Assoc. Prof. Jozef Török, MD, CSc., was awarded the Medal of the Slovak Society of Cardiology for Merit in Advancing Knowledge of the Heart
A long-standing researcher at the Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology of the Centre of Experimental Medicine, SAS and a prominent figure in Slovak physiology, Assoc. Prof. Jozef Török, MD, PhD, has been awarded the Medal of the Slovak Society of Cardiology for Merit in Advancing Knowledge of the Heart. Assoc. Prof. J. Török received the medal at the 30th Congress of the Slovak Society of Cardiology, held in Šamorín on 8-10 October 2025.
Jozef Török was born on 25 March 1937 in Báb. He graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in Bratislava in 1961 and immediately joined the Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, where he continues to work to this day. He defended his candidate dissertation at this workplace and, over his distinguished career, made a major contribution to its scientific and organizational development. In 1972 he became head of the Department of Cardiovascular Physiology, actively helping to improve working conditions and the equipment of research laboratories. Throughout his scientific career he has remained loyal to the Institute.
In his research, Assoc. Prof. Török has long focused on adrenergic and endothelial regulation of vascular tone, on vascular smooth muscle activity under normal and pathological conditions, and in recent years on the role of perivascular adipose tissue in regulating vascular activity. He achieved original results in the autoregulation of blood flow in the small intestine and in the mechanisms of adrenergic regulation of vascular tone. He expanded knowledge about the role of the vascular endothelium and its vasoactive products in controlling the cardiovascular system, and he has also studied the development of endothelial and neurogenic regulation of vessels in experimental models of hypertension.
He is the author or co-author of more than 400 scientific publications, and his works have been cited over 600 times. Assoc. Prof. Török has been an active member of the Slovak Society of Cardiology for many years; within the Society he was among the founders of the Working Group on Experimental Cardiology and became its first chair. Since 2017 he has been an honorary member of the Slovak Society of Cardiology.
In addition to his research, Assoc. Prof. Török has been active in teaching. For over four decades he has served as a university lecturer at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, where he teaches physiology and pathophysiology. He has supervised many master’s and doctoral students, several of whom now work successfully in biomedical research at home and abroad. He is known for his emphasis on scientific rigor and his human approach, which inspire younger colleagues and students alike. Through his work he has significantly contributed to the development of Slovak physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system, as well as to strengthening international cooperation at the Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology. Over the course of his career, he has received numerous major awards and medals.
The Medal for Merit in Advancing Knowledge of the Heart was presented to Assoc. Prof. Török by the President of the Slovak Society of Cardiology, Milan Luknár, MD, PhD, who, in his address, thanked him for his outstanding and immensely important work in the field of experimental cardiology. Sincere thanks were also expressed by colleagues from the scientific community. On behalf of his collaborators, Angelika Púzserová, PhD, spoke, thanking him for his professional conduct, expertise, and humanity - qualities that are a great inspiration and example for all his coworkers.
The award of the Slovak Society of Cardiology is a dignified recognition of Assoc. Prof. Török’s life-long work and his exceptional contribution to understanding the function of the vascular system and its regulatory mechanisms.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations and wish him continued good health, creative energy, and joy in his scientific work.
Prepared by: Angelika Púzserová, Anna Zemančíková a Jana Kimijanová, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology of the Centre of Experimental Medicine, SAS
Photo: Slovak Society of Cardiology, Peter Bališ