The 2023 Best Dissertations Competition winners were honored at the Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. Dr. Milda Narmontė from the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University (VU) is among them. She was awarded for her dissertation "A high-resolution method for the detection of genomic 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and its application in epigenetic studies of human diseases".
This year, the competition received a total of 100 dissertation submissions: 38 from the fields of natural sciences, technology, medicine, health, and agriculture and 62 from the humanities, social sciences, and arts. A panel of 271 experts evaluated the works based on their scientific significance, innovative and appropriate methodologies, quality of results, validity of conclusions, quality of related publications, originality, and interdisciplinarity. The experts recognized the 10 best dissertations defended at Lithuanian research and study institutions as winners.
"Becoming a laureate brought me great joy. This award is not only a recognition of my dissertation but also the work of our entire research team. It shows that our research is both relevant and significant. I am deeply grateful to my scientific supervisor, Dr. Edita Kriukienė, for proposing such an important and engaging topic," said Dr. Milda Narmontė. She noted that researchers often work intensely under tight deadlines and sometimes forget to celebrate their achievements. Receiving the award from the hands of the LJMS Chairperson and the President of Lithuania during the ceremony at the Office of the President gave the event exceptional importance and grandeur, offering a moment to pause and appreciate the accomplishments.
Milda Narmontė's thesis presents a newly developed method for genome-wide profiling of the epigenetic DNA modification 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), characterized by its high specificity and the cost-effectiveness of DNA sequencing. This method has broad applications in epigenomic studies of human diseases. In this work, 5hmC assays have been used to characterize heterogeneous human neuroblastoma cell types and to show the association of epigenetic modifications in DNA with clinical risk of the disease, which may open up new prognostic possibilities for this cancer. The feasibility of applying 5hmC analysis for the non-invasive detection of fetal Down syndrome from freely circulating non-cellular DNA in the plasma of pregnant women is also demonstrated, thus revealing the potential of the assays in prenatal diagnostics.
The Best Dissertations Competition, held for the 18th time this year, aims to promote high-quality scientific research and enhance the international recognition of Lithuanian scholars. This initiative motivates doctoral students to prepare high-level dissertations, fosters interinstitutional and interdisciplinary collaboration and inspires young scientists to pursue impactful and socially significant research activities.
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