prof. Algimantas Paulauskas

Doctorate of biology sciences, professor at Vytautas Magnus University, winner of Lithuanian Academy of Science Pranciškus Šivickis nominal biology award.

In 1983, at Vilnius University gained biology specialty as well as a qualification of biology and chemistry educator. In 1990, at Novosibirsk Agricultural Institute defended biology sciences’ candidacy dissertation in the field of genetics (doctorate‘s degree in natural sciences nostrificated in 1993). In 2007, at Vytautas Magnus University, underwent the habilitation procedure in the field of biology. 1983–1986 post-graduate student of the Lithuanian Academy of Science, Institute of Zoology and Parasitology (now Nature Research Centre’s Ecology Institute). 1987–1990 junior researcher. 1991–2003 senior researcher at the Immunology and Genetics Laboratory. Since 1997, docent of the Environmental Science (now Natural Sciences) Faculty, Biology Department at Vytautas Magnus University.

Since 2007, professor and since 2002, leader to the Molecular Ecology Scientific Study Group at Vytautas Magnus University. Since 2008, senior researcher and leader of the Impact of Climate Change and Environmental Pollution on Health and Wellbeing at a Level of Henosis cluster at Vytautas Magnus University. 2010–2015 dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Vytautas Magnus University. 2000–2010 and from 2015 onwards, head of the Biology Department. In 1998, awarded with the pedagogical name of a docent and in 2010, name of a professor.

Scientific interests: biomedical sciences, genetics, the genetic variability of organisms, molecular ecology and biology, biotechnology of higher organisms (evaluating the risks of GMO), the ethics of biotechnology. Areas of study: parasitology, a parasite to host genetic relations, molecular diagnostics of pathogens carried by vectors.

Lead and carried out more than 20 international and Lithuanian scientific study projects. Supervised 16 defended doctorate dissertations.

2011–2019 chair of the Biology Science Doctoral Study Programme Committee at the Innovative Medicine Centre within the Environmental Research Centre of Vytautas Magnus University and since 2020, its member. Since 2011, member of Ecology and Environmental Science Doctorate Study Programme Committee at the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry within Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Vytautas Magnus University.

Participant of assessment boards and committees: expert at the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education and the International GMO Risks Assessment Committee; and member of the Biotechnology Technical Committee LST TK 87 within Lithuanian Standards Board, commission of the Lithuanian Science Awards, permanent committee of the National Plant Genetic Resources of Lithuania, board of Association Valey NEMUNAS, scientific-technical board of the Litbioma Lithuanian Bio-mass Energy Association, and committee for the Supervision of Genetically Modified Organisms under the Ministry of Environment of Lithuania.

Since 2011, editor in chief of the Biology, Science Academy magazine. Editorial board member of Acta Biologica Universitatis Daugavpiliensis and Balkan Journal of Wildlife Research. Former editor in chief of the Parasitology magazine and editorial board member of Acta Zoologica Lituanica magazine. 2006–2019 senate member at Vytautas Magnus University. 2016–2020 board member at Vytautas Magnus University.

Published over 200 articles in the database of Claritive Analytics (h index - 32) magazines. Responsible editor and co-author of a quadrilingual Explanatory Dictionary of Ecology Terms published in 2008. An author of two monographs and 10 scholarly books (including: Common Genetics Study Methods and Exercise (2003) and Genetically Modified Organisms (2004)). Co-author to Genetically Modified Transgenic Plants: Creation, Use, Regulation (2010).

Produced more than 100 presentations in international science events and was a guest speaker at events in India, Spain, the United States of America, Poland, France, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, etc. Organized scientific study expeditions in Estonia, Spain, the United States of America, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, Norway, France, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, etc.

In 1993, was awarded G. Soros funding for his work in the area of research in animal biodiversity. In 1994, was awarded a National Young Scientist funding. In 2015, was awarded Lithuanian Academy of Science Pranciškus Šivickis nominal award in the field of biology for his cycle of works Study of Genetic Diversity in Parasites and their Hosts.