Two distinguished alumni of the Faculty of Medicine at Masaryk University have been honoured with the prestigious Brno City Award for 2024. MUDr. Renata Laxová was awarded in memoriam for her contributions to freedom and democracy. Prof. MUDr. Jiří Veselý, CSc., received the award for his contributions to medical sciences and pharmacy. The official ceremony took place on 28 January 2025 in the Representative Hall of the New Town Hall, where the awardees were honoured by Mayor Markéta Vaňková.
The Award of the City of Brno is awarded to personalities who have made a significant contribution to the development of the city and its reputation. This year's laureates include two graduates of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Applied Sciences whose professional and personal lives have had an international impact.
MUDr. Renata Laxová in memoriam - a testimony of the horrors and strength of life
Renata Laxová (1931-2020) was born in Brno into a Jewish family and was one of the Winton children who escaped the Holocaust. After the war, she returned to Czechoslovakia and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the MU. She became a renowned paediatrician and geneticist who co-described a rare genetic syndrome that causes miscarriage or death in newborns called Neu-Lax syndrome. After the Soviet invasion in 1968, she emigrated to the U.S. where she worked at the University of Wisconsin. In addition to her professional work, she devoted her life to raising awareness about the horrors of the Holocaust and wrote her life story in the book Letter to Alexander.
Prof. MUDr. Jiří Veselý, CSc. - pioneer of plastic surgery
Jiří Veselý (*1953) specialized in plastic and reconstructive surgery after his studies at the Faculty of Medicine of the Medical University of Masaryk University. He worked at St. Anne's University Hospital, where he headed the Clinic of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery. His professional interests included reconstructive microsurgery, treatment of congenital hand defects and oncological surgery. He was an active member of a number of professional societies and received a number of prestigious awards for his work, including the Silver Medal for the Development of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery in Slovakia, the Gold Medal of the J. E. Purkyně Society, the Dlabal Award and the Silver Medal of Masaryk University. Thanks to his contribution, plastic surgery in Brno has become a recognised field with an international scope.
Renata Laxová and Jiří Veselý demonstrate with their life stories and professional contributions how strong a mark LF MU graduates can leave in the world. Their award with the Brno City Prize is a worthy reminder of their work and legacy, which has inspired and will inspire future generations of professionals.
This year, 55 students received the Dean’s Award in Czech study programs and the Excellence Award in English study programs across several categories. The awards were presented to the students by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at MU, Martin Repko, Vice-Dean Eva Brichtová, and Vice-Dean Lubomír Křivan.
At its regular meeting on March 25, 2025, the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, approved the budget for 2025.
