Scientists at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University (VU LSC) have published a new study in the prestigious journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. The publication reveals a previously poorly understood antiviral defence mechanism in bacteria, whose underlying principles could be applied to the development of new genome-editing or biological control tools.
On 18 February, Vilnius University Life Sciences Center welcomed an esteemed guest, Phil Budden, Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, who visited the Center.
Scientists at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University (VU LSC), Dr. Ugnė Gaižauskaitė, Dr. Giedrė Tamulaitienė, Dr. Arūnas Šilanskas, Dr. Giedrius Gasiūnas, Prof. Virginijus Šikšnys, and Dr. Giedrius Sasnauskas have investigated how the bacterial protein Cas9, better known as the CRISPR-Cas “genetic scissors,” helps bacteria integrate fragments of viral DNA from infecting viruses – bacteriophages – into their genome, thereby acquiring resistance to viral infections.
On the occasion of the Day of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania, the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, presented state awards for merits to Lithuania and for promoting its name worldwide.
Could love be solved like a mathematical equation? And if so, what would that change in our relationship with it?
On 26 February at 6:00 PM, the third event of the VU Discussion Club will take place at Aula Parva Hall of Vilnius University (Universiteto g. 3, Vilnius). The event will invite participants to explore love not only as a feeling but also as a complex, multifaceted phenomenon.
The world’s first vaccine consumed in the form of beer may sound like a provocation, or even a joke. Yet this seemingly unexpected path has been chosen by scientists from the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) and the United States National Cancer Institute, who are searching for ways to make vaccines more accessible, cheaper, and easier for society to accept. Their research opens a discussion not only about new biotechnologies, but also about the future of vaccination itself.
On 3 February, the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, through the Lithuanian Science Awards Commission, announced the recipients of the Lithuanian Science Awards 2025. A total of seven awards were granted this year, four of which went to researchers from Vilnius University (VU).
In the field of medical and health sciences, the Lithuanian Science Award was presented to Prof. Artūras Petronis of the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center. He was recognized for his body of work, “Epigenomics: chronos, pathos, nosos” (2010–2024), which analyzes epigenetic mechanisms related to the origin of diseases, their progression, and the biological aspects of time. These studies contribute to the advancement of epigenetics and highlight the importance of epigenomic changes for disease diagnostics and the development of personalized medicine.
Lithuanian Science Awards are granted annually for fundamental and applied research, as well as experimental development work of significance to Lithuania. The prize amounts to 780 basic social benefit units (€57,720). The award ceremony for the Lithuanian Science Award laureates will be broadcast live from the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences on 5 March at 1:00 PM on the “LRT Plius” television channel.
Prof. Virginijus Šikšnys of the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) has been elected Chair of the Council of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). EMBL is one of Europe’s most significant international life sciences organizations, bringing together countries to pursue joint research in molecular biology and related fields.
On 30 January, the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) welcomed Professor Bart Spee from Utrecht University for a visit focused on strengthening institutional ties and exploring opportunities for closer academic and research collaboration.
On 29 January, the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) hosted a Danish delegation, including European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, together with the Lithuanian Innovation Agency’s Eglė Elena Šataitė. The guests visited the VU Life Sciences Center’s Bioanalysis Department, where they met with scientists Dr. Marius Dagys and Dr. Dalius Ratautas.
Kamilė Mikalauskaitė defended her thesis entitled "The Role of Environmental Factors in Protein Amyloid Aggregation" for the degree of Doctor of Science in Chemical Engineering.
As the capital marked its 703rd anniversary, residents who have made a significant contribution to Vilnius and helped raise the city’s profile were honoured at the prestigious St Christopher Awards, now a well-established tradition. On Friday evening, a ceremony was held at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, which recognised 10 laureates for their achievements in science, sport, culture, and other fields.
Dr Constantinos Patinios, a researcher at the EMBL Partnership Institute operating at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC), has been awarded the prestigious European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Installation Grant. This recognition is given to promising early-career researchers establishing new research groups in European countries and marks an important international acknowledgment of life sciences research conducted in Lithuania.
