LF

prof. MUDr. Mária Pallayová, PhD.   SK

Email:
 maria.pallayova@upjs.sk
Homepage:
 www.upjs.sk/LF/zamestnanec/maria.pallayova
Faculty:
LF UPJŠ - Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice Faculty of Medicine
Department:
UFZ - Department of Medical Physiology
Office:
Phone:
Faculty:
LF UPJŠ - Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice Faculty of Medicine
Department:
UPF - Department of Pathological Physiology
Office:
Phone:
Faculty:
LF UPJŠ - Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice Faculty of Medicine
Department:
UPF - Department of Pathological Physiology
Office:
Phone:
 +421 55234 3335
ORCID ID:
 0000-0001-7903-8615
Prof. Mária Pallayová, MD, PhD, is an internationally experienced academic, researcher, and physician specialising in normal and pathological physiology, with extensive expertise in biomedical and clinical research. Since March 2025, she has served as Head of the Department of Pathological Physiology at the Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia. Alongside her academic and research activities, she is also actively involved in clinical practice in psychiatry at the First Department of Psychiatry, Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice, bridging fundamental biomedical research and clinical patient care. Her academic and research career is characterised by an interdisciplinary approach integrating pathological physiology, metabolic medicine, diabetology, sleep medicine, and psychiatry. Her particular research interests include the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying metabolic disorders, insulin resistance, sleep-disordered breathing, and the complex interactions between physical and mental health. A significant focus of her research is the relationship between metabolic and psychiatric comorbidities and their impact on the clinical course of diseases. She has gained extensive international academic and research experience at renowned institutions, including Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore (USA), the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom), and Weill Cornell Medicine in Doha (Qatar). These experiences have significantly shaped her interdisciplinary research expertise and international scientific collaborations. She has authored or co-authored 208 scholarly and research outputs, with her scientific publications receiving more than 830 citations and other scholarly references. Her achievements reflect sustained scientific productivity and the international reach and recognition of her research. She also serves on the editorial team of the international scientific journal Clinical Obesity, acts as an independent peer reviewer for national and international scholarly journals, and evaluates research grant proposals for national and international funding schemes. A significant aspect of her international scientific engagement is her appointment as a Management Committee (MC) Member representing Slovakia in COST Action CA25107 – European Network Changing Conduct in Mental Healthcare Promoting Voluntary Measures and Practices (ENCORE). This international initiative, running from 2026 to 2030 within the framework of European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), aims to advance evidence-based, voluntary, and person-centred approaches to mental healthcare, strengthen patient autonomy and rights, and reduce the use of coercive measures in psychiatric care. As a Management Committee Member, she contributes to the strategic direction, international coordination, and decision-making processes of this European research network. She is also actively involved in several national and international research projects. In her teaching activities, she is responsible for delivering courses in pathological physiology within the General Medicine and Dental Medicine programmes, as well as specialised courses at the doctoral level. She serves as a co-guarantor of the doctoral study programme in Normal and Pathological Physiology and of the corresponding field of habilitation and professorial appointment proceedings. She is actively involved in mentoring early-career researchers, supervising student theses, and providing continuing medical education in somnology and sleep medicine. Her professional profile is distinguished by the integration of academic and clinical medicine, international scientific experience, interdisciplinary research, and active participation in European research networks and professional structures. Through her scientific, educational, and clinical activities, she contributes to advancing pathological physiology, research into metabolic and mental health, and international scientific collaboration at the Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice.
Higher education and further qualification growth
Second degree of higher education:
Comenius University Faculty of Medicine in Bratislava, Slovakia, 2005, General Medicine
Third degree of higher education:
Pavol Jozef Safarik University Faculty of Medicine in Kosice, Slovakia, 2008, General Medicine, Normal and pathological physiology
Associate professor:
Pavol Jozef Safarik University Faculty of Medicine in Kosice, Slovakia, 2013, General Medicine, Normal and pathological physiology
Professor:
Pavol Jozef Safarik University Faculty of Medicine in Kosice, Slovakia, 2023, General Medicine, Normal and pathological physiology

Research /art/ teacher profile

Display details  
Overview of the responsibility for the delivery, development and quality assurance of the study programme or its part at the university in the current academic year
Study programme: Normal and Pathological Physiology - co-guarantor, study field: General Medicine, III. degree
Study programme: Normal and Pathological Physiology - Member of the Study Programs Council (person responsible for the profile subject), study field: General Medicine, III. degree
Profile courses
Pathological Physiology 2 - General Medicine, joint I.+II. (joint premedical-medical programme) degree
Pathological Physiology 2 - Dental Medicine, joint I.+II. (joint premedical-medical programme) degree
Selected chapters from the physiology of human organ systems - Normal and Pathological Physiology, III. degree
Pathogenesis of metabolic syndromes and diseases - Normal and Pathological Physiology, III. degree
Overview of the responsibility for the development and quality of the field of habilitation procedure and inaugural procedure in the current academic year
Name of the field of habilitation procedure and inaugural procedure: Normal and Pathological Physiology - co-guarantor, study field to which it is assigned: General Medicine
Selected publications

Jarcuskova D, Pallayova M (korešp. autorka), Carnakovic S, Frajka M, Fidmik J and Bednarova A (2024) Clinical characteristics of adults with alcohol dependence syndrome comorbid with antisocial personality disorder: a cross-sectional study. Front. Psychiatry 15:1397009. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1397009

Breznoscakova D, Pallayova M (korešp. autorka), Izakova L, Kralova M. In-person psychoeducational intervention to reduce rehospitalizations and improve the clinical course of major depressive disorder: a non-randomized pilot study. Front Psychiatry. 2024 Jul 9;15:1429913. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1429913. eCollection 2024.

Breznoscakova D, Pallayova M (korešp. autorka): Case report: Uncovering hidden glucose patterns in medicated versus unmedicated bipolar disorder and comorbid type 1 diabetes mellitus. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Feb 14;15:1354749. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1354749. eCollection 2024.

Dragasek J, Minar M, Valkovic P, Pallayova M (korešp. autorka): Factors associated with psychiatric and physical comorbidities in bipolar disorder: a nationwide multicenter cross-sectional observational study. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 25;14:1208551.

Breznoscakova D, Pallayova M (korešp. autorka): Uncovering the Untold Emotional Toll of Living with Diabetes in the COVID-19 Era. Psychother Psychosom 2022;91(4):286–287. doi: 10.1159/000524178.
Selected projects

IPMVDCov (313ASX100001): "Návrh a implementácia pokročilých metód ventilačnej liečby a diagnostiky vírusových pneumónii vrátane Covid-19 s možnosťou ich rýchleho osvojenia". Project of european structural and investment funds (ESIF). Position: researcher, top Slovak researcher, returning Slovak researcher. Garant: Prof. Viliam Donič, MD, PhD, UPJŠ LF, Košice. Status: completed, 02/2020-05/2023.

VEGA 1/0008/20: "Chronobiologické aspekty pohlavných rozdielov po apnoickej epizóde centrálneho typu a reoxygenácie v experimentálnom modeli potkana v celkovej anestézii". National project. Position: co-investigator. Project leader: Prof. RNDr. Pavol Švorc, CSc., UPJŠ LF, Košice. Status: completed, 01.01.2020-31.12.2022.

KEGA 023UK-4/2021: „Implementácia najnovších vedeckých poznatkov o zdravotných rizikách pôsobenia elektromagnetických polí do moderného zdravotníckeho vzdelávania.“ National project. Position: co-investigator. Project leader: PhDr. Michal Trnka, PhD., LF UK, Bratislava. Status: completed, 2021-2023.

VEGA 1/0630/26: "Novel Predictors of Protective Insulin Resistance in Pregnancy and Insulin Resistance in the Development of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy." National research project, Slovakia. Position: Principal Investigator, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice. Status: Funded. Amount: 7,155 EUR. 01/2026–12/2029.
VVGS UPJŠ (ID 3815): "Objektivizácia porúch motility žalúdka scintigrafiou pri diabetes mellitus a jej klinické implikácie." Vnútorný vedecký grantový systém PPZVV. Position: Investigator, Project leader: Lenka Šalamonová Blichová, Status: Funded.11/2025-10/2027.

International mobilities and visits
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States, November 2008 - June 2010, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ERS Fellow; Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sleep Medicine
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom, November 2012 - May 2013, Diabetes and Renal Clinical Research Fellow; Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for Birmingham and Black Country (Diabetes)
Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar, August 2015 - November 2017, Instructor in Medicine; Department of Medicine, Research Division
Organisational activities
Associate Editor - Clinical Obesity, 01/2024 - present
Lector, examiner - CPČ Somnology, 01/2021 - present

Additional information

Awards
The most prestigious awards (selection):

2006: Diabetes Technology Society Peterson Student Research Silver Prize 2006; 6th Annual Diabetes Technology Meeting, Atlanta, GA, USA, 3.11.2006

2007: Young Investigator of Slovak Republic 2006 Award; Bratislava, 2.4.2007

2007: The Anne Elizabeth Suratt Young Investigator Award; 10th International Sleep and Breathing Meeting, Palm Cove, Austrália, 1.9.2007

2008: European Respiratory Society International Long Term Research Fellowship; 5.5.2008

2008: Diabetes Technology Society Peterson Student Research Silver Prize 2008; 8th Annual Diabetes Technology Meeting, Bethesda, MD, USA, 14.11.2008

2011: The Slovakian Diabetes Association/Lilly Diabetes Clinical Research Initiative postgraduate academic fellowship program for young researchers in Diabetes; Prešov, 15.6.2011

2018: Literary Fund Award for Scientific Contributions 2017 in the category of natural and medical sciences, III. place in the competition "Prize for the exceptional number of times an article has been cited," Zichy palace, Bratislava, 27.9.2018

2020: Literary Fund Award for Scientific Contributions 2019 in the category of biological and medical sciences for the contribution Diabesity: Diabetes and obesity - inseparable twins (Eds. Fábryová Ľ, Holéczy P), Bratislava, 2020

The Slovakian Diabetes Association/Boehringer Ingelheim Award for Diabetes Publication of the Year 2021 The Slovakian Psychiatric Society Award for Publication of the Year 2023, Košice Literary Fund Award for Scientific Contributions 2023 in the category of biological and medical sciences for the monography Clinical Obesitology (Ed. Fábryová Ľ.), Bratislava Publication Award of the Slovakian Psychiatric Society (SPsS) for the best publication of the year 2025 Drogové závislosti (Izáková et al.), Jasná
Projects
VEGA, VVGS, SLAM, COST, PCOV, ...
International collaboration
Member of the Management Committee (MC) COST Action CA25107: European Network Changing Conduct in Mental Healthcare Promoting Voluntary Measures and Practices (ENCORE). 23.10.2026-22.10.2030.
Other
Specialty training:

Pavol Jozef Safarik University Faculty of Medicine in Košice; specialty training; 2006-2013; Internal Medicine/Diabetology, nutritional and metabolic disorders. Specialty diploma number: 001/A007/2013-KE, 8.11.2013, UPJŠ LF, Košice

General Medical Council, London, United Kingdom; Certificate of Full Registration as a Medical Practitioner with a licence to practise, 27.9.2013, GMC reference number: 7449771

International post-doctoral trainings, courses, and fellowships

Internal Medicine:

AAF Salzburg-Columbia Medical Seminar International: „Internal Medicine”, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Salzburg Stiftung of the American Austrian Foundation (AAF), Schloss Arenberg, Salzburg, Austria, 26.6.- 2.7.2005

Clinical Trial Regulation & Good Clinical Practice ICH/GCP Training (GCP/ICH Certificate), Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK, 23.3.2006

Open Medical Institute Internship in Internal Medicine, 1st Department of Medicine, General Hospital, Salzburg, Austria, 2.-26.5.2006

AAF Salzburg Weill Cornell Seminar International: „Internal Medicine,“ Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Salzburg, Austria, 9.-15.7.2006

AAF/OMI Program: Internal Medicine seminar, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Salzburg, Austria, 27.11.-3.12.2011

Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine in New York and Qatar, Doha, Qatar, 21.8.2015 – 30.11.2017

Basic Life Support, Automated External Defibrillation and First Aid provider course and training, Hamad International Training Center in Partnership with European Resuscitation Council, Doha, Qatar, 16.-17.2.2016

Basic Life Support and Automated External Defibrillation and First Aid training, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar, 18.10.2017

Open Medical Institute Observership in Internal Medicine, 4th Department of Medicine, Wilhelminenspital, Vienna, Austria, 5.-28.3.2018

Diabetology, diabetes, nutritional and metabolic disorders:

European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Robert Turner Course on Clinical Research in Diabetes, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK, 20.-24.3.2006

Clinical Trial Regulation & Good Clinical Practice ICH/GCP Training, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK, 23.3.2006

EASD Young Scientist Training Course, Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Perugia, Italy, 1.-6.10.2006

Protocol Development Workshop - Scientific Aspects in Clinical Research, Disease Specific Area: Diabetes, Vienna School of Clinical Research, Vienna, Austria, 6.-10.08.2012

Slovenská Diabetologická Spoločnosť/Lilly Diabetes Clinical Research Initiative postgraduate academic fellowship program for young researchers in Diabetes, University of Birmingham, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK, 20.11.2012-19.05.2013

Sleep Medicine:

European Sleep Research Society-European Union (ESRS-EU) Marie-Curie Training in Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine, Bertinoro, Italy, 19.-21.7.2007

ESRS EU-Marie-Curie Practical Training in Sleep Medicine, Polysomnographic laboratory, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy, 12.-18.11.2007

European Respiratory Society (ERS)/COST Research Seminar on Metabolic Aspects of the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Düsseldorf, Germany, 30.11.-1.12.2007

ERS International Long Term Research Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA, 10.11.2008-30.6.2010

Epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical research:

Using Stata Effectively: Data Management, Analysis, and Graphics Fundamentals, Public training course, StataCorp LP, Washington, DC, USA, 13.-14.04.2009

Data Analysis Workshop I and Data Analysis Workshop II; 27th Annual Johns Hopkins Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA, 15.-26.6.2009

Clinical Trials Issues and Controversies, Introduction to Diabetes and Obesity Epidemiology, Biostatistics Analysis of Epidemiology Data III: Semi Parametric Methods, Advanced Data Analysis Workshop, Methods for Clinical and Translational Research; 28th Annual Johns Hopkins Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA, 14.6-2.7.2010

Publication Workshop – How to write a biomedical research paper, Vienna School of Clinical Research, Vienna, Austria, 8.-11.10.2012

Clinical Research Training for Junior CRAs (Monitors), European Centre for Clinical Research Training, Munich, Germany, 6.-7.05.2013

Clinical Project Management, European Centre for Clinical Research Training, Brussels, Belgium, 13.-14.05.2013

Society of Research Administration International’s Grant Writing Workshop, Society of Research Administration International, Arlington, VA; Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar, 6.-7.12.2015

Intellectual Property and Data Management Workshop, Qatar National Research Fund, Qatar National Library, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar, 20.9.2017

Spearhead Training course Self & Time Management, Spearhead Training, Doha, Qatar, 2.10.2017
Interesting links
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria-Pallayova

Further information

Taught courses and supervised study programmes

LF