In May, the results of a 7-year study on mutagenic exposures in kidney cancer genomes conducted by an extensive international scientific team were published in the prestigious journal ‘Nature’. Its authors include Prof. Sonata Jarmalaitė and Dr Rasa Sabaliauskaitė, researchers at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University and the National Cancer Institute. Scientists from 11 countries worldwide have analysed nearly 1,000 kidney cancer genome sequences and identified specific mutation profiles pointing to the causes of this disease. The study has confirmed that smoking, intracellular processes, and exposure to aristolochic acid are the main triggers of kidney cancer. The researchers have also discovered a new and unique mutation profile.

Teltonika’s TeltoHeart, a multifunctional smart wristband system, developed in cooperation between the Lithuanian industry and universities has been given the CE MDR (Class IIa) medical device certification. This approval confirms that the product meets the comprehensive quality standards for medical devices and opens up new markets worldwide for this innovative product.

Every year, Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) accepts about 70 PhD students for state-funded doctoral studies, and about 30% of them are candidates from abroad. This year, KTU calls the applicants’ attention to the brand-new doctoral programme in mathematics and an increased state scholarship for doctoral students. Admissions open on June 5, 2024.

The ATHENA European University Alliance, which includes VILNIUS TECH, has an exciting opportunity for all ATHENA students – 50 Google Career Scholarships are now available exclusively for members of the ATHENA Alliance. These scholarships provide access to educational resources and opportunities aimed at enhancing students' skills and employability.

On 11 June, Vilnius University (VU) will host a seminar-discussion on experiences and challenges in the research assessment process in the context of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) agreement. Eugénio Campos Ferreira, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation at the University of Minho, Portugal, will share best practices during the event. The event is organised by the Science Administration Unit.

We live surrounded by various objects that we can't imagine our daily lives without: in the morning, the coffee machine brews our coffee, we simply put the dirty cup in the dishwasher, the soiled towel goes into the washing machine, and the crumbs from the floor are collected by a robot vacuum cleaner. These and thousands of other objects that ease our daily routines were created using the knowledge of mechatronics and robotics.

While wind energy is becoming one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world, wind turbine blade waste emerges as a critical issue. Addressing this urgent environmental concern, Lithuanian researchers have developed an innovative solution claiming that the benefits of pyrolysis can help reduce pollution.

In April, severe floods swept across Central Asia, particularly in Kazakhstan and Russia, the aggressor country. The flooding of the Ural, Tobol, and Ishim rivers is estimated to be the worst in the region in the last 80 years. In this article, Elzė Buslavičiūtė and Dr Laurynas Jukna, geographers at the Institute of Geosciences of Vilnius University, answer some questions on how satellites monitor these floods, their extent, and the potential causes.

Globally, as many as 10 per cent of couples cannot have children naturally. 33 per cent of assisted reproduction cycles are successful – a healthy baby is born. To help couples have children, KTU researchers and their partners are working on a diagnostic system to determine whether the uterus is ready to accept an embryo grown in a petri dish.

Students writing final theses on public finance topics are invited to participate in the competition of the Ministry of Finance. Such a competition is being organized for the second time, and the winners and their supervisors will be awarded cash prizes.