During the ceremonial session of the Senate of Lodz University of Technology (June 19), the Rector of Lodz University of Technology, Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwik, the sponsor of the honorary doctorate for Prof. Jacek Moll, emphasized at the beginning of the laudation:
In the case of Prof. Jacek Moll, the justification for awarding the honorary doctorate is obvious. A visionary in pediatric cardiac surgery, an innovative scientist, a personality widely known and respected, who, has earned a place in the hearts of thousands of young patients and their families.
In the case of Prof. Jacek Moll, the justification for awarding the honorary doctorate is obvious. A visionary in pediatric cardiac surgery, an innovative scientist, a personality widely known and respected, who, has earned a place in the hearts of thousands of young patients and their families.
Then Jacek Moll studied at the Faculty of Medicine at the Medical Academy of Lodz.
Already at the beginning of his studies, he decided that he would become a doctor, and mechanics would be his asset allowing him to better understand the functioning of the body, especially the heart and circulatory system - said the Rector. He obtained his medical degree in 1981. Also at the Medical Academy of Lodz, he defended his doctorate in 1987, and in 1999 he obtained his habilitation degree. He became a professor of medical sciences in 2006.
Prof. Moll gained his scientific experience in the best medical centers in Europe and North America. During his stay in the USA, he obtained two patents for new models of mechanical heart valves. He conducted long-term cooperation with Lodz University of Technology, including participating in research on coating surfaces with nanocrystalline diamond for medical purposes. This became the subject of a work awarded the "Nobel for a Pole," awarded by the Committee for Scientific Research.
As a doctor, he began his professional career at the Cardiac Surgery Clinic of the Institute of Cardiology at the Medical Academy of Lodz. Then in 1987, he was employed at the Cardiac Surgery Clinic of the Silesian Medical Academy, under the direction of Prof. Zbigniew Religa. In the same year, he specialized in general surgery, and in 1990 - in cardiac surgery. Using this experience, as well as the skills acquired during foreign trips, he became the head of the Cardiac Surgery Department at the Institute of the Polish Mother's Health Center in Lodz. In 1998, he took over as head of the Cardiac Surgery Clinic.
Parallel to his work as a cardiac surgeon, he participated in the design of artificial valves. He became a pioneer and visionary in the treatment of heart defects in fetuses, newborns, and older children. He introduced and popularized the Ross procedure for treating aortic defects in children.
Professor Moll participated in 15,000 surgeries. Thanks to his experience and knowledge, the mortality rate of children born with heart defects has significantly decreased, and he innovatively combined medicine with engineering in his practice. His technical education allowed him to design and personally create artificial heart valves customized for the needs of young patients. He also participated in an interdisciplinary project to build a Polish artificial heart valve.
Prof. Jacek Moll is very involved in work for the community. In 1992, he co-founded the Society of Friends of Children with Heart Defects. He belongs to numerous international and national medical societies, such as the C. Walton and Richard C. Lillehei Surgical Society, the International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery, the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Polish Cardiac Society, the Engineering Academy in Poland, and the Bioethics Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
He is a founding member of the International Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and a founding member of the Polish Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons. He is also a member of the editorial board of "Polish Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery," the Scientific Council of the Polish Mother's Health Center, as well as the Polish Cardiac Society and the Polish Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons. He also sits on the Scientific Council of the Foundation for Cardiac Surgery Development named after Prof. Zbigniew Religa in Zabrze.
At the end of the laudation, the promoter - Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwik said:
I have known Prof. Jacek Moll for several decades, as I mentioned, I had the privilege of working with him, jointly implementing interdisciplinary projects, cooperating to create a Polish artificial heart. This experience allows me to firmly confirm that his research inquisitiveness, comprehensive knowledge, and experience make him an extraordinary scientist, deserving of the highest academic honor - the honorary doctorate of Lodz University of Technology.
Prof. Jacek Moll has always emphasized the importance and contribution of medical staff, at all levels, to cardiac surgery successes. Throughout his professional life, he collaborated with Prof. Jadwiga Moll, an outstanding cardiologist, privately his wife. They have three daughters and a son. Prof. Moll comes from a family with medical traditions. His father, Prof. Jan Moll, was a respected cardiac surgeon. His son, Maciej, also chose the same professional path.
The professor is the laureate of many prestigious awards, including a special distinction - the Order of the Smile. He enjoys extraordinary esteem, as evidenced by, among others, the title of Honorary Citizen of the City of Lodz and Honorary Citizen of the Lodz Voivodeship.
At the end of the ceremony, Prof. Jacek Moll gave a lecture entitled "Technology and Medicine."