Partnership Institute of European Molecular Biology Laboratory to be Opened in Vilnius

The Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU LSC) is about to open a partnership institute of the prestigious European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). This follows a previously signed framework agreement between the VU LSC and the world-leading laboratory. 

The new institute will employ six high-profile groups of international researchers focused on developing and applying genome-editing technology – a field of research to which Vilnius-based scientists have contributed greatly. One of the creators of the genetic scissors technology is Prof. Virginijus Šikšnys, the renowned Lithuanian scientist at VU LSC. 

Lithuania has been an EMBL member state since 2019, and the establishment of the new institute in Vilnius will promote further cooperation and enable knowledge sharing, scientific services and training. The country’s life sciences sector is now one of the fastest-growing in Europe, with an average of 22% annual growth.