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.
On 25 June, journalist Marion Kate Smith from South Africa, who writes for Mail & Guardian and Embassy Direct magazines and online publications, visited the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center. During the visit, she was accompanied by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.
On 23 June, the first meeting of the newly elected Senate of Vilnius University took place. During the meeting, Prof. Eglė Lastauskienė was unanimously re-elected by secret ballot as Chair of the Senate for another four-year term.
Ruslan Bikmurzin has defended his thesis entitled "Structural Studies of Yeast β-Glucans and In Silico Analysis of Their Molecular Interactions with Dectin-1 Receptor" for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biology.
Justina Žvirblytė defended her thesis entitled "Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis of Healthy and Diseased Human Tissues" for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biochemistry.
On 17 June, a graduation ceremony for graduates of the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) took place at St. Johns’ Church. During the celebration, Bachelor’s and Master’s diplomas were awarded to nearly 300 young life sciences specialists.
On 16 June, Prof. Anthony Hyman, Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, visited Vilnius University. Prof. Hyman is one of the leading molecular biologists of our time, whose research has made significant contributions to understanding the fundamental principles governing cellular function.
Vytautas Baranauskas has defended his thesis, "Experimental Rabbit Model for Dry Eye Syndrome Studies: Induced Meibomian Gland Dysfunction," for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biology.
We live in a time when medicine is becoming increasingly personalised, drugs are being developed using artificial intelligence, and disease outbreaks are monitored by analysing genetic data in real time. Alongside the rapid advances in the life sciences, demand for bioinformatics specialists is also growing. Their expertise is now highly valued both in research institutions and innovative companies.
The Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) together with the Vilnius University Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics is launching the first and only second-cycle Master’s programme in Bioinformatics in Lithuania. The programme will be taught in English and is designed for those who want to contribute to the development of cutting-edge scientific solutions that shape today’s world.
