Applications are now open for PhD studies in Biology (N 010).
Application deadlines: 05.05.2025 – 02.06.2025.
2025.05.15
Category: News
2025.05.14
Synergy between science and the sea: State Scientific Research Institute Nature Research Centre and Klaipėda State Seaport signed cooperation agreement
Sustainable seaport development, adaptation to climate change and responsible relationship with the marine environment are the areas where both technological progress and scientific research are needed. On 13 May, Nature Research Centre and Klaipėda State Seaport Authority signed a cooperation agreement to further strengthen their partnership in addressing the most urgent environmental challenges.
The agreement provides for cooperation in the fields of marine biodiversity research, socially responsible business development, scientific projects and educational initiatives. The agreement also includes joint actions to improve the quality of doctoral studies, strengthen staff competences and promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge in society.
“We are glad to have the growing cooperation with a strategic Lithuanian company. Nature Research Centre’s scientists have already been cooperating with the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority for decades, but new environmental challenges and the European Union’s green course require innovative solutions. I am convinced that science will contribute to the development of the Port of Klaipėda through real work”, says Prof. Dr. Sigitas Podėnas, Director of Nature Research Centre.
This agreement is another step in strengthening the synergy between science and business in Lithuania, and at the same time it is a commitment to create a knowledge-based, environmentally friendly future.
Photos by Simona Četvergaitė-Marcinkevičienė
Synergy between science and the sea: State Scientific Research Institute Nature Research Centre and Klaipėda State Seaport signed cooperation agreement
Sustainable seaport development, adaptation to climate change and responsible relationship with the marine environment are the areas where both technological progress and scientific research are needed. On 13 May, Nature Research Centre and Klaipėda State Seaport Authority signed a cooperation agreement to further strengthen their partnership in addressing the most urgent environmental challenges.
The agreement provides for cooperation in the fields of marine biodiversity research, socially responsible business development, scientific projects and educational initiatives. The agreement also includes joint actions to improve the quality of doctoral studies, strengthen staff competences and promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge in society.
“We are glad to have the growing cooperation with a strategic Lithuanian company. Nature Research Centre’s scientists have already been cooperating with the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority for decades, but new environmental challenges and the European Union’s green course require innovative solutions. I am convinced that science will contribute to the development of the Port of Klaipėda through real work”, says Prof. Dr. Sigitas Podėnas, Director of Nature Research Centre.
This agreement is another step in strengthening the synergy between science and business in Lithuania, and at the same time it is a commitment to create a knowledge-based, environmentally friendly future.
Photos by Simona Četvergaitė-Marcinkevičienė
State Scientific Research Institute Nature Research Centre and Lithuanian Sea Museum join forces – cooperation agreement signed
On 13 May 2025, Nature Research Centre and Lithuanian Sea Museum officially started a new phase of partnership, with the signing of a long-term cooperation agreement in Klaipėda. This agreement marks an important step towards strengthening research, environmental protection, education and publicity in Lithuania.
The agreement provides for a closer partnership between the two institutions in the fields of biodiversity, marine ecosystems and endangered species. It will also include joint expeditions, exhibitions, educational events, sharing of expert insights and laboratory resources.
This partnership opens new opportunities for both researchers and society. Working with the Lithuanian Sea Museum, we will be able to explore the Baltic Sea ecosystem in greater depth and breadth and to better inform the public about the marine environment.
Hopefully, this cooperation will encourage other institutions to join the common goal of building a knowledge-based, sustainable and environmentally friendly future.
Photos by Simona Četvergaitė-Marcinkevičienė
2025.05.12
Young researchers at conference in Kaunas: from crayfish to enzymes
On 7-9 May, the 31st International Scientific-Practice Conference “Human and Nature Safety 2025” was held at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas.
The event featured oral and poster sessions on biosystems engineering, environment and health, ecology and sustainable forestry.
During the conference, students from NRC Laboratory of Biodeterioration Research presented four poster presentations:
- Ability of Actinobacteria to produce pectinases and cellulases (Nenartovičiūtė E., Švedienė J.),
- Fusarium fungi isolated from crayfish living in Lithuanian water bodies (Kasputis S., Švedienė J., Raudonienė V., Paškevičius A., Vaitonis G.),
- Effect of substrate acidity on the enzymatic activity of microscopic fungi (Bugytė R., Raudonienė V., Bridžiuvienė D.),
- Physiological properties of micromycetes isolated from linseed oil polymer composites with organic manufacturing waste fillers (Vainalavičiūtė V., Malachovskienė E., Bridžiuvienė D., Ostrauskaitė J.).
More information is available at https://zgs.vdu.lt/
Identification of Sarcocystis parasites in environmental samples collected from Lithuanian livestock farms
Latest research in the Laboratory of Genetics has identified Sarcocystis parasites in the environmental water, hay and soil samples from Lithuanian livestock farms.
The main objective of this study was to identify selected zoonotic Sarcocystis species and species with intermediate hosts as domestic animals in water, hay and soil samples collected from farms and to compare their prevalence in different environments. The environmental samples for this study were collected during the summer period for three years from 10 livestock farms in Lithuania.
After analyzing the data obtained, it was found that, regardless of the year of the study, the probability of infection is higher through water or hay than through soil. In addition, eDNA of five different Sarcocystis species was most often detected in water and hay samples, and an average of three in soil samples.
It was concluded that the occurrence of Sarcocystis species does not depend on the animals raised on the farm. For example, S. cruzi, which infects cattle, was identified in all selected farms in at least one of the study years. In addition, S. cruzi eDNA was most frequently detected over a three-year period among all ten species studied.
Two zoonotic species, S. hominis and S. suihominis, were identified during the study, with cattle and pigs as intermediate hosts, respectively. It is important to emphasize that during this work, zoonotic S. hominis was detected for the first time in environmental samples worldwide, while S. suihominis was detected in Lithuania after a 30-year interval.
An invitation to publish data in the Q1 quartile journal “Food and Waterborne Parasitology” was received by Agnė Baranauskaitė, a doctoral student at the Laboratory of Genetics, when she presented the results at the conference “EMOP 2024” organized by the European Federation of Parasitologists in Wrocław, Poland.
2025.05.08
Comparative Analysis of the Bacterial Microbiota in Healthy and Phytoplasma-Infected European Blueberry Plants
Researchers from Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Laboratory of Genetics at the Nature Research Center conducted a comparative analysis of the endophytic bacterial microbiomes in healthy andphytoplasma-infected European blueberry plants.
It is known that the microbiome is important for the health and growth of European blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) and changes when plants are infected with phytoplasma, a dangerous plant pathogen.
This study compared the endophytic bacterial microbiome of healthy and phytoplasma-infected blueberries (Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni and C. Phytoplasma trifolii) using next-generation sequencing. The study showed that infected plants have a higher bacterial diversity (ASV abundance), but the overall distribution of the microbiome does not differ significantly from healthy plants.
Certain beneficial bacteria, such as Azospirillaceae and Beijerinckiaceae, were found to be more abundant in infected plants, which can promote growth or help withstand stress. Meanwhile, the microbiome of healthy plants was characterized by a higher prevalence of Gammaproteobacteria, including Rhizobium.
These results reveal that phytoplasma infection affects not only plant physiology but also its microbiome, creating niches for new microorganisms. This may open the way for microbiome diagnostics or even biocontrol tools to combat phytoplasma diseases.
2025.04.10
Nature Research Centre’s representatives at the event “From the Depth to the Future: Geocareer Opportunities”
Centre participated in the event “From the Depth to the Future: Geocareer Opportunities” at the Institute of Geosciences, Vilnius University.
The event was organised by the Geological Society of Lithuania together with Vilnius University and Nature Research Centre. Students had an opportunity to learn about career opportunities in geology, environmental protection and engineering, about labour market trends, challenges and success stories.
NRC researchers presented their research trends and internship opportunities at NRC, as well as shared experience about their career – from the first steps to PhD studies and international projects.
Many thanks to the organisers of the event and to all young people who are interested in science and considering their future in geology – your curiosity drives science forward!
2025.04.01
Scientist from Laboratory of Entomology at XII European Conference of the European Mosquito Control Association
On 25–28 March 2025, Antwerp, Belgium, hosted the XII International Conference of the European Mosquito Control Association (EMCA2025) https://www.emca2025.eu/. The conference was attended by scientists from Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. During the conference, 4 plenary presentations, 53 oral presentations and 35 poster papers were delivered in 11 sessions on various topics related to mosquito control, physiology, morphology, ecology and the development of new tools. More information is available at https://www.emca2025.eu/programme.
Dr Kristina Valavičiūtė-Pocienė, NRC Laboratory of Entomology, delivered a presentation “WIMANET, a global initiative to study vector-borne disease in wildlife” (authors: K. Valavičiūtė-Pocienė and J. C. Dunn), funded by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), which aims at connecting researchers working on malaria of wildl.ife and vectors of these parasites. This project and the travel costs were funded by COST CA22108 – Wildlife Malaria Network (WIMANET).
2025.03.31
Dr Norbertas Noreika’s publication as a top cited article in the Journal of Applied Ecology
A publication by Dr Norbertas Noreika, Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Entomology, co-authored with colleagues from Estonia in a prestigious Journal of Applied Ecology of the British Ecological Society has been recognised as a top cited article among the journal’s articles published in 2023.
The Wiley publishing company has issued a named certificate to mark this. The article highlights the negative impacts of abandonment and afforestation of semi-natural grasslands on biodiversity and ecosystem services and functions.
Link to the article: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14375