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The Hungarian round of the International Brain Bee was organized for the fourth time at the UPMS. This national competition was arranged by the Neuroscience Centre of the UP and the Hungarian Neuroscience Society, with the aim of selecting a talented student to represent Hungary at the International Brain Bee global finals.

The competition consisted of two stages: an online written round and an in-person oral final. The first round took place on February 15, followed by the oral final on March 29.

“While the advanced-level final exam in biology includes questions about the nervous system, high school biology does not require the same in-depth knowledge of the nervous system that the students who qualified for the final have acquired. Proficiency in English is also essential, as the competition is conducted in English. Given this context, I consider it significant that nearly 40 students from across the country applied to compete this year. Several participants submitted applications based on recommendations from past contestants, which indicates that the Brain Bee’s good reputation is indeed spreading more and more by word of mouth,” said Dr Barbara Fülöp, the main organizer of the competition and one of the Hungarian coordinators of the Brain Bee.

Dr Barbara Fülöp added that colleagues from both Pécs and Debrecen contributed to the preparation of the competition tasks, aiming to create a friendly atmosphere for the finals so that participants could perform at their best. Last year's winner, Benedek Csirmaz, now a first-year medical student, lightened the mood with a witty presentation, and various program elements encouraged students to get into the right mindset for the tasks.

„There was a very close competition in the top ranks of the written round, resulting in multiple ties and ultimately leading to 9 students competing in the oral final.The students were exceptionally well-prepared, and we even awarded two fourth places to those who just missed the podium,” Dr Fülöp noted, emphasizing that the competitors will need a great deal of studying and perseverance. They will have the opportunity to test their knowledge in the international finals, which will be held online in November as part of the annual meeting of the Neuroscience Society. After a written section, the final will be live-streamed, allowing supporters to cheer for the competitors. Similar to the Hungarian round, the questions will address topics in anatomy, neurohistology, and general neurophysiology, with particular emphasis on neurological diseases and clinically relevant tasks.

This year’s Hungarian Brain Bee was won by Áron Pankucsi-Versényi, with Napsugár Törőcsik and Anna Darázs taking second and third place, respectively. The additional results are as follows:

- 4th place: Alexa Biró and Csongor Darvasi

- 6th place: Karla Margaras

- 7th place: Petra Badacsonyi

- 8th place: Lili Müller

- 9th place: Péter Paska

Finalists of the Hungarian Brain Bee will receive additional institutional points if they apply to the UPMS: 7th–10th place earns 5 points, 4th–6th place earns 10 points, and 1st–3rd place earns 15 points.

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Dávid Verébi