On 7–10 September, Bologna, Ital, hosted the 11th European Conference of Apidology EurBee 11 bringing together researchers of bees and other pollinating insects from Europe and other countries around the world. Scientists from the Laboratory of Genetics and Laboratory of Chemical and Behavioural Ecology participated in the conference, presented their research and shared scientific insights with the international community of bee researchers.

Presentations:

• “The honey bee drones – microbial and antimicrobial resistance gene reservoirs” (Prof. Dr. Elena Servienė)
• “Molecular and Microbiological Approaches to Hive Health and Bee Products” (Dr. Živilė Strazdaitė-Žielienė)
• “Cultivable yeasts associated with Apis mellifera males and their functional traits” (Vilija Lapinskaitė, doctoral student)
• “Honey bee contribution to the transmission of viruses through flowers” (Algirdas Valys, doctoral student)
• “Dark European honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) distribution and genetic diversity in Lithuania” and “Statement for the Conservation and Restoration of Apis mellifera mellifera” (Dr. Laima Blažytė-Čereškienė)

It was a great opportunity to present our research, learn about the latest trends in bee research and share experience with scientists from other countries. EurBee is a great forum for learning about current trends in bee research, discovering the latest methods and findings, and establishing new scientific contacts. The conference focused extensively on bee health and disease control, examined the impact of climate change and the spread of invasive bee species, and presented technological solutions for the analysis of bee products.

Research and academic trips of doctoral students were funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (projects No. S-MIP-24-55, S-DAK-26-90 ir S-DAK-26-91) and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania (projects MTTV-17, BITE-KV-21-1-00816-PR001, BITE-KV-23-1-01697-PR001, BITE-KV-24-1-02316-PR001, BITE-KV-25-1-00735-PR001).

On 21 September, the second phase of developing the 2026–2031 Nature Research Centre’s strategy begins. Five strategic working groups composed of representatives of laboratories, early-career researchers and administration are launching their work. Their task is to discuss the Centre’s main future trends and goals and to develop strategic initiatives.

Nature Research Centre’s Director Prof. Edita Sužiedėlienė emphasizes that the development of the strategy is a joint effort by the entire Centre’s community: “The strategy is not just a document. It is our shared agreement on where we want to be in the next few years, what strengths we will seek to leverage and what value we will create for society. That is why it is important for the Centre’s community to be actively involved in its development and for the decisions to be based on open dialogue and collaboration. We are creating a dynamic and ambitious strategy that reflects our community’s strengths and aspirations.”

Five working group meetings will be held in the near future to discuss strategic trends. The groups will analyze the current situation, the most important challenges and opportunities and will develop initiatives that will help achieve the strategic goals.

This collaborative effort should help clarify the Centre’s key priorities and decisions that will strengthen its scientific potential, international competitiveness and the value it creates for society.

On 14 September, experts from Customs Department and Europol visited Nature Research Centre. The visit was part of the Silver Axe XI international meeting programme.

In her welcome address, NRC Director Prof. Edita Sužiedėlienė emphasized the importance of science and inter-institutional cooperation: “Nature conservation knows no national borders, which is why cooperation among different institutions and professionals from various fields is particularly important. The implementation of the CITES Convention is one example of how scientists’ expert knowledge significantly contributes to international efforts to protect endangered species from illegal trade. Such meetings are important for sharing experiences and strengthening cooperation among specialists in different fields.”

About 50 customs and Europol experts got familiar with the activities of Nature Research Centre, its ongoing scientific research, and its modern infrastructure. The guests visited the Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Laboratory of Genetics, and Laboratory of Molecular Ecology, where they were introduced to the main areas of research and laboratories’ activities.

The opportunities related to the identification of biological specimens, invasive species, and other issues relevant to environmental protection and international trade were also discussed.

At the end of the visit, the guests visited the Museum of Minerals, where they toured the museum’s exhibits and viewed its valuable mineral collections.

This visit provided an opportunity for international partners to gain a closer understanding of Nature Research Centre’s scientific expertise, research infrastructure and activities.

More than 100 malaria researchers from around the world gathered in one place, among which, 12 were from Nature Research Centre. Scientists gathered to participate in the 7th International Conference on Malaria and Other Blood Parasites of Wildlife and in the International Symposium of the Wildlife Diseases Research Network. The event took place at the University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain.

The conference provided an excellent opportunity for researchers studying malaria, its transmission, and pathogenicity to meet, discuss the latest research, share knowledge and experience, and strengthen international cooperation. Equally important was a strong emphasis on the training of young researchers and the preparation of the next generation of scientists studying the spread of diseases in the wild.

The conference was funded by the COST program “WIMANET” (Wildlife Malaria Network). Before the conference, participants had an opportunity to deepen their knowledge at a summer school on phylogenomics, and after that a training session on vector research was held. Two guest lecturers from Nature Research Centre taught at the training session.

 

We are pleased to share a new scientific publication co-authored by Dr Agnė Baranauskaitė-Lengvinienė, Research Scientist at the Genetics Laboratory, and Dr Petras Prakas, Principal Research Scientist at the Molecular Ecology Laboratory, together with researchers from Poland and Italy.

The article, “Molecular detection of Sarcocystis suihominis and Sarcocystis miescheriana in wild boars hunted for human consumption in Poland highlights a potential risk for the consumer,” has been published in the international peer-reviewed journal Zoonoses and Public Health (Wiley).

Zoonoses and Public Health is an international scientific journal dedicated to research on zoonotic diseases, their transmission, prevention and control, and their implications for public health. The journal is indexed in Web of Science and MEDLINE/PubMed and currently has a Journal Impact Factor of 2.6 and a CiteScore of 5.3.

What did the study reveal?

The researchers examined 241 diaphragm samples from wild boars hunted during two hunting seasons in Poland. Molecular methods were used to investigate the occurrence of two Sarcocystis species: Sarcocystis miescheriana and the zoonotic Sarcocystis suihominis.

The results showed that:

🔹 90% of the examined wild boars were positive for S. miescheriana DNA;

🔹 3.3% of the animals were co-infected with S. miescheriana and the zoonotic S. suihominis;

🔹 37 sarcocysts were isolated from tissues of wild boars, with two subsequently identified by molecular analysis as S. suihominis;

🔹 the study also revealed a putative new Sarcocystis species, with genetic sequences substantially different from those of currently known species.

Why does this matter?

Sarcocystis suihominis is a zoonotic parasite that can infect humans through consumption of raw or undercooked infected meat. Monitoring infections in wild boars intended for human consumption is therefore important not only for animal health, but also for food safety and public health.

The study is particularly significant because it is the first investigation identifying Sarcocystis species circulating in wild boars intended for human consumption in Poland. The findings demonstrate a very high prevalence of S. miescheriana and confirm the presence of the zoonotic S. suihominis, meaning that a potential risk to consumers cannot be excluded.

The research also highlights the value of modern molecular diagnostic methods in wildlife disease surveillance. Molecular tools can not only detect and identify parasites, but also reveal their genetic diversity and help identify potentially undescribed species.

We are proud of the contribution of Lithuanian researchers to this international study, bringing together expertise in genetics, molecular ecology, parasitology, veterinary science and public health.

The key message is clear: the potential risk of infection cannot be excluded when wild boar meat is consumed undercooked, highlighting the importance of appropriate heat treatment as a key preventive measure.

Find out more: http://doi.org/10.1111/zph.70092

The world’s largest congress of parasitologists is held every four years. This year, it brought together nearly 1,500 scientists from 92 countries at the Montreal Convention Centre in Canada on 16–21 August (https://icopa2026.org).

Montreal Convention Centre

 

Dr. Virmantas Stunžėnas, Dr. Romualda Petkevičiūtė, and Dr. Gražina Stanevičiūtė, helminthologists from P. B. Šivickis Laboratory of Parasitology, delivered three presentations on the latest results of their research, obtained through the RCL-funded project “Biological Diversity of Trematodes in Freshwater Molluscs as an Ecological Indicator of Ecosystem Health” (RCL contract No. S-MIP-25-46)

The gravel snail (Lithoglyphus naticoides), an invasive gastropod is known as an intermediate host for a large group of trematode species whose life cycles have not so far been adequately investigated and whose definitive hosts can only be predicted. In his presentation “Trematodes in Lithoglyphus naticoides (Gastropoda): updating historical data on species identity”, V. Stunžėnas presented the results of molecular and phylogenetic studies on the life cycles of larvae of seven trematode species found in L. naticoides.

 

 Dr. Virmantas Stunžėnas

 

The helminthological investigations of gastropods revealed a previously unknown diversity of trematode species. In Romualda Petkevičiūtė’s presentation “Atriophallophorus Deblock & Rose, 1964 (Trematoda, Microphallidae) in gastropod snails from Lithuanian waters”, molecular and phylogenetic analyses based on 28S and ITS2 sequences and karyological analysis of trematodes revealed that at least two unknown trematode species from the genus Atriophallophorus parasitize gastropods in Lithuania.

 

Dr. Romualda Petkevičiūtė

 

The larval stages of Gyrabascus oppositus, a typical bat parasite, were detected in the gravel snail for the first time. These results, supported by molecular and phylogenetic studies as well as karyological analysis of snails, were presented by Gražina Stanevičiūtė in “Cercaria of Gyrabascus oppositus (Zdzitowiecki 1969) (Pleurogenidae): an unexpected finding from the Lithoglyphus naticoides snail using molecular and karyological tools”.

 

At a depth of 37 metres in the Baltic Sea, a dive was carried out at a still-unidentified shipwreck. During the dive, the Oktopusas Diving center team collected sediment and mollusc samples for the BALTWRECK project and searched for clues that could help identify the vessel.

The ship lies upside down, with its keel facing upwards, and several areas of damage are visible on the hull. One of them was likely caused by an explosion. The bow is broken off, while traces of blue paint are still visible in several places on the hull.

According to diver Arūnas Vainora, based on the observed features, one possible explanation is that the vessel may have been a cargo barge.

The collected samples will be used for further research to assess the potential impact of shipwrecks on the Baltic Sea environment.

Video by: Aivaras Bubnovas

The Nature Research Centre invites researchers, PhD students, and laboratory staff to take part in the short course “Introduction to Ecohydrological Modeling“, led by dr. Ali Ertürk.

Prof. Dr. Ali Ertürk is a professor at Istanbul University, an environmental engineer and researcher with more than 26 years of professional experience and 24 years of academic experience in ecohydrological, water quality and environmental systems modelling. His scientific work covers the hydrology and ecology of inland waters and coastal lagoons, nutrient dynamics, eutrophication management, climate-change impacts on water resources, and the development of decision-support systems. He has been collaborating with Lithuanian research institutions since 2004, defended his doctoral dissertation at Klaipėda University in 2008, and worked at the Nature Research Centre in 2023–2025.

Dates: 7–11 September 2026, 9.00 – 16.00 h.
Language: English
Format: Lectures, hands-on modelling exercises, discussions, homework, and group assignments.
Duration: Approximately 6 academic hours per day.

About the course

The course will provide an introduction to ecohydrological modelling, with a particular focus on system dynamics‘ approaches and their application to water-related environmental problems.

Participants will explore how conceptual models can be developed and transformed into simple working model prototypes. The course will combine theoretical background with practical exercises and discussions based on ecohydrological examples relevant to the Nature Research Centre.

Potential application areas include lake nutrient dynamics, cyanobacterial blooms, biomass management scenarios, climate-change impacts on water resources, wetland development, and other aquatic ecosystem issues.

Target audience

The course is intended to PhD students, researchers, and laboratory staff working in or interested in aquatic ecosystems, hydrology, water quality, lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal ecosystems, environmental modeling, or scenario analysis.

Expected background

Basic knowledge of ecology, hydrology, and elementary calculus will be useful. Previous experience in statistics is not required. Programming skills are not expected at this stage, although analytical and algorithmic thinking will be beneficial.

Software and technical requirements

Participants will be required to bring their own personal laptops for the practical sessions and install the required software prior the course.

Expected learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• understand the main principles of ecohydrological and system dynamics modelling;
• formulate an environmental problem as a conceptual model;
• identify the main system components, processes, feedbacks, and assumptions;
• outline and design a system-dynamics-oriented model;
• implement a simple model prototype;
• explore scenarios and interpret modelling results in an ecohydrological context.

Registration

To help adapt the course to participants’ experience and interests, registered participants will be asked to provide brief information about their research field, previous modelling experience, and expectations for the course.

Registration deadline: September 2.
Registration via email: studijos@gamtc.lt

On 18 August 2026, a group of scientists from the Nature Research Centre participated in the international scientific conference BaltDendro 2026, held at the Forest Research Station “Vētraine” in Latvia. At this biennial conference, scientists and researchers from Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian research institutions engaged in dendrochronological and wood anatomy studies share their latest findings and achievements.

At the conference, Darius Valūnas, a PhD student at the Laboratory of Nuclear Geophysics and Radioecology, presented the paper “Tree-ring δ¹³C Reveals Climatic Control and Delayed Industrial Effects on Scots Pine Intrinsic Water-Use Efficiency”, prepared together with other researchers from the laboratory. Senior Researcher Rūtilė Pukienė presented the paper “‘Linearized’ Tree Rings: Dating the Kernavė Chapel Using the Longitudinal Semi-Radial Aspect of Pinus sylvestris Logs”.

The conference also provided an opportunity to discuss potential collaboration between research centres, as well as other issues of current scientific interest.