products. Preservation of food and cosmetics is necessary, but the preservatives used exert constant selection pressure on bacteria, giving them enough time and space to become resistant to the given preservative. Nowadays, more and more studies are pointing out the dangers of this possibility, but so far no comprehensive research has been done on whether resistance to preservatives causes cross-resistance to antibiotics or whether it promotes the development and spread of superbugs. Réka Spohn and her colleagues are investigating these questions at the systems level in this study.

We congratulate Réka on this prestigious award and wish her every success in her research!