This year, 29 students from nine Lithuanian higher education institutions have been awarded Presidential Scholarships in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements and involvement in research and community activities. Among the recipients is Žygimantas Vareikis, a student at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC), who has been awarded the President Kazys Grinius Scholarship.

Twelve projects led by researchers from the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center received funding under the Research Council of Lithuania (LMT) programme My First Research Team. In total, 28 projects were funded across Lithuania, with VU LSC projects accounting for 42.9% of them. The funding will enable the selected young researchers to build their first research teams and lead independent research projects spanning a broad range of life sciences – from cancer biology, neurobiology, and infectious diseases to enzyme engineering and AI-driven drug discovery.

On 25 September, a delegation from Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) visited the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC). The visit provided an opportunity to learn more about the research and study activities of both institutions, exchange experiences, and discuss possible directions for further cooperation.

Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) researchers have developed a genetic tool that enables highly efficient control of gene activity at different stages of development in a model organism – the zebrafish. The new tool makes it possible to investigate how the functions of the same genes change as an organism develops and later in life.

Juta Dvareckienė defended her dissertation entitled “Production and Characterization of Diagnostic-Grade Recombinant Allergens: From Expression Platform Selection to Clinical Application” and was awarded a Doctor of Science in Chemical Engineering.

On September 9–11, the international event “8th Antibody Validation Workshop & 14th EuroMAbNet Meeting” was held at VU LSC, bringing together European antibody experts. This conference, which was attended by more than 100 participants, was organized by VU LSC and the Lithuanian Society for Immunology together with the EuroMAbNet – a network of European academic laboratories established in 2008, promoting international cooperation and sharing of scientific experience in the field of antibody development, validation and research. The research team of the Department of Immunology of VU LSC joined the EuroMAbNet in 2018.

Skomantas Serapinas has defended his thesis entitled “The Development of Electrochemical Genosensors Based on Nucleic Acid Affinity” for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biochemistry.

It can often take several days to determine which antibiotic will be effective for a specific patient. Researchers at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University (VU LSC), together with their partners, are developing technology that could reduce this time to just a few hours. For this, they are using the bacteria themselves: the researchers aim to use biofilms that bacteria form as natural biological indicators that can show, in real time, whether a selected antibiotic is effective.  

On 11 September, at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan, Professor Virginijus Šikšnys of the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) was formally presented with one of Japan’s most prestigious state decorations – the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. The award was bestowed on the professor in recognition of his outstanding contribution to promoting academic exchange and strengthening mutual understanding between Japan and Lithuania.

Artūras Polita has defended his thesis entitled "Design and Application of BODIP Probes for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of Local Viscosity and Polarity in Lipid Microenvironments" for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biophysics.

The Vilnius University (VU) Foundation's Postdoctoral Fellowship Competition, aimed at attracting early-career researchers with recognized international experience and helping them establish themselves, was won this year by four talented researchers from different VU departments.

From 7 to 10 September, the 14th annual Nordic EMBL Partnership Meeting will take place in Umeå, Sweden. The EMBL Partnership Institute based at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) will also participate in the meeting.

Ashwinipriyadarshini Megur defended her thesis entitled “Characterization and In Vivo Evaluation of the Synbiotic Potential of Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Traditional Lithuanian Fermented Foods” for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biochemistry.