Vilnius University (VU) and its partner UAB “Eikos statyba” have signed a contract for the construction of the VU Faculty of Medicine Science Centre building, which marks the beginning of a new stage in the implementation of a unique project. The science centre in the Santara Valley in the Santariškės district of Vilnius, where VU Hospital Santara Clinics already operate, will contribute to the development of the infrastructure of other companies operating in the fields of medicine and pharmacy. The results of research conducted at the centre will be able to be quickly applied in clinical practice by implementing new and improving existing diagnostic methods, contributing to increasing the quality and accessibility of health services.
An international project that will improve the medical situation in Lithuania
VU Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas is convinced that this project not only opens up new opportunities, but is also important in the current coronavirus pandemic, when specialized science and medical centers are of paramount importance: “This science center is a very important infrastructure project that creates the prerequisites for a breakthrough in health sciences and provides completely new opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation. Construction begins during a pandemic crisis, when the need for new knowledge and modern technologies is more evident than ever.”
According to Prof. Algirdas Utkus, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University, the new science center will be intended not only for conducting fundamental and clinical research in medical science – many scientists will also feel the change, as their infrastructural working conditions will significantly improve and they will have the opportunity to work with the latest equipment, the acquisition of which has been approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports.
“Finally, we will have a science center where problems related to human health will be purposefully studied, which is important both at the national and international levels. The changes will significantly strengthen the scientific base of the Faculty of Medicine, we expect the growth of high-quality scientific production, the attraction of foreign talents, which will undoubtedly be beneficial not only for VU, but also for the whole of Lithuania. In addition, students of various levels will have the opportunity to carry out their scientific work in the science center – academic activities will take place here,” said Prof. A. Utkus about the opportunities that will open up.
The created research infrastructure will allow scientific activities to be carried out at a new qualitative level and create innovations in relevant scientific directions and medical specializations. Conditions will be created to carry out work focused on identifying the causes of diseases, research on heredity, innovative treatment and prevention methods and their application in clinical practice.
“Currently, a lot of attention is being paid to the field of genetics and genomics in the world, so this has certainly been taken into account in the building design. When the idea of such a center arose 20 years ago, we did not even think about the pharmacy study program and pharmaceutical research, and today we have great desires to develop research in this area, not only in medicine. So during the waiting period, desires and intentions changed slightly, but the essence remained the same – the new science center is very necessary and welcome,” says the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University.
The center will create favorable conditions for conducting interdisciplinary research, combining it with clinical trials. By modernizing and concentrating the instrumental base and biomedical scientific intellectual potential for conducting the highest level of fundamental and applied research, the efficiency of scientific activities will be increased – the volume of interdisciplinary research, the number of publications and citations will increase, duplication of scientific topics will decrease, and knowledge and technology transfer and commercialization activities will be activated.
New opportunities for scientists and students
The 17 thousand sq. m science center will house the Genetic Research Center, the Departments of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Chest Diseases, Immunology and Allergology, Dentistry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, and other specialized scientific laboratories, meeting the technological requirements for the highest level of scientific and experimental work. According to Daumantas Gudelis, Head of the Project Management Division of the VU Development Department, the center’s premises will meet the highest level of requirements and modern solutions.
“The center’s premises will comply with ISO 6–8 cleanliness class and BSL2–BSL3 biosafety level. A cardiac surgery, cardiology and angiology center with operating rooms, the most advanced small animal imaging equipment, animal housing facilities will operate here, and a pharmacy with an extemporaneous drug production laboratory will be established. The science center will include conference halls, auditoriums, councils, meeting and seminar rooms, offices for scientists and doctoral students, and a simulation medicine center and practical training rooms for conducting an innovative study process will also be established,” says D. Gudelis.
The new science center building will provide more opportunities for researchers, students, residents, and doctoral candidates, improve infrastructure solutions, and make it much more convenient to conduct research, as all the necessary facilities will be in one place – in the Santara Valley. The representative of the project partner, UAB “Eikos statyba”, also sees the values of the exceptional project.
“After the construction of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the end of 2019, this Science Center of the Faculty of Medicine creates an opportunity for us to accumulate even greater experience in the construction of medical-related buildings – we become true experts, and at the same time we accept the obligation to perform work qualitatively and on time in one of the largest projects in the company’s history, both in terms of scope and investment,” says Almantas Čebanauskas, General Director of UAB “Eikos statyba”.
The total value of the Science Center project currently amounts to approximately EUR 37.1 million, of which the majority – EUR 23.1 million – is from the European Regional Development Fund, and at the end of 2020, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports approved the allocation of EUR 10 million in funding for the purchase of scientific equipment. The project is expected to be implemented by the end of 2023.