“Nature” focuses on VU Life Sciences Center and the achievements of its scientists – MadeinVilnius.lt

The prestigious scientific publication “Nature” congratulated Lithuania on its 20th anniversary of membership in the European Union (EU) and assessed the country’s scientific ambitions. In the article “A snapshot of Lithuania’s life-sciences landscape”, the capital Vilnius is mentioned as one of the largest biotechnology centers in Europe, and special attention is paid to the Life Sciences Center (GMC) of Vilnius University (VU) and the achievements of the scientists working there. .

The aforementioned article sheds light on the changes in the landscape of life sciences and biotechnology in Lithuania from the beginning of the 1990s to the accession to the EU and now.

The publication highlights VU GMC’s partnership with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), as well as scientists such as prof. Virginijus Šikšnys and prof. Saulius Klimašauskas achievements.

GMC researcher biochemist dr. Stephen Knox Jones was recently awarded a €1.2 million grant from the European Research Council (ERC). euro grant for starting researchers (European Research Council Starting Grant). In a special interview with Nature, the American revealed why he chose VU in Lithuania, rather than Danish or US universities.

Other ambitions of the country related to life sciences and biotechnology are also highlighted. Lithuania is mentioned as one of the world’s main players in assessing the intensity and development of biotechnological research, based on data from the Intergovernmental Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The OECD maps the R&D investment in biotechnology across countries as a percentage of total business R&D. According to this indicator, Lithuania, in 2022 data, ranks third after Belgium and Switzerland. The map excludes the United Kingdom and China.