The event was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Karolis Ažukaitis, the Vice Dean for Research and Innovations of Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine / Photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius
On 16 May 2025, the 77th Conference of the Student Research Network (SRN) took place at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University (VU MF). Students from various scientific groups from within VU MF presented their research projects, interesting clinical cases, and the results of their analyses prepared in association with the faculty's researchers. Additionally, first-place winners from 29 SRN sections delivered their presentations at the conference.
At the event, the welcome address was given by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Dr Dalius Jatužis and the Vice Dean for Research and Innovations, Assoc. Prof. Dr Karolis Ažukaitis. Scientists from the VU MF congratulated the section winners and their supervisors and extended their thanks to everybody who participated and contributed to the organisation and dissemination of the event. ‘I sincerely congratulate each and every one of you – curious, proactive and knowledge-hungry young researchers who contribute to our viable and continuously growing scientific community. Your creativity and ability to see the meaning, even in the smallest details, are the drivers of change, and the discoveries and innovative solutions needed by our present and future world. Never before has science required so much courage to think differently, to search for answers where no one has sought them before and to raise questions that could change our perception of the world’, Prof. Jatužis said, while also wishing that the students find this activity to be both a path towards professional maturity and a source of inspiration, encouraging them to grow, share and create together. ‘May your curiosity never flag and may each research initiative lead to a new discovery and each experience enrich you and the entire academic community.’
The Dean of the Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Dr Dalius Jatužis / Photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius
When congratulating the students, Assoc. Prof. Ažukaitis emphasised the importance of ongoing scientific activity: ‘It is our wish that the achievement of your scientific work will not be the ultimate target for you and that you will not stop once you receive your diplomas. I know it is easy to get overwhelmed by the trivial rounds and routine: we have lots of administrative barriers and challenges to overcome; we measure everything in hours and money; however, we should not forget the things that bring us joy and give us meaning. I believe that scientific activities represent one such thing. These are your first steps towards becoming mature and independent scientists in the future.’ He stressed that the path of a clinician and researcher is not only about statistics and publishing papers. ‘It is the opportunity to get to know different people, to improve yourselves; gaining not just scientific competences but also those as a person, to travel, and discover more oportunities’.
As with every year, the SRN event brought together student presentations on a most diverse range of subjects. A trend has evolved, that most of them were delivered by students from scientific groups specialising in Public Health (scientific supervisor – Assist. Dr Jelena Stanislavovienė, and coordinator – Robertas Basijokas), Nursing (scientific supervisor – Dr Agnė Jakavonytė-Akstinienė, and coordinator – Gabija Marčiulaitytė), and Obstetrics and Gynaecology (supervisor – Assoc. Prof. Dr Diana Bužinskienė, and coordinator – Austėja Zubauskaitė).
The winner of two first places, Maksim Čistov (Forensic Medicine and also Geriatrics) / Photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius
At the plenary conference, a medical student from the VU MF and winner of two first places, Maksim Čistov (Forensic Medicine and also Geriatrics), presented the research conducted into The methods for assessing the nourishment condition and functional state in the elderly following their rehabilitation, and The differential diagnostics of suicides and homicides in cases of stab and cut injuries. Several other students were also awarded more than one prize position: Gabija Žymantaitė (placed I and II in the Vascular Surgery Section), Augustė Melaikaitė (placed I and III in the Vascular Surgery Section), Augustas Poškus (placed I and III in the Joint Section of Gastroenterology and Abdominal Surgery), Melita Virpšaitė (placed II in the Joint Section of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, and placed II in the Human Biology and Evolutionary Medicine Section), Aida Emilija Balukonytė (placed II in the Joint Section of Cardiology and Emergency Medicine, and III in Paediatrics), Eva Naktinytė (placed II in the Joint Section of Cardiology and Emergency Medicine, and II in Endocrinology), and Atėnė Stakaitytė (placed II in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Section, and II in Otolaryngology).
Additionally, Philipp Jürgen Dieter Kalka, a foreign student who presented two studies – The influence of segmental muscle mass on BDNF response to acute exercise of varying intensities, and Targeted muscle mass and myokine release: exploring irisin variability across exercise modes – was also awarded in the SRN programme (Physiology Section).
Moment of the event / Photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius
Conference participants were able to listen to presentations on relevant and innovative topics such as The spectroscopic research of stability of pure paracetamol and paracetamol, caffeine, and codeine mixtures in effervescent tablets by Fausta Kidelytė, The Increase in the prevalence of Amanita muscaria consumption and the associated health hazards: an analysis of clinical cases by Emilija Savickaitė, Aesthetic perfection with a side effect: ASIA syndrome risk in the context of beauty procedures by Anastasija Marčenko and Austėja Šimkutė, Treatment-resistant early onset schizophrenia: a clinical case by Aistis Ščerbavičius, along with numerous others. Presenters received many questions, there were on-going discussions and participants shared their ideas, suggestions, and new plans.
The organiser of the event and Coordinator of the Student Research Network at VU MF Department of Research and Innovation, Urtė Žakarytė, was happy that this year, the event was characterised by an intense engagement of participants, a high level of theses presented, and an increasing interest of students in scientific research. ‘It is particularly exciting that the event attracted not just students from the Medicine Study Programme but also those from odontology, nursing, and public health. I hope that in the future, students of other study programmes implemented at the Faculty of Medicine will get increasingly active and involved in research’.
Please be reminded that SRN is a free, membership based entity within VU MF that unites students and researchers from the undergraduate, integrated and master’s degree programmes as well as anyone interested in, and willing to participate in, the scientific activities of the Faculty.
The VU MF SRN conference annually attracts hundreds of students from the undergraduate, integrated and master’s degree study programmes. As many as 500 scientific research theses are presented and subsequently published in the SRN Conference Thesis Publication. This year’s publication is available here. Currently, there are 45 SRN groups operating in five institutes of the Faculty of Medicine. Two of them – Art Therapy and Geriatrics – were founded this year, whereas next year, Optometry and Cardiac Surgery groups are planned to be added to the network. The current list of active clubs can be viewed here.
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