Prof. dr hab. n. med. Anna Machalińska

Prof. Anna Machalińska, MD, PhD, FEBO, is a full professor, Head of the 1st Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology at the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, and Head of the 1st Clinic of Ophthalmology at USK2 in Szczecin. She holds a prestigious diploma and the title of specialist in ophthalmology awarded by the European Board of Ophthalmology (FEBO) in Paris.

She is setting new directions in Polish clinical, transplant and surgical ophthalmology. She is the initiator and co-founder of the West Pomeranian Eye Tissue Bank, on the basis of which she established a leading centre for corneal transplants. She was one of the first in Poland to introduce micro-invasive Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) and deep stromal anterior keratoplasty (DSAEK) into clinical practice. Under her leadership, the team carried out the first treatment of its kind in Poland and the world for patients with retinitis pigmentosa, using a proprietary protocol for intravitreal administration of selected bone marrow cells.

Her scientific output comprises over 115 publications in internationally indexed journals, with a cumulative Impact Factor exceeding 200 points (Hirsch index = 20). She has led and carried out strategic research projects (including STRATEGMED, INTERREG VA InterRetina, ABM, NCN, NCBR) dedicated to innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and neurodegenerative diseases of the retina. She honed her professional experience at renowned centres abroad, including the prestigious Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

Since 2014, she has served as an official examiner on behalf of the European Board of Ophthalmology in Paris. She also sits on the State Examination Board for Ophthalmology and on expert panels at the National Science Centre. For her outstanding scientific, implementation and clinical work, she has been honoured with, amongst other awards, the Minister of Health Award (2023), the Silver Cross of Merit (2022), the ‘Silver Cornea’ statuette (2016) and the international ‘Best Innovation Award’ at the IPITEx trade fair in Bangkok (2020).