Postdoctoral researchers working at our institution represent a new generation of scientists who boldly raise important questions and seek innovative solutions. We take pride in their professionalism, dedication, and contribution to high-level research, carried out in close collaboration with highly competent and experienced academic supervisors from the Centre, who ensure the focus, quality, and excellence of the research. These efforts strengthen both the national and international research landscape.

The projects is funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and implemented in 2024–2026.

Postdoctoral researchers working at our institution represent a new generation of scientists who boldly raise important questions and seek innovative solutions. We take pride in their professionalism, dedication, and contribution to high-level research, carried out in close collaboration with highly competent and experienced academic supervisors from the Centre, who ensure the focus, quality, and excellence of the research. These efforts strengthen both the national and international research landscape.

The projects is funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and implemented in 2024–2026.

The 75th prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting dedicated to interdisciplinary sciences will take place from 28 June to 3 July. This annual unique event brings together the global scientific community—more than 75 Nobel laureates and over 600 young scientists from 88 countries.

A cycle of lectures and meetings will be dedicated to highlighting and celebrating decades of scientific expertise, dialogue, and inspiration. Furthermore, such gatherings give rise to new ideas for the challenges of tomorrow. The goal of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting is to create an intellectual space for addressing complex and interconnected problems. Some Nobel laureates will be participating in this long-standing event for the 18th time.

In October 2025, the Presidium of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences (LAS) recommended Dr. Rolandas Gedgaudas (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences), Dr. Margarita Kazak (State Scientific Research Institute Nature Research Center), and Master’s Student Justas Lekavičius (Vilnius University) to participate in the meeting. It has been confirmed that all three candidates are approved and will participate in the event.

Participation in this prestigious meeting gives young researchers an opportunity to interact directly with Nobel laureates, present their research, and establish international collaborative contacts. Such experience not only enhances the visibility of Lithuanian science on the global stage but also fosters new ideas that could shape future scientific breakthroughs.

On 9–13 March, Evelina Maziliauskaitė, doctoral student at NRC Laboratory of  Molecular Ecology, was on an academic visit to the National Veterinary Research Institute (PIWet) in Pława, Poland.

The doctoral student familiarized herself with the research being conducted by Polish scientists, improved her professional experience as a researcher, and gained practical skills in applying methods for detecting Alaria spp. parasites in molecular studies. Further, the knowledge of methods for detecting other zoonotic parasites—Toxocara spp., Echinococcus spp., Toxoplasma spp., Giardia spp., and Trichinella spp. was also deepened.

We are grateful to the researchers of the National Veterinary Research Institute (PIWet) for cooperation and for sharing their experience.

Many thanks to the Research Council of Lithuania for providing funding to enable us to complete the practical training required for our doctoral studies (Contract No S-DAK-26-54).

The international life sciences conference “The COINS 2026,” which this year was attended by a large group of young scientists and researchers from Nature Research Centre (NRC), came to a conclusion.  We are delighted that our young colleagues successfully presented their work, covering the most pressing issues in contemporary ecology, parasitology, microbiology, and biotechnology. NRC representatives not only shared their insights during the presentation sessions but also actively contributed to the expert evaluation process, thereby strengthening the centre’s reputation as a leading scientific institution.

Oral presentations at the conference were given by:

• Misa Shimizu – „New Haemoproteus lineage (hNECMON01) detected from Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) highlights primer selection challenges“;
• Rūta Urbonaitė – „Grassland Fungi in Lithuania: Ecology and Indicatory“;
• Viktorija Arcerytė – „Current Status of Glacial Relict Calanoid Crustaceans in Lithuanian Lakes“;
• Germán Alfredo Gutiérrez Liberato – „Elusive Parasites: the Challenge of Studying Lankesterella in Their Natural Hosts and Vectors“.

Poster presentations were delivered by:

• Paula Budrytė – “Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Mesocestoides In Intestinal Samples from Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) In Lithuania”;
• Felicija Kvedaraitė – “The Effect of Water Source on The Growth of The Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor)”;
• Gija Leonavičiūtė – “EPN Steinernema carpocapsae: predator-prey interaction via chemical cues”;
• Tamara Kalashnikova – “SarcocystisSpecies in Wild Canids from Lithuania”;
• Fausta Molotokaitė – “Thermal Effects on Egg Survival in Tenebrio Beetles (Tenebrio)”;
• Alper Melih Ucar – “Occurrence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Potential Resistance Plasmids in Farmland-Associated Bacteria”;
• Vytautas Račkauskas – “Alien Species Otiorhynchus armadilloand  pseudonothus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Lithuania: Distribution, Trophic Associations, and Molecular Variation”;
• Vincent Tachpaj Judakov – “Study of Apis mellifera melliferaPopulation in Dzūkija National Park”;
• Rusnė Žilinskaitė – “Characterization of Bacteria and Yeast, Isolated from Ips typographusGut”;
• Agnetė Kuprytė – “Distribution and Species Composition of Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Meadow and Forest Soils of Vilnius County (Lithuania)”;
• Rugilė Pociūtė – “Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Porrocaecum In Intestinal Samples from Common Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris) in Lithuania”;
• Augustinas Baronas – “Changes in The Spring Migration Phenology of Long-Distance Migrant Willow Warbler Based on Ventė Cape Ringing Data from 1983–2024”;
• Greta Šaltytė – “The impact of herbicides with different modes of action on the growth and physiological stress responses of winter wheat”;
• Martynas Balsys – “Urban Meadows in Vilnius: Vegetation Composition and Ecological Condition”;
• Gabrielė Šiurkutė – “Halotolerance of Phytoplankton and Invasion Success of Nostocalean Cyanobacteria Under Freshwater Salinization”;
• Naglis Gudiškis – “Unveiling SarcocystisInfections in Lithuanian Horses: from Miroscopy to Molecular Diagnostics”;
• Mingailė Stanionytė – “Microscopic and Molecular Detection of Sarcocystisin Cattle (Bos taurus) Raised in Lithuania”;
• Dovilė Laisvūnė Bagdonaitė – “Study of Sarcocystis glareoliparasite in brains of small mammals from Lithuania”;
• Gintarė Grainytė – “Characterization of Microorganisms Found on the Surface of Dead Honey Bees”;
• Urtė Busilaitė – “The Impact of Essential Oil on the Diversity of Honeycomb-Associated Microorganisms”;
• Erikas Abrutis – “Yeast-Based Production of β-Carotene: Optimization of Growth Conditions and Culture Media”;
• Rugilė Jonaitytė – “Biofilms Electrogenicity as a Tool for in-situ Metabolic Activity Monitoring and Drug Assessment”;
• Yuliia Lysak – “Selection and Functional Assessment of Endophytic Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria from Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum)”;
• Egidijus Pupius – “Pilot Study of Facultative Bacterial Symbionts Associated with Aphis spiraecola(Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae) from Pomoideous Hosts (Rosaceae)”.

Congratulations to all our colleagues on their excellent performance!

Postdoctoral researchers working at our institution represent a new generation of scientists who boldly raise important questions and seek innovative solutions. We take pride in their professionalism, dedication, and contribution to high-level research, carried out in close collaboration with highly competent and experienced academic supervisors from the Centre, who ensure the focus, quality, and excellence of the research. These efforts strengthen both the national and international research landscape.

The projects is funded by the Research Council of Lithuania and implemented in 2024–2026.