Study visit of cardiologists at Ghent University

On August 27, 2022 - September 2, 2022 prof. dr hab. Agnieszka Noszczyk-Nowak and Dr. Natalia Siwińska, from the Department of Internal Diseases with the Clinic of Horses, Dogs and Cats of the UPWr, took a week-long study trip to the University of Ghent (Large Animal Clinic and Veterinary Clinic with the Laboratory, Belgium) under the supervision of prof. Gunther van Loon and Pascale Smets.

The overriding goal of the mobility to Ghent was to establish scientific and research cooperation in order to conduct scientific research in the field of cardiology of small animals and horses. The research will assess the strength of pulmonary arteries in horses and a 3D model of mitral valves in horses and small animals. Cooperation with world-renowned specialists in the field of animal cardiology will result in increasing the prestige of research carried out at our University, as well as improving the merits of work. The research will be carried out by a team of specialists known all over the world. Apart from prof. Noszczyk-Nowak and dr Siwińska as well as specialists from Belgium (prof. Van Loon, prof. Decloedt, prof. Smets) the team will be joined by prof. Mitchell from the University of New York (Cornell University), with whom a cooperation was also established during this visit.


The stay in Belgium was filled not only with work on joint research projects. The participants of the mobility also had the opportunity to accompany European specialists in the daily work of the clinic, both administrative and practical. Thanks to this, it was possible to get acquainted with the latest standards and procedures (both diagnostic and therapeutic, non-invasive and invasive) used in animal cardiology. Also during the stay at the clinic, it was possible to attend lectures presented by employees of the University of Ghent.

In a very limited free time, scientists from UPWr had the opportunity to visit the most beautiful places in Ghent and try local culinary delicacies, and at the same time established friendly relations that will be maintained even after completing work on current projects.