Welcome to choose MSc and PhD studies at Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (LSC), partner of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. This partnership in the field of gene editing technologies is a unique possibility for YOU. Open access infrastructure of the LSC will help in your studies and can become a stepping-stone to a successful career!
SCIENCE IS A JOURNEY. DISCOVER YOUR CAREER AT VU LSC!
WHY CHOOSE VU LSC?
The main reasons to study at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University (VU LSC):
VU LSC is a key player in the field of life sciences due to modern infrastructure, highly qualified and prominent scientists in biotechnology, biochemistry and biosciences, cooperation with recognized international research institutions and business partners.
Our studies based on: theory and practical assignments at modern scientific laboratories, possibility to carry out final projects at scientific institutes, scholarships by the world leading scientific company Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltic.
Close relations with life science industry ensures possibility to gain practical experience in industry during your studies.
VU LSC ensures mentoring by field leading scientists - teaching and mentoring by professionals in your field of interest and receive personalized support from academic tutors.
We are committed in our aim to provide all students with an exceptional learning experience!
PERFECT PLACE TO LIVE AND STUDY
VU LSC is located in Antakalnis, which is one of the most beautiful and green areas of the town. In addition, Vilnius, as the capital of Lithuania, will make wonder anyone because it’s a cosy, safe, green European city.
Our healthcare, housing and social life quality are all of a high standard.
SCIENTISTS' ACHIEVEMENTS
The staff of VU LSC – top-level researchers and teachers! Our scientists awarded:
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| L'Oréal-UNESCO Award For Women in Science International Rising Talents |  |
| L'Oréal-UNESCO Baltic Award For Women in Science Fellowship Programme | |
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| Somerfeld-Ziskind Research Award |  |
| The Novozymes Prize |  |
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BIOINFORMATICS FROM VU LSC ARE AMONG THE BEST IN THE WORLD The team of bioinformaticians from VU Life Sciences Center - Dr Česlovas Venclovas, Dr Justas Dapkūnas and Dr Kliment Olechnovič – excelled the other teams in the Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction (CASP) competition in 2018. According to the independent CASP assessment, the Life Sciences Center team achieved the best results in modelling protein complexes. In addition, their method for estimation of model accuracy (VoroMQA) was also among the best performing at CASP. Our bioinformaticians ranked second at CASP in 2020.
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VU LSC Professor V. Šikšnys is the first Lithuanian scientist invited to join the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) as an associate member. He was elected an associate EMBO member in 2016. A year later EMBO announced that VU LSC Professor S. Klimašauskas was elected a member of EMBO, making it two representatives of Lithuania in this prestigious organization.
On 8 September 2020 Director General of the elite European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Prof Edith Heard signed an agreement with Vilnius University (VU) on the establishment of a Partnership Institute in the Life Sciences Center (LSC) of VU. This is an extraordinary achievement in the history of Lithuanian science. |
STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENTS
“Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM” team
The Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM team, which has been participating in this prestigious competition for six years, won the grand prize of the competition and became the best iGEM team in the world in 2020.
Vilnius University (VU) students (most of them from the VU Life Sciences Center) outdid more than 250 of the world’s strongest university teams, including teams of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University as well as William & Mary University. In addition to the grand prize of the competition, VU students won gold medals and were nominated in eight additional prize categories, including winners in two, the Best Project in the Field of Environmental Protection among them.
In this year’s competition Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM team presented the FlavoFlow project dedicated to the topic of exogenous fish infections. It is estimated that infections caused by Flavobacterium bacteria can kill about 70% of fish in fish farms in just 72 hours. For this reason, it is essential to identify the pathogen as accurately and quickly as possible.
To solve this problem the team developed a rapid detection tool for early diagnosis of diseases in fish farms. At the same time, seeking to lay the foundations for various solutions to the problem, the Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM team focused on the development of platforms for the treatment and prevention of exogenous fish infections.
Such high evaluation of the project is a huge achievement for Lithuania. Since 2013, when the number of participants of the competition topped 200, there was no single team able to win the competition twice. However, this year, by winning the grand prize for the second time, the Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM team went down not only in the history of Lithuania’s life sciences, but also in the history of the iGEM competition. The team hopes that this achievement will not only promote a greater involvement of society into the world of life sciences, but will also encourage foreign companies to invest in the field of life sciences in Lithuania.
The VU student team owe their success to the modern biotechnology company Thermo Fisher Scientific, which supplies the team with the necessary reagents for experiments produced in Vilnius. The financial support of this company also helps to implement other team projects dedicated to public education.
Lithuanian representatives have been participating in the iGEM competition since 2015. Already in the first year of its participation, the VU student team won gold medals and a nomination for one of the five best projects in the field of scientific progress. In 2017, like this year, the Lithuanian team won the grand prize of the competition, in 2019 – a gold medal and nomination among the best teams in as many as four categories.
Video about Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM team
The COINS conference
The COINS is an international conference of life sciences, organised by VU LSC Students' Representation. The event gathers students, scholars, companies, and scientists from all over the world to discuss, learn and share their scientific experience, find new partners, meet key experts and enjoy an exciting programme.
The COINS keynote speakers: prof. Aaron Ciechanover (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004), prof. Jean-Marie Lehn (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004), prof. John O'keefe (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine), prof. Ada Yonath (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2009) etc.
STUDENT LIFE
Vilnius University can offer amazing moments of student life. If you study here, you will receive a great activities at
student unions, annual events, extra curricular activities, University Centre of Culture
Join us!