Department of Biochemistry

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The study and research base of the Department of Biochemistry is located in both LSMU academies. In the Academy of Medicine, the Department of Biochemistry has 3 training laboratories. One of the training laboratories is adapted for the study of the subject of Biochemistry in the study programme of Medical and Veterinary Biochemistry – there is the main equipment for routine tests of the biochemistry laboratory and computerised equipment for spectrophotometric, oximetric and immunohistochemical tests. In other laboratories, Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry are studied by 1st and 2nd year students enrolled in the programmes of Odontology, Pharmacy, Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, Food Science and Animal Science.

At the base of the Veterinary Academy, the Department of Biochemistry has 3 training and one scientific research laboratory. One of the training laboratories is specialised for chemical analysis of food. A modern gas chromatography system has been installed in the research laboratory, which is adapted to carry out tests on the components of food and biological material.

The department employs 29 lecturers: 9 professors, 8 associate professors, 7 lecturers, 5 assistants. The studies are served by the study administrator, 2 heads of training laboratories, 5 senior laboratory technicians.

MISSION

To help the students of all study programmes of the Health Sciences group to acquire the knowledge and abilities necessary to analyse, evaluate and interpret human and animal laboratory research data; to carry out molecular studies of tissue and organ damage mechanisms and studies related to the quality assurance of innovative food products.

The Department of Biochemistry is responsible for the first cycle study programme Medical and Veterinary Biochemistry. The professors of the department are members of the Medical and Veterinary Biochemistry Study Programme Committee. The department teaches the subjects of Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry, Odontology, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Husbandry Technology (1st cycle), Nursing (1st cycle), Public Health (1st cycle), Food Science (1st cycle), Veterinary Food Safety (1st cycle) and Animal in science (1st cycle) study programmes. The largest part of the pedagogical activities of the Department of Biochemistry falls on the implementation of the Medical study programme: the subject of Medical Chemistry is taught in the 1st year, in the 2nd – 3rd years the department participates in teaching almost all integrated modules of pre-clinical medicine, and in the 4th year – in the teaching of part of the modules of clinical medicine.

The lecturers of the department supervise Bachelor’s and Master’s theses in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Food Science, Medical and Veterinary Biochemistry and Veterinary Food Safety programmes.

The lecturers of the department participate in the training of doctoral students – they give lectures on elective subjects for doctoral students in Medicine, Biology and Veterinary Medicine.

The professors and doctoral students of the department conduct research in two directions:

Study of molecular mechanisms of tissue and organ damage.

Comprehensive evaluation of innovative food products.

Research is carried out in close cooperation with the Institute of Neurosciences of LSMU, the Face and Jaw Clinic of the University Clinics and other research centres of the university. Research results are published in Clarivate Analytics Web of Science journals with a citation index. 39 such articles have been published in 5 years.

Lecturers present the results of their research at scientific conferences. Doctoral students’ research is being successfully conducted – Evelina Rekuvienė, a doctoral student at the Department of Biochemistry (supervisor Prof. R. Morkūnienė) took part in the nominations for the best poster presentations and won 1st place at the conference of the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association held in December 2016 December, in Vilnius, and second place at the 9th conference of the Lithuanian Neuroscience Association, held on 1 December 2017, at LSMU.

“Development and Biomedical Investigation of the Multi-Channel Ultrasound Coagulometry Method”, Lithuanian Science Council (2004-2006). Participant in project activities.
“Development of Master’s, Residency and Doctoral Study Programmes in Pharmacy and Medicine in the Fields of Pharmacy, Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Medical Genetics“ (European Social Fund Agency), 2004-2008. Participant in project activities.
The project „Integration of Kaunas Interuniversity Master‘s Studies in Biomolecular Sciences“. BPD2004-ERPF-1.5.0-02-04/0065-01 (2006-2008). Partner.
KMU Science Foundation project “Influence of Cellular Energy Status and Protein Phosphorylation on the Formation and Properties of Gap Junctions” (2007-2009). Applicant and executor.
“Santaka Valley Centre for the Latest Pharmaceutical and Health Technologies Project” (2007-2013). Participant in project activities.
Project “Preparation of the National Concept of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS): Harmonisation of Credits and Development and Implementation of the methodology of Study Programmes Based on Educational Achievements” VP1-2.2-ŠMM-08- V-01-00 (2009–2012). Participant in project activities.
Joint project of LSMU and Institute of Public Health and Environment (Bilthoven, Netherlands) “Are Supplements Good for Healthy Ageing?”, Habil. Dr. L. Ivanov
LNL project of the Lithuanian Science Council “Investigations of the Activity and Redox State of Pancreatic Stellate Cells” (2012-2014). Participant in project activities.
“Research on the Composition of Cow’s Milk Fatty Acids (Saturated and Unsaturated) and Presentation of Recommendations on Improving the Quality of Raw Milk” (2015-2016) (Contract No. MT-15-42/PRM 15-96), financed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania. Participant in project activities.
M-era.Net project “PELARGODONT” (Engineering and functionalisation of delivery system with Pelargonium sidoides biologically active substance on inflamed periodontal surface area) of Horizon 2020 programme ERA-NET COFUND scheme programme (2017-2019). Participant in project activities.
The Lithuanian Science Council funded project “Innovative Modelling of Nutritional Matrices of Milk and Whey with New Yeasts and Biocomponents to Create Safer Cheese Production Technology (INOSŪRIS)”, 2018–2021, 01.2.2-LMT-K-718-01-0032. Participant in project activities.
“Determining the Relationship Between fat Composition in Raw Milk and Dairy Products Made From It”, 2017-2018, Contract no. MT-17-13/PRM17-71), financed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania. Participant in project activities.

International cooperation

The Department of Biochemistry maintains relations with the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (Netherlands) (National Institute for Public Health and Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), the University of Cambridge (Cambridge University, UK) and other European universities and Higher Education Institutions. Such connections are important for assimilating and introducing new research methods into scientific research and introducing new teaching methods into the study process.

Educational activities

The lecturers of the Department of Biochemistry participate in the educational activities of LSMU: they participate in events organised by schools; they introduce students to the study programmes of LSMU. School pedagogues – a group of chemistry teachers from Šakiai and Jurbarkas district schools, a group of pedagogues invited by biology and chemistry teacher associations – come to the Department of Biochemistry to get acquainted with the innovations of biomedical sciences.

USEFUL INFORMATION

The most important publications

Department of Biochemistry

Prof. Rasa Banienė

Head of the Department of Biochemistry

+370 37 327 226 rasa.baniene@lsmu.lt

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