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| Research Interests: | Molecular and cellular neuroscience Genetic modification of mammalian brain cells CRISPR/Cas systems Viral delivery vectors |
| Present Position: | Institute of Biosciences, Professor and Chief Researcher VU LSC-EMBL Partnership Institute, Chief Researcher |
| Education: |
PhD in Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK MSc in Biochemistry, Vilnius University BSc in Biochemistry, Vilnius University |
| Experience (Past Positions): | 2021–2024 - Senior Researcher and Associate Professor. Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Science Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania 2021–2023 - Group Leader and Senior Researcher. VU LSC-EMBL Partnership Institute, Life Science Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania 2016–2021 - Experienced Marie Sklodowska Curie Researcher. Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Science Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania 2013–2015 - Postdoctoral Marie Curie Fellow, Dr. C. T. Gross Group, Mouse Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Rome, Italy 2012 - Short-Term Fellow, Prof. V. Borutaitė Group, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian Health Science University, Kaunas, Lithuania 2012–2012 - Research Associate, Prof. G. C. Brown Group, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK |
| Subjects Taught: | Advanced light microscopy course at the Molecular Biotechnology Master’s program. Neuromethods course at the Neurobiology and Biophysics Bachelor’s program. Molecular phagocytosis lectures are a part of the Molecular Cell Biology course in the Molecular Biology Master’s program. GET the delivery strategies lecture as a part of the Genome Editing Technologies course in the Molecular Biotechnology Master’s program. |
| Supervision of Doctoral Students: | Defended dissertations: 2024 Daina Bujanauskiene “Molecular profiling of synapses during brain circuit refinement” 2024 Dovydas Gabrielaitis “The investigation of the factors modulating macrophage endocytosis: macrophage type, age, plasma membrane tension” 2023 Ugne Kuliesiute “Molecular mechanisms shaping neuronal networks during brain development and in neuropathology” Supervisor to: Lina Saveikyte Gintare Urbonaite Eimina Dirvelyte Ieva Siugzdaite Desideria Pezzuto |
| Awards: | 2019 Knight's Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, awarded by President Dalia Grybauskaite 2019 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Rising Talent award 2018 The Lithuanian Academy of Sciences Young Scientist Scholarship 2017 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship |
| Publications: | LABT_LMAVB PubMed |
| Academic Cooperation: | Agnes Nadjar, University of Bordeaux, France Ali Jawaid, Łukasiewicz – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development, Poland Claus Normann and Stefan Vestring, University of Freiburg, Germany Eero Castren, University of Helsinki, Finland Eric J Kremer, University of Montpellier. France Ewelina Knapska, Nenski Institute of Experimental Biology, Poland Igor Branchi, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Italy Isabelle Mansuy, University of Zurich, Switzerland Michaela Fenckova, University of South Bohemia, Czechia Shira Knafo, Ikerbasque, Spain You Tzung Chen, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taiwan |
| Projects and Grants: | 2025–2030 - ERC Consolidator Grant funding for the project “Sugars maketh the brain: investigating the role of neuronal glycocalyx in shaping the architecture of emerging circuits” (principal investigator). 2025–2027 - Horizon Europe funding for the project “Designed adenovirus vectors for cell-specific delivery of genome editing tools” (principal investigator). 2025–2028 - ERA-NET NEURON Joint Transnational Call funding for the project “Early metabolic programming affects hypothalamus yielding eating disorders” (coordinator & principal investigator). 2025–2027 - Research Council of Lithuania funding for Lithuania-Poland DAINA3 collaborative project “Early intervention with mTOR inhibitors for neuropsychiatric symptoms in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: unveiling developmental windows” (principal investigator). 2024–2027 - ERA-NET NEURON Joint Transnational Call funding for the project “Neurobiological mechanisms of the environment - plasticity - behaviour interaction” (principal investigator). 2024–2026 - Research Council of Lithuania funding for Lithuania-Taiwan collaborative project “Gene editing to reverse aceruloplasminemia phenotype in mouse and hiPSC models” (principal investigator). 2024–2026 - HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-04 – Pathways to Synergies funding for the project “Pan-European Network for Neuroscience Research Infrastructure and Strengthening of Support Capacities” (participant). 2024–2026 - Programme "University Excellence Initiatives" of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania (Measure No. 12-001-01-01-01 "Improving the Research and Study Environment") for the project “Targeted CRISPR-Cas Delivery into Mammalian Nervous System” (principal investigator). 2023–2027 - Research Council of Lithuania funding for a competitive PhD position for the project “The application of gene editing tools for monogenic lysosomal storage disorders” (supervisor). 2021–2023 - European Regional Development Fund grant agreement No 01.2.2-CPVA-V-716-01-0001 with the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA), Lithuania, for the project “Targeted CRISPR-Cas Delivery into Mammalian Nervous System” (principal investigator). |
| Research Dissemination: | |
| Other Related Activities: | Since 2024 - Member of the Council of Vilnius University Since 2024 - Member of the advisory committee for the activity of the Research Council of Lithuania at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Since 2022 - Member of the State Progress Council of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania Since 2020 - Member of the Board of the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association 2021–2024 - Member of the Council of the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University 2021–2022 - Member of the Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania 2017–2022 - Member of the Board of the Research Council of Lithuania 2018–2022 - Member of the Young IBRO Committee of the International Brain Research Organization |
| Languages: | Lithuanian (native), English, Italian, German |