4th Vita Scientia International Life Sciences Conference
The 4th Vita Scientia conference took place at VU LSC on 3 January 2020.
Vita Scientia is an international conference, which aims to facilitate expansion of life sciences by developing international networks between Lithuanian and foreign researchers. The conference is designed to bring people together from diverse international communities and spark international collaboration.
In 2020, conference Vita Scientia brought together professionals from life sciences both working in Lithuania and abroad. More than 150 professionals from more than 30 research and business institutions joined the event.
The COINS 2020
The COINS conference, organized by Vilnius University students since 2004, was held for the 15th time last year. In the past three years, as many as six Nobel Prize winners attended the conference, also having an opportunity to get acquainted with the science perspectives of Lithuania. Last year, lectures were given by well-known lecturers, for instance, Nobel Prize Laureates in Chemistry Prof. Aaron Ciechanover and Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn as well as by other professionals in their fields such as Warren Alpert Foundation Prize winner Prof. Dr. Peter Hegemann.
In addition to the topics of biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology or genetics, the lectures also focused on chemistry and neuroscience. More importantly, the COINS 2020 allowed students to present their research to a large audience and to get constructive feedback during the poster and oral sessions.
For the first time, the conference provided an opportunity for the general public to take part in the public engagement programme that offered workshops and laboratory works. The conference brought together the academic community and the society, who could learn about world-class research and challenge themselves.
Science Day by Thermo Fisher Scientific
The traditional event of the year, Science Day organized by the Life Sciences Center’s industrial partner Thermo Fisher Scientific, took place on November 11–12, 2020.
The event taking place for the 10th time invited researchers and students from various Lithuanian research and study institutions to a virtual meeting. The special platform opened up the possibility not only to listen to presentations, to learn about new products and technologies used in life sciences, but also to ask questions or share ideas.
Conference Dedicated to the 120th Birth Anniversary of Professor Antanas Minkevičius
On 10 December 2020, a conference dedicated to the 120th birth anniversary of Professor Antanas Minkevičius was held at the Life Sciences Center (VU LSC).
Prof. Antanas Minkevičius was a Lithuanian botanist, mycologist and phytopathologist, habilitated doctor of biomedical sciences, corresponding member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, a distinguished Lithuanian scientist. He was a researcher, lecturer and head of departments of Vytautas Magnus and Vilnius Universities, a researcher and head of departments at the Institutes of Biology and Botany of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.
Professor is the author and co-author of a great number of scientific and popular articles, books and textbooks on plant and fungal diversity, biology and ecology.
2nd Baltic Biophysics Conference – Open Lectures
On 15 October, the 2nd Baltic Biophysics Conference - Open Lectures were organized by the Lithuanian Society of Biophysicists. The event aims to encourage and further develop cooperation between scientific teams as well as joint research with partners in Lithuania and abroad. This conference attracted famous lecturers from Lithuania and around the world: Gražvydas Lukinavičius (Max Plank Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany), Ago Rinken (Tartu University, Estonia), Virginijus Barzda (University of Toronto, Canada), Rytis Prekeris (University of Colorado, USA). Two laureates of L’Oréal Baltic program For Women in Science 2020, Rima Budvydytė and Dominyka Dapkutė, participated in this conference.
12th Conference of the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association
On 6 November 2020, the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association (LNA) organized the 12th conference of the LNA virtually. It attracted over 200 registered participants from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Poland, UK, Switzerland, Australia and Russia. The conference consisted of two parts: 12 invited oral presentations and a poster session (35 posters).
During the poster session, competition for the best poster was organized and winners were awarded valuable prizes established by the sponsors, Linea Libera and Expertus Vilnensis.