prof. dr. Vilmantė Borutaitė
Member at the Committee of Natural and Technical Sciences of the Research Council of Lithuania since 2018
Finished biochemical studies at Vilnius University and started working in Central Scientific Laboratory at Kaunas Medical Institute in 1982. Successfully defended a doctoral dissertation (supervisor prof. Adolfas Toleikis) in 1991. 1998-2006, conducted research at University of Cambridge Department of Biochemistry. In 2006, started working as Head of Biochemical Laboratory at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) Institute of Neurosciences. 2010-2017, Vice-director of Institute of Neurosciences at LSMU. Received the Title of Professor in 2009.
Senior Research Fellow at the Biochemical Laboratory of Institute of Neurosciences.
Scientific interests: mitochondrial physiology and the regulation of cellular energy metabolism, the role of mitochondria in apoptosis regulation; molecular mechanisms of cerebral ischemia and the search for neuroprotective measures; molecular pathogenesis mechanisms of Alzheimer‘s disease and other proteinopathies.
Training, scientific programmes, projects. 1993, obtained the Federation of European Biochemical Societies scholarship for training in the United Kingdom. 1994, Reseau Formation-Recherche Ministere de l’Enseignement Superieur et de la Recherche (France) financed training in University of Bordeaux 2. In 1996, obtained the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) scholarship for research at University of Cambridge (United Kingdom). 1997-1998, NATO/Royal Society postdoctoral training at University of Cambridge (United Kingdom); participated in the organisation of the national integrated science programmes Medicine and Biotechnology and Biopharmacy. 2009-2011, Member of the Committee for Drawing up National Lithuanian Scientific Research Infrastructure Development Guidelines. 2011-2014, European Science Foundation Global Grant Project ‘Mitochondria, Nitric Oxide and Compounds Reducing Cytochrome C in Protection of the Myocardium and the Brain from Ischemia’, Member of the executive committees for the following European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) activities: ‘Bioactive Food Ingredients, Mitochondrial Functions and Health’ (2009-2011), ‘Mitochondrial Fitness Mapping: Evolution - Age - Gender - Lifestyle – Environment’ (2016-2020), ‘The Realisation of the Potential of New Cardioprotection Therapies’ (2017-2021).
Awards:
- 2008, Lithuanian Science Award (with co-authors)
- 2012, Oswald Schmiedeberg Medal of the Latvian Society of Pharmacology
2010-2015, Member of the Commission at the Lithuanian Science Awards. Member of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences since 2014. 2015-2019, Member of the Senate at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Member of Lithuanian Biochemical Society and Lithuanian Neuroscience Association. Vice-Chairwoman of Executive Committee at the international Mitochondrial Physiology Society.
