The 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO 2026) officially came to a close with the Closing Ceremony held in Vilnius on 18 July. Hosted in Lithuania for the first time in the country's history, the Olympiad brought together more than 300 of the world's most talented high school students from 78 countries. Around 250 volunteers from 20 countries contributed to the successful delivery of the event.

Participants of the International Biology Olympiad (IBO 2026) visited the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University (VU LSC) on 17 July, where they took part in a special event, "What's Next?"

On 24 July at 6:00 PM, the second exhibition of Archivum archaios, a collaborative project by Vilnius University (VU) and the Vilnius Academy of Arts, will open at the VU Ideas Observatory.

When we talk about scientific breakthroughs, our attention is usually drawn to Nobel Prizes, renowned scientists, or revolutionary discoveries. Yet behind many of these achievements lie decades of international networks, partnerships, and relationships built on trust rather than the work of a single research group. This is the side of science that Plamena Markova, Chief of International Relations at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), helps shape and nurture.

On 12 July, Vilnius officially welcomed the 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO 2026) – the first time in Lithuania's history that the world's largest biology competition for secondary school students is being held in the country.

From 6 to 10 July, Barcelona was hosting FENS Forum 2026, Europe's largest international neuroscience conference, bringing together scientists, researchers, clinicians, and students from around the world. The forum provides an outstanding platform to showcase the latest advances in neuroscience, discuss emerging scientific trends, and establish new international collaborations.

On a hot summer day, you instinctively swat away a pesky fruit fly hovering around your fruit or soft drink. Chances are you have also shooed away one of its most common companions – an RNA virus named Galbūt, the Lithuanian word for "Maybe."  Despite its unusual name, this virus has been officially recorded in international genetic sequence databases, alongside others bearing distinctly Baltic-inspired names such as Ūsinis, Barstukas, Pikulas, and Patulas. These names were coined by Dr Gytis Dudas, a virologist at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center. 

Throughout this article, virus names are presented in their original Baltic spelling, as they appear in international genetic sequence databases.

For the second consecutive year, Vilnius University's Internationalisation Initiative, aimed at strengthening practical botanical education and international collaboration, has been successfully implemented. This year, the initiative expanded beyond Lithuania and Latvia, welcoming the University of Tartu as a new partner.

At the beginning of June, students from the Lithuanian American Community arrived in Lithuania to take part in month-long internships through the Lithuanian Diaspora Student Internship Programme (LISS). Following a competitive selection process, 33 students of Lithuanian heritage came to Lithuania not only to gain professional experience but also to reconnect with the country of their parents or grandparents.

Audrius Zakšauskas has defended his thesis entitled "Design and Synthesis of Isozyme-Selective Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors" for the degree of Doctor of Science in Chemical Engineering.

An article by Vilnius University Life Sciences Center researcher Dr. Dalius Ratautas and his team, published in the journal ACS Sensors, has been recognized as “ACS Editors’ Choice”. This is an initiative of the American Chemical Society (ACS), in which, based on editors’ recommendations, one article is selected each day from across the entire ACS publications portfolio for its broad public interest and significance. The ACS portfolio includes more than 70 scientific journals, making this recognition an important international acknowledgement not only of this particular work, but also of the bioanalysis and biosensor research direction at VU LSC.

Vilnius University (VU) has ceremonially concluded another academic year. During the traditional Finis anni academici celebration held at St John's Church, awards were presented for outstanding research achievements, patron titles were conferred, and symbolic commemorative diplomas were awarded to former members of the University community who suffered under totalitarian regimes and were expelled from VU.

This week, the Vilnius University Life Sciences Centre is hosting a group of students from University of Wrocław as part of the international Arqus European University Alliance Twinning initiative. The programme aims to promote academic and cultural exchange, strengthen international collaboration, and foster closer ties between Arqus partner universities.