People

	Giancarlo Russo, Ph.D. Group Leader Following my Master's Degree in Italy and my Ph.D. at Cardiff University, UK (both in Applied Mathematics), in 2009 I started working on the applications of computational methods in life science. From 2009 to 2011 I held a Research Associate position at the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Unit of the MRC Centre for Psychiatric Medicine in Cardiff, with a focus on Genome-Wide Association Studies. In the last part of 2011, I moved to Nagoya, Japan, as a visiting researcher at the University Hospital, where we worked on the genetics of schizophrenia. For the following ten years, until July 2021, I have been a senior scientist at the Functional Genomics Center in Zurich, Switzerland, where I have taken part in almost 200 different research projects spanning the whole spectrum of high throughput -omics applications. I joined the EMBL PI at Vilnius University as a group leader in September 2021. Publications
	Lina Aitmanaitė, Ph.D. Researcher In 2012, I received a Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology from Vilnius University. My thesis was about the seasonal polyphenism of Daphnia Pulex. Following my undergraduate studies, I enrolled in a molecular biology master's program. I worked on the thermostabilization of T7 RNA polymerase in vitro as part of my Master's thesis. I then completed my internship at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, where I was able to collaborate with Prof. Vincenzo Bonifati's research on Parkinson's disease. Soon after, I began my Biochemistry Ph.D. studies at Vilnius University. My dissertation research focused on the molecular processes of dsRNA LA and M virus maintenance in yeast cells. The interactions between the LA and M viruses were an important part of my research. In 2021, I successfully defended my PhD thesis, "Virus Compatibility in Saccharomyces cerevisiae LA and M Virus Systems."
	Rūta Matulevičiūtė Ph.D. Student I graduated with a BSc in Genetics from Vilnius University in 2020, focusing on noninvasive biomarkers for renal cell carcinoma and inflammation-associated microRNAs for early periodontitis diagnosis. In 2019, I contributed to the Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM team, developing a near-infrared optogenetic switch for bacterial cancer therapy. In 2022, I completed an MSc in Human Biology at the University of Copenhagen, studying pancreatic cancer with a focus on thyroid-induced proliferation in acinar cells in vivo. I then pursued an MSc in Management at Lund University, graduating in 2023 and leading a consulting project on retail strategy for a waste-free home care start-up. I am currently a PhD student in Biology with the Giancarlo Russo group, researching DNA/RNA modifications and alternative splicing in pancreatic cancer’s hypoxic microenvironment.
	Kornelija Gelūnaitė Ph.D. Student In 2021, I have graduated with BSc (Hons) degree in IBMS accredited Biomedical Sciences at the University of the West of England (UWE), in Bristol, United Kingdom. In my final year, I have completed a research project module and wrote a thesis on understanding hypoxia and RAS-ERK signalling in pancreatic cancer and identifying novel therapeutic targets. After completion of BSc, I have continued my education in UWE and in 2022, I have purchased Master of Research (MRes) degree, where I have worked on targeting GPCRs in the pancreatic cancer in autophagy and hypoxia in collaboration with Dr. Alexander Greenhough in CRIBBS lab. Currently, I’m undertaking Ph.D. in Biology at Vilnius University, LSC as part of EMBL team with a project that focuses on full-length, targeted sequencing of CRISPR-Cas systems in microbial ecosystems.
	Gediminas Gumbis Project specialist In 2021, I graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences (Biochemistry). I conducted my honours project at the lab of P. Uhlén at Karolinska Institute, Sweden. The aim of the project was to analyse spontaneous Calcium signals in HeLa cells. After graduating, I worked for about a year at ThermoFisher Scientific Baltics as a junior microbiologist. In September 2022, I started studying Medicine at Vilnius University. I joined EMBL in October 2022.
	Tauras Radzevičius Project specialist I am a Data Analyst/Scientist currently working with machine learning applications for cancer classification using gene expression data. I am currently engaged in projects involving temporal analysis of bacterial genome methylation and expression in response to phage attacks. My experience spans multi-omic data analysis and computer vision tasks. I recently completed my Bachelor's degree in Neurobiophysics at Vilnius University.
	Boris Mosse Ph.D. Student I finished my bachelor’s and master’s degree in VDU, working on molecular characterization of tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and encephalitis. In 2023 I joined the laboratory of Dr. Giancarlo Russo, where my current research is focused on profiling of post-transcriptional modifications and splicing aberrations in cancer using third-generation sequencing. I believe that with the support of EMBL we will contribute to advance our understanding of complex disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
	Laurynas Vaitkus Ph.D. Student In 2021, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at Vilnius University, focusing on molecular dynamics studies related to lipase immobilization. This led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, where I conducted mechanistic studies of the SARS-CoV-2 helicase nsp13." Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in Biology, where my research focuses on exploring the coevolution between phages and bacteria using a multiomics based approach.
	Aušrinė Šveikauskaitė Project specialist
	Petras Radžiūnas B.SC. Student
	Sarah Loghman Erasmus visiting M.Sc. Student After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from the National University of Iran in 2020, I began an internship where I analyzed proteomics data using a top-down systems biology approach. During this project, I identified key biomarkers and critical pathways in breast cancer by examining large mass spectrometric datasets, utilizing gene set enrichment and pathway analysis. Following this, I pursued my Master’s studies in Biotechnology for the Bioeconomy at the University of Milan. As an Erasmus exchange student at Vilnius University, I started my master’s thesis on the editing of homologous enzymes, employing techniques such as λ Red Recombineering and prime editing to enhance enzymatic efficiency for CO2 fixation. Additionally, I utilized CRISPR-Cas9 for targeted selection. This project has also allowed me to strengthen my bioinformatics skills, applying R for statistical analysis and bash scripting in Linux for homologous protein identification. This experience has significantly expanded my knowledge in enzymatic research and environmental sustainability.
	Melissa Maria Misar M.Sc. Student After completing my training as a paramedic and medical assistant, I started studying biology at the Justus-Liebig University Giessen, in Germany. I graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in General Biology. In my bachelor thesis, I focussed on DNA modifications and expression of the HELT gene in different cell lines. After my bachelor, I worked again one year as a paramedic before starting my Master‘s in Genetics at Vilnius University in 2023. I joined the group recently to write my Master thesis, where I will focus on DNA modifications and alternative splicing in pancreatic cancer under hypoxic conditions.
	Yana Karnitskaya M.Sc. Student My journey in the life sciences began at Belarusian State University, where I developed a passion for molecular biology while pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Molecular Microbiology. During this time, I gained research experience by investigating bacterial pigment synthesis linked to quorum sensing for my undergraduate project. After 3.5 years of study, I continued my academic path at Vilnius University, where learned a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, focusing on the development of immunosensors for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection. I have since decided to return to biology by pursuing a Master's degree in Molecular Biotechnology at Vilnius University. I joined the EMBL-LSC Institute under Dr Giancarlo Russo to explore phage-host interactions through multi-omics analysis.
	Gabrielė Kalinauskaitė M.Sc. Student In 2024, I graduated at Vilnius University with a bachelor's degree in Biology. My bachelor's thesis was about avian blood parasites transmitted by Culex mosquitoes. I was focusing on Trypanosoma and Haemosporida parasites and the use of molecular methods for the detection of these pathogens. While working on my final thesis, I got really interested in the use of molecular methods. Therefore I enrolled in the MSc of Molecular Biotechnology program and joined the laboratory of Dr. G. Russo . I am doing my master's thesis on the role of RNA modifications on ADAR1-deficiency in lung cancer cells.
	Luknė Šniraitė M.Sc. Student I hold a Bachelor's degree in Genetics from Vilnius University and I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Molecular Biotechnology, focusing on genetic engineering and it's applications. My studies comprises gene manipulation, molecular diagnostics, and biotechnological innovations, including techniques such as CRISPR and protein engineering. Currently I am employed at Thermo Fisher Scientific as a Quality Control Specialist in Microarrays, and previously I was working with protein purification in GMP laboratories. In these positions I gathered valuable experience in testing genetic material and working with mammalian and bacterial cells. But my primary passion lies in advancing genetic engineering, and I am committed to contributing to innovative solutions that address global challenges in health.