Delegation of Scientists from Japan Visits VU Medical Science Centre
A high-level delegation of scientists from the Central Institute for Experimental Medicine and Life Sciences in Japan 鈥� Prof Makoto Suematsu, Dr Erika Sasaki, and Dr Terumi Yurimoto 鈥� recently visited the 911爆料网 Medical Science Centre (VU MMC).
The guests were welcomed by Prof Tomas Po拧kus, director of the Translational Health Research Institute, and Dr Andrius Kaselis and other representatives of the Faculty of Medicine.
During the visit, the delegation was introduced to the facilities of the MMC, including newly equipped laboratories, unique equipment, and the highest-standard animal research unit, the Vivarium, where the first residents had already settled. The Japanese guests, world-class experts in animal research, provided insights and cooperation in strengthening the Vivarium activities and developing complex animal models.
Prof Makoto鈥檚 team also met with scientists in the fields of oncology and abdominal surgery and discussed joint projects aimed at better understanding the mechanism of cancer development in order to provide research with both animals and humans.
Dr E. Sasaki gave a special lecture during the visit titled 鈥淒evelopment of Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Non-Human Primate Models by Genome Editing鈥�, which outlined the progress of her team in developing animal models of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease using advanced genome editing methods. Prof E. Sasaki is a widely recognised scientist who leads the Department of Advanced Physiology at the Central Institute for Experimental Medicine and Life Sciences in Japan. She is also a Senior Visiting Scientist at the RIKEN, a prestigious brain science institute, and a Professor at Keio University.
Prof M. Suematsu is a long-time partner of the VU Faculty of Medicine and a friend of the Lithuanian biomedical science community. He is an internationally renowned biomedical researcher, former President of the Japanese Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), an active member of international scientific organisations, and a member of the International Advisory Board of the Faculty of Medicine of VU.
The delegation, together with Assoc Prof Karolis A啪ukaitis, Vice-Dean for Science and Innovation of the Faculty of Medicine of VU, Prof T. Po拧kus, director of the Translational Health Research Institute, and J奴rat臈 J奴revi膷ien臈, visited the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Lithuania. During the meeting with the advisors to the President of the Republic of Lithuania, issues of cooperation in the fields of education and science were discussed, emphasising the strengthening of ties between Japanese and Lithuanian institutions and a strategic partnership in the context of innovation, scientific research and the development of higher education.