Winners of the Lithuanian Science Prizes allocate significant support to Ukraine

Four Researchers of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), awarded Lithuanian Science Prizes, will allocate a significant part of the prestigious national science award to the Ukrainian Support Fund.

On March 3, winners of the Lithuanian Science Prizes 2021, including a group of LSMU researchers, were solemnly awarded at the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.

The event was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė, the Chairman of the Lithuanian Science Prizes Commission Academic Jūras Banys, Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania Jurgita Šiugždinienė, laureates, members of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, and other guests.

The prize in the field of biomedicine and agricultural sciences was awarded to LSMU researchers Jurgita Skiecevičienė, Laimis Virginijus Jonaitis, Gediminas Kiudelis, and Juozas Kupčinskas for the work cycle “Tumor and inflammatory diseases of the digestive system: new molecular biomarkers, clinical-epidemiological aspects, modern methods of treatment.”

The work of LSMU researchers presents new epidemiological data on molecular biomarkers of diseases, microbiomes, and modern treatment methods that have had a significant impact on the development of research and clinical practice in diseases of the digestive system in Lithuania and internationally.

Speaking on behalf of the winners, the head of the LSMU Gastroenterology Department Prof. Juozas Kupčinskas emphasized that while feeling appreciation for the evaluation of their achievements, the researchers could not remain indifferent to the Russian aggression in Ukraine; therefore, together with their fellow gastroenterologists Jonaitis, Kiudelis, and the Head of the Laboratory of the LSMU Institute for Digestive Research Assoc. Prof. Skiecevičienė decided to donate half of the Lithuanian Science Prize, i.e., 16,000 Eur, to the Ukrainian support fund.