Research interests:
Plant-based compounds and extracts, their antimicrobial (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral) properties and mechanisms of action, model systems utilized for researching these properties; insect viruses, ecology of viruses.
Annotation of the doctoral dissertation:
Work object:
The spread of animal viruses is a concerning biological issue. One of the ways in which viruses pose a threat to the well-being of mankind is by negatively affecting the viability of honey bee colonies and by causing their collapse. The majority of honey bee infecting viruses can also infect other insects, therefore the spread of these viruses in nature is a complex process, influenced by a variety of factors. One possible, yet until now poorly researched way in which these viruses could spread is via flowers acting as viral exchange platforms between flower visitors.
On the other hand, plants could also be useful in preventing the spread of harmful viruses and treating viral diseases. Lately the antiviral properties of various plant-based compounds and extracts are being researched. It is established that these substances can inactivate some animal viruses by damaging different viral components or inhibiting different steps of the viral replication cycle. However, the antiviral properties of a large part of plant-based substances are not yet well researched and there is a lack of detailed information regarding their antiviral targets and mechanisms of action.
The aim of this scientific work is to investigate the importance of plants in virus transmission and to determine the efficacy of plant-based substances in managing viral diseases.
The main objectives of this work are:
- To optimize the methodology for extracting viral nucleic acids from bee and plant flower samples.
- To evaluate the variety and prevalence of bee viruses in Lithuania on targeted plant flowers and in bees.
- To determine the antiviral effect of selected plant-based extracts and their components by utilizing model systems.
- To investigate the antiviral mechanisms of action of selected plant-based substances.
International scientific conferences:
1. Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Mikalkėnas, A., Būdienė, J., Celitan, E., Serva, S., Servienė, E. Antiviral efficacy of essential oils and their constituents. 49th FEBS Congress, 5-9 July 2025, Istanbul, Turkey. Poster presentation.
2. Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Mikalkėnas, A., Būdienė, J., Celitan, E., Serva, S., Servienė, E. Plant-Based Substances for Virus Inactivation. FEBS3+ Baltics: Biochemistry at the Fore Line, 23-25 April 2025, Vilnius, Lithuania. Book of Abstracts, 129. Poster presentation.
3. Lapinskaitė, V., Valys, A., Stanevičienė, R., Vepštaitė-Monstavičė, I., Bartkutė, P., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Servienė, E. Microorganisms on honey bee drone larvae and varroa mites – implications for hive health and food safety. EurBee 10th Congress of Apidology, 16-19 September 2024, Tallinn, Estonia. Book of Abstracts, 78. Poster presentation.
4. Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Mikalkėnas, A., Serva, S., Servienė, E. Antifungal and Antiviral Effects of Essential Oils. Lithuanian biochemical society’s 16th international scientific conference “Biochemistry Targeting Diseases”, 28-30 June 2023, Taujėnai, Lithuania. Book of Abstracts, 40. Poster presentation.
5. Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Serva, S., Servienė, E. Antimicrobial Efficacy of Plant Hydrolates. International students scientific conference „The COINS 2023“, 24-27 April 2023, Vilnius, Lithuania. Book of Abstracts, 11. Poster presentation.
6. Valys, A., Vepštaitė-Monstavičė, I., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž, Serva, S., Servienė, E. Antimicrobial Potency of Essential Oils. FEBS3+, 15-17 June 2022, Tallinn, Estonia. Book of Abstracts, 155-156. Poster presentation.
National scientific conferences:
1. Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Mikalkėnas, A., Būdienė, J., Celitan, E., Serva, S., Servienė, E. Eterinių aliejų poveikis skirtingiems ScV-L-A totiviruso komponentams. 18th conference of Lithuanian young scientists „Bioateitis: gamtos ir gyvybės mokslų perspektyvos“, 27 November 2025, Vilnius, Lithuania. Book of Abstracts, 27. Oral presentation.
2. Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž. In Vitro Modelinių Sistemų Panaudojimas Eterinių Aliejų Veikimo Mechanizmų Tyrimams. Research Council of Lithuania organized students scientific conference „Naujoji mokslininkų karta“, 16-17 May 2024, Vilnius, Lithuania. Book of Abstracts, 50-51. Oral presentation.
3. Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž. Eterinių Aliejų Poveikio Mielių Virusams Mechanizmų Tyrimai. Research Council of Lithuania organized students scientific conference „Naujoji mokslininkų karta“, 18 April 2023, online event. Book of Abstracts, 13-14. Oral presentation.
4. Vepštaitė-Monstavičė, I., Valys, A., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Serva, S., Servienė, E. Antimicrobial Potency of Essential Oils. Lithuanian microbiological soc’ety’s national conference “Mikrobiologija 2022”, 28-29 April 2022, Birštonas, Lithuania. Book of Abstracts, 70. Poster presentation.