Gréta Kemenes

Full Citation: Reiter GS, Lachinov D, Bühl W, et al. A Novel Management Challenge in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Artificial Intelligence and Expert Prediction of Geographic Atrophy. Ophthalmol Retina. 2025;9(5):421-430.

The fact that our work is important and clinically meaningful is deeply motivating. I also believe that engaging in research alongside our everyday clinical duties makes us better physicians. Research teaches us critical thinking and provides a broader perspective when approaching both routine and complex cases.

Gréta Kemenes, MD, is an ophthalmology resident and PhD student at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Debrecen, Hungary.

Gréta Kemenes completed her medical degree at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Debrecen in 2023 and began her clinical training in ophthalmology in 2024. From the very beginning of her medical studies, she has been actively involved in scientific research, building a strong foundation in both basic science and translational ophthalmology.

Her early research experience was rooted in experimental immunology and molecular biology at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where she investigated transcription factors involved in inflammatory and pulmonary disease models. In parallel, she joined the Department of Ophthalmology as an undergraduate researcher, where her scientific focus gradually shifted toward the clinical and translational investigation of the eye, particularly the corneal limbal stem cell niche.
In 2022, she was admitted to the Doctoral School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Debrecen, where her PhD research centers on corneal biology, ex vivo human cornea models, limbal epithelial transplantation and the correlation of advanced clinical imaging with immunohistological structures. Her clinical and research activities are closely integrated, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice and translational relevance.

Making the Invisible Visible in Corneal Disease

The research addresses a critical yet often overlooked region of the eye: the corneal limbus, a narrow zone that harbors the stem cells responsible for continuous renewal of the corneal surface. Damage to this region can result in chronic pain, inflammation, visual impairment and, in severe cases, blindness. Because pathological changes often begin beneath the surface, early diagnosis and effective intervention have traditionally been challenging.
In this study, multimodal, non-invasive clinical imaging techniques – anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), AS-OCT angiography, and in vivo confocal microscopy – were directly correlated with whole-slide multiplex immunofluorescence and Airyscan super-resolution microscopy. By validating imaging findings against real histological structures, the research created a detailed atlas of the limbal stroma and identified reliable image-based landmarks reflecting vessels, nerves and supporting niche cells.

The key clinical contribution of this work lies in its ability to translate complex histological information into practical, image-based tools. These findings allow clinicians to visualize previously hidden structures of the limbus using routine imaging, enabling earlier and more accurate identification of unhealthy or aging limbal tissue without invasive procedures. This has direct implications for staging limbal stem cell deficiency, prognostication after chemical injuries and monitoring regenerative therapies.
Importantly, the study also demonstrates that successful limbal stem cell transplantation depends not only on the transplanted cells themselves but also on preservation of their surrounding microenvironment. By expanding the clinical interpretability of anterior segment imaging, this research supports safer surgery, more precise diagnosis and more personalized treatment decisions – ultimately improving comfort, reducing complications, and increasing the likelihood of long-term visual restoration for patients.

Motivation Rooted in Patient Care and Scientific Curiosity

Gréta Kemenes’s decision to pursue medicine was shaped by both admiration for physicians and personal experience. A prolonged hospital stay following kidney surgery during childhood left a lasting impression, highlighting the dedication and responsibility of doctors and inspiring her desire to help others. At the same time, a strong interest in biology and understanding how the world works made medicine a natural choice.

She is motivated by the clinical relevance of her research and believes that engaging in scientific work alongside daily clinical duties makes physicians more thoughtful, precise and effective. Research sharpens critical thinking and provides broader perspectives when approaching both routine and complex cases. Collaboration with mentors and colleagues and the shared process of discovery, are continual sources of inspiration.

Outside of work, she values time spent with family and loved ones, which provides the greatest sense of balance and renewal. She enjoys reading and is an enthusiastic moviegoer. Staying active is also important to her; she regularly goes to the gym, runs and has recently taken up tennis.

Being selected as a finalist for the International Medis Awards is a deeply meaningful recognition, especially at this early stage of her scientific career. It affirms the value of her work, strengthens her motivation to continue developing as a clinician-scientist and encourages her to keep contributing to advances that improve patient care and quality of life.