Last week, from November 11th to 15th, the Nature Research Centre (NRC) successfully hosted an inaugural R programming course designed for researchers and PhD students looking to enhance their skills in statistical analysis. The intensive, five-day training for beginners, led by lecturer Vilmantas Gėgžna, covered essential topics such as the fundamentals of statistics, working with RStudio and R (with a focus on “Tidyverse” principles), data entry and processing, descriptive statistics, and methods for testing statistical hypotheses. Participants had the opportunity to practice various analytical techniques, including data import, preprocessing, and visualization using “ggplot2.”

The participants highlighted that the well-balanced combination of theory and practical exercises, along with the inclusion of assignments, allowed them to quickly acquire new skills applicable to their daily research tasks. The training, conducted in English, included 20 academic hours and 20 homework hours and was attended by a group of 20 participants. This program not only improved the quality of their data analysis capabilities but also inspired innovative analytical approaches.

We extend our gratitude to the lecturer, NRC administration, organizers, and all participants for the success of this event. Due to the huge demand from NRC’s community, NRC plans to continue organizing similar training sessions to support the professional growth of researchers. Stay tuned for updates and don’t miss upcoming opportunities!

The COINS, in collaboration with BSV Ventures and Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, invites everyone interested in innovations, startup creation, and those looking to build their careers in the life sciences and business sector to participate in the BIOSPARK hackathon. This event will take place on December 2-4 at the new VU Medical Science Center (Žaliųjų ežerų st. 2).

What to Expect:

• Day 1 (R&D Focus): Dive into the scientific and technical aspects of the challenge, brainstorm innovative solutions, and develop prototypes or experimental approaches.
• Day 2 (Business Development Focus): Assess the market potential of your solutions, with workshops on building business models, understanding target markets, and developing go-to-market strategies.
• Day 3 (Pitch Preparation & Pitch Session): Prepare for the final pitch with expert mentorship. Teams will present their solutions to a panel of judges, with prizes awarded for the best innovations.

You will also have the chance to compete for a spot in the BSV Ventures startup incubation program, where your team could receive up to €15,000 in funding to implement your ideas. Registration is open for both individuals and teams. Don’t miss this opportunity to build new connections, gain valuable experience, and bring your ideas to life!

For more information about the event and registration, visit: https://fb.me/e/5CP3wP5bE

More about the BSV Ventures incubation program: https://bsv.ventures/incubation-program.html

More information is available here.

We are glad that Iglė received the financial support of the European Network of Inventors (EUR 2000) and will be able to give lectures and conduct practical educational sessions about fungal microorganisms in fruits and berries at the Jurgis Šaulys Gymnasium in Veiviržėnai.

This year, applicants from 12 countries received support for 24 activities and it is estimated that they will reach about 4,500 children.

The first call initiated by the European Patent Office for members of the European Inventors Network to apply for inspiring activities and receive financial support (EUR 2,000, EUR 4,000 or EUR 6,000 per activity, depending on its impact and reach) was initiated in 2023. Thanks to this program, they were able to visit schools and communicate with students about innovations during seminars, workshops, conferences or practical sessions. In 2023, 24 activities were supported by applicants from 11 countries and are estimated to have reached more than 3,500 children. In 2024, the program budget reached EUR 160,000 for activities that will have to be implemented by the end of 2025.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the members of the Nature Research Centre community who contributed to the charity initiative “Basket of Generosity” organised by the Vilnius Archdiocese Caritas. Your generosity helped fill up 43 bags to help those in need of food on the World Day of the Poor.

Your contribution is invaluable and shows how strong and united our community is. These bags will be given to lonely elderly people, children and their families, people in need of food in Vilnius and in smaller parishes.

Thank you for your generosity. We hope that you will further actively contribute to initiatives that help make the world a better place.

Sincerely
Administration of Nature Research Centre

 

We have a great pleasure to announce that on 13 November Prof. Dr. habil. Algimantas Grigelis, a renowned Lithuanian geologist, member emeritus of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, donated his unique collection of fossil Jurassic foraminifera to Nature Research Centre.

Professor A. Grigelis is one of Lithuania’s foremost specialists in palaeontology and geology, whose works are widely recognised internationally. His contribution to the geology and palaeontology of the Baltic Sea region is invaluable.

During more than 70 years of scientific activity, Professor A. Grigelis has made a significant contribution to the advancement of science and promoted the name of Lithuania internationally. A genus of fossil foraminifera (Grigelis spp.) and several species are named after him! The impressive collection donated by Professor A. Grigelis includes about 8000 fossil foraminifera specimens. This gift is an invaluable asset for our scientists and students studying the Earth’s geological past. Foraminifera, microscopic marine organisms, are crucial for determining the age of rocks and reconstructing ancient marine environments.

As the property of the Nature Research Centre, this collection will contribute to the strengthening of the scientific potential of our institution and will become a valuable resource for palaeontological research. Membership in the CETAF network provides an opportunity to integrate this collection into an international scientific context and contribute to collaborative palaeontological research and data exchange. This will help ensure that these invaluable specimens are available on a global scale, fostering collaboration and dissemination of knowledge within the scientific community, as well as contributing to joint international efforts to preserve and develop palaeontology.

Our sincere thanks to Professor Algimantas Grigelis!

Recently, interest in foods and specific food components with potential health benefits has surged. Berries from diverse botanical species represent a rich reservoir of bioactive compounds with profound implications for human health and nutrition. The production of natural products delivered from berries intensified as a promising new avenue for developing antimicrobial agents and prebiotics. Among the wide array of wild berries, lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.), rowanberries (Sorbus aucuparia L.) and rosehips (Rosa canina L.) are commonly found in Northern European forests and thrive in a moderately cold climate zone. These berries have gained recognition for their high content of bioactive compounds, including vitamins, particularly ascorbic acid, and have potential therapeutic properties. The consumption of unprocessed wild berries is relevant and encouraged, making their in-depth microbiological characterization essential for food safety.

This study presents the first high-throughput sequencing analysis of bacterial and fungal communities distributed on the surface of lingonberries, rowanberries and rosehips. Significant plant-defined differences in the taxonomic composition of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiota were observed. The bacterial community on rosehips was shown to be prevalent by Enterobacteriaceae, lingonberries by Methylobacteriaceae and rowanberries by Sphingomonadaceae representatives. Among the fungal microbiota, Dothioraceae dominated on rosehips and Exobasidiaceae on lingonberries; meanwhile, rowanberries were inhabited by a similar level of a broad spectrum of fungal families. Cultivable yeast profiling revealed that lingonberries were distinguished by the lowest amount and most distinct yeast populations. Potentially pathogenic to humans or plants, as well as beneficial and relevant biocontrol microorganisms, were identified on tested berries. The combination of metagenomics and a cultivation-based approach highlighted the wild berries-associated microbial communities and contributed to uncovering their potential in plant health, food and human safety.

Read more: https://enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1758-2229.70048

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study was supported by a postdoctoral grant from the Lithuanian Research Council (LMTLT) (agreement S-PD-22-85).

The performed studies are in frame with research networking of COST Action MiCropBiomes CA22158.

The 10th International Simuliidae Symposium took place in Turkey on 4-8 November. The scientists from all over the world shared their latest research results. Dr. Rasa Bernotienė, a member of the scientific committee of the symposium, delivered a plenary presentation on the study of blackflies as vectors of avian blood parasites in Lithuania, prepared in collaboration with other NRC researchers K. Valavičičienė-Pociene, M. Kazak, C. Chagas, and G. Liberato. Another unique presentation, co-authored with laboratory colleague Dr. P. Starkevič, focused on blackflies found in Baltic amber. Inclusions of blackflies in Baltic amber are rare and difficult to identify, but provide insights into a world that existed tens of millions of years ago.

At the beginning of November, Dr. Darya Dankina, a palaeontologist at NRC Laboratory of Bedrock Geology, participated in the international scientific Micropalaeontological Conference, which brought together micropalaeontologists from all over the world. Dr. Darya Dankina presented the NRC palaeontological collection and a possibly new Devonian fish genus and species from the Siberian platform.

The conference was held in Krakow, Poland  (https://www.tmsoc.org/tmsagm24_home/). At the end of the conference, Darja proposed Lithuania as a possible venue for the conference in 2025. A proposal was also received from Pisa, Italy, and the voting by the members of the Micropalaeontological Association is currently underway to decide which country will take up the baton.

In early November, Dr. Darya Dankina, palaeontologist at NRC Laboratory of Bedrock Geology, visited the SOLARIS synchrotron (cyclic particle accelerator) at Krakow, Poland (https://synchrotron.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/zwiedzanie). Darja got familiar with the laboratory where she intends to carry out tomographic studies with the material from the Natural Research Centre’s palaeontological collection. The main task of the studies is to carry out an examination of the inside of the object, after which the object remains completely intact. Darya has earlier achieved successful results with a synchrotron in Switzerland, which is currently closed for reconstruction. In 2020, the scientist’s paper on the Permian ichthyofauna of Latvia and Lithuania appeared in a prestigious Journal of Iberian Geology, in which she published the results of tomographic studies of 3D models of 253-million-year-old Palaeozoic shark teeth.