Vilnius University signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) established by NATO. VU LSC will act as a technology testing, assessment, verification, and validation center and provide services to the accelerator’s start-ups in the field of life sciences.
Wood is needed for industry, so forests will certainly continue to be cut down. But many painful mistakes are made. Trees that are not attacked by the European spruce bark beetle (lps typographus) are destroyed, spruce trees that will leave Lithuania due to the changing climate are replanted, and forests are cleared. It is harmful to the ecosystem of which we humans are a part. "Diversity is a shock absorber that can help us avoid the unwanted changes that will undoubtedly occur with climate change. By protecting the environment, along with, of course, insects, we are actually protecting ourselves," says Professor Virginija Podėnienė.
Viktoras Ragožius, a MSc student of molecular biology at the VU Life Sciences Center, won the prize for the best poster presentation on topic 'Structural studies of type I CRIPR-Cas adaptation complex interaction with prespacers' in the workshop 'Cryo-EM in academia and industry' in Heidelberg, Germany (supervisor Dr. Lina Malinauskaitė, consultant Dr. Inga Songailienė).
The new International Advisory Board of Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) has started its work. During the first meeting, its members, together with the VU LSC management, discussed the past year's trends and future perspectives of the LSC. The members of the International Advisory Board also provided valuable insights on how to improve the financial and administrative management of the Center, increase internationalization, and strengthen relations with social partners.
Researchers, innovators, and their teams operating in the field of life sciences are invited to participate in the unique 7-week entrepreneurship program StartBIO, during which selected participants will have the opportunity to assess the commercial potential of their research or idea and acquire knowledge and skills important for business development, which will help grow a successful life science start-up. Registration of participants is already underway on the initiative's website www.startbio.eu, and the program's activities, which include training, individualised consultations, mentoring and business modelling activities, will start on the 6th of March at the StartBIO launch event held at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center.
Researchers are often approached by medical professionals or businessmen to solve challenges that they cannot solve on their own. Such requests are also received by the Bioanalysis Department of the Biochemistry Institute of the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University, headed by Dr. Marius Dagys. According to the Head of the Department, biosensors developed by the team will soon appear in intensive care units, which will help patients in the hospital maintain vital functions. And this is just one example.
On the last work day of 2023, Augustinas Matulevičius defended his thesis "Innovative Imaging Technologies and Genetic Tests for the Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer" and received a doctorate degree in the field of biological science. Congratulations!
On December 22, in the Rector's Hall, the communication teams of the academic and non-academic departments of Vilnius University were presented with nominations reviewing the activities of 2023. The Life Sciences Center team won the "Science Outreach Champion Award" nomination for tireless communication support of scientists and young researchers.
On December 21, Vilnius University hosted a festive Christmas party "Celebrating the Year 2023". The event recalled the works of the calendar year 2023, honored the members of the University's academic community who have distinguished themselves this year and made wishes for the coming New Year. The Rector, Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, and the Chairwoman of the Senate, Prof. Eglė Lastauskienė, greeted the participants of the evening.
Although the first article about gene editing scissors CRISPR-Cas9 was published by Prof. Virginijus Šikšnys and his team just 11 years ago, the benefits of this technology for society can already be felt. “[...] It was recently announced that the UK has registered the first CRISPR-Cas9 based therapy for the treatment of inherited diseases,” the researcher says.
Congratulations to Wenming Liang! He defended his thesis "Relationships of breathing with physical capacity, muscle tension and executive functions" and received a doctorate in biophysics. Scientific leader - prof. Osvaldas Rukšėnas.
Dr. Miglė Tomkuvienė, PhD in Biochemistry, takes a different approach to our body: she studies what happens in genes at the molecular level. This research is long-standing, involving thousands of researchers around the world, and the results are extending the boundaries of human understanding. “Contributing new discoveries to humanity’s body of knowledge is the most important thing for me,” says the researcher, whose main research focuses on natural and synthetic modifications to DNA.
VU LSC students voted Prof. Juozas Rimantas Lazutka as the best lecturer of the year 2023. He is the chairman of the Genetics Study Program Committee, teaches the following subjects: structure and functions of eukaryotic chromosomes, principles and concepts of genetics, and supervises the theses of Masters' students and PhD students.
