About
The Department of Biological Models focuses on the study of adult stem cells and their application for regenerative medicine using two model systems - in vitro (cell cultures) and in vivo (experimental animals). The team has deep knowledge of artificial tissue construction, using polymer scaffolds. Their expertise includes the evaluation of material biocompatibility, cell-surface interactions and methods of stem cell differentiation and associated processes assessment. The ultimate goal of these studies is to control the behavior of stem cells, directing them towards specific lineage differentiation by tailoring the chemical composition, physical properties and surface coating of the materials. Fabricated segments of artificial tissues are tested in vivo – by surgical implantation in animals.
The department has a modern laboratory for experimental animals, which is designed for work with mice, rats and rabbits. The animals are kept either in conventional or SPF (specific-pathogen-free) areas. The laboratory is approved by the State Food and Veterinary Service for breeding and selling as well as experimental work with animals. The highly qualified staff hold all the necessary certificates for animal research. Some facilities, including a fully equipped operating room and laboratory for working with animal specimens are open to all scientists who have the right to work with animals. In this laboratory, heart failure research is carried out, studies of biocompatibility and toxicological tests are being performed.
Main publications
- Bilvinaitė G., R. Zongolavičiutė, S. Drukteinis, V. Bukelskienė, E. Cotti. 2022. Cytotoxicity and efficacy in debris and smear layer removal of HOCl-based irrigating solution: an In Vitro study. Journal of Functional Biomaterials 13(3): 95. IF 4.901.
- Chelliah R., E. B.-M. Daliri, I. Khan, S. Wei, F. Elahi, S.-J. Yeon, V. Selvakumar, F.K. Ofosu, M. Rubab, H.H. Ju, H. R. Rallabandi, I. H. Madar, G. Sultan, D.-H.Oh. 2022. A review on the application of bioinformatics tools in food microbiome studies. Briefings in Bioinformatic 23(2): DOI 10.1093/bib/bbac007. IF 13.994
- Garcia-Blanco A., L. Domingo-Rodriguez, J. Cabana-Dominguez, N. Fernandez-Castillo, L. Pineda-Cirera, J. Mayneris-Perxachs, A. Burokas, J. Espinosa-Carrasco, S. Arboleya, J. Latorre, C. Stanton, B. Cormand, J.M. Fernandez-Real, E. Martin-Garcia, R. Maldonado. 2022. miRNA signatures associated with vulnerability to food addiction in mice and humans. Journal of Clinical Investigation 132(10): e156281. IF 19,477
- Han Y., M. King., E. Tikhomirov, P. Barasa, C.D.S. Souza, J. Lindh, D. Baltriukienė, L. Ferraiuolo, M. Azzouz, M.R. Gullo, E. Kozlova. 2022. Towards 3D bioprinted spinal cord organoids. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23(10): 5788. IF 6.208
- Mayneris-Perxachs J., M. Arnoriaga-Rodriguez, J. Garre-Olmo, J. Puig, R. Ramos, M. Trelis, A. Burokas, C. Coll, C. Zapata-Tona, S. Pedraza, V. Perez -Brocal, L. Ramió, W. Ricart, A. Moya, M. Jove, J. Sol, M. Portero-Otin, R. Pamplona, R. Maldonado, J. M. Fernandez-Real. 2022. Presence of Blastocystis in gut microbiota is associated with cognitive traits and decreased executive function. ISME Journal DOI 10.1038/s41396-022-01262-3 IF 11.217
- Mayneris-Perxachs J., A. Castells-Nobau, M. Arnoriaga-Rodriguez, M. Martin, L. de la Vega-Correa, C. Zapata-Tona, A. Burokas, G. Blasco, C. Coll, A. Escrichs, C. Biarnes, J.M. Moreno-Navarrete, J. Puig, J. Garre-Olmo, R. Ramos, S. Pedraza, R. Brugada, J.C. Vilanova, J. Serena, J. Gich, L. Ramio-Torrenta, V. Perez -Brocal, A. Moya, R. Pamplona, J. Sol, M. Jove, W. Ricart, M. Portero-Otin, G. Deco, R. Maldonado, J. M. Fernandez-Real. 2022. Microbiota alterations in proline metabolism impact depression. Cell Metabolism 34(5): 681+ IF 31.373.
- Mayneris-Perxachs J., A. Castells-Nobau, M. Arnoriaga-Rodriguez, J. Garre-Olmo, J. Puig, R. Ramos, F. Martinez-Hernandez, A. Burokas, C. Coll, J.M. Moreno-Navarrete, C. Zapata-Tona, S. Pedraza, V. Perez -Brocal, L. Ramió-Torrentà, W. Ricart, A. Moya, M. Martinez-Garcia, R. Maldonado, J. M. Fernandez-Real. 2022. Caudovirales bacteriophages are associated with improved executive function and memory in flies, mice, and humans. Cell Host & Microbe 30(3) 340+. IF 31.316.
- Megur A., E. B. M. Daliri, D. Baltriukienė, A. Burokas. 2022. Prebiotics as a tool for the prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes: classification and ability to modulate the gut microbiota. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23(11): 6097. IF 6.208.
- Ofosu F.K., F. Elahi, E. B-M. Daliri, S.-Ik Han, D.-H Oh. 2022. Impact of thermal treatment and fermentation by lactic acid bacteria on sorghum metabolite changes, their antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. Food Bioscience 45: 101502. IF 5.318
- Rinkūnaitė I., Eg. Šimoliūnas, M. Alksnė, G. Bartkutė, S. Labeit, V. Bukelskienė, J. Bogomolovas. 2022. Genetic ablation of Ankrd1 mitigates cardiac damage during experimental autoimmune myocarditis in mice Biomolecules 12 (12): 1898. IF 6.064.
- Rutkūnas V., R. Borusevičius, E. Balčiūnas, U. Jasinskytė, M. Alksnė, E. Šimoliūnas, S. Zlatev, V. Ivanova, V. Bukelskienė, E. Mijiritsky. 2022. The effect of UV treatment on surface contact angle, fibroblast cytotoxicity, and proliferation with two types of zirconia-based ceramics. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(17): 11113. IF 4.614
- Tyagi A., R. Chelliah, E. B.-M. Daliri, G. Sultan, I. H. Madar, N. Kim, U Shabbir, D.-H.Oh. 2023. Antioxidant activities of novel peptides from Limosilactobacillus reuteri fermented brown rice: A combined in vitro and in silico study. Food Chemistry 404: 134747. IF 9.231.
- Šimoliūnas, E., Rinkūnaitė, I., Bukelskienė, Ž. and Bukelskienė, V., 2019. Bioavailability of Different Vitamin D Oral Supplements in Laboratory Animal Model. Medicina, 55(6), p.265. IF 1.467
- Alksne, M., Simoliunas, E., Kalvaityte, M., Skliutas, E., Rinkunaite, I., Gendviliene, I., Baltriukiene, D., Rutkunas, V. and Bukelskiene, V., 2019. The effect of larger than cell diameter polylactic acid surface patterns on osteogenic differentiation of rat dental pulp stem cells. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 107(1), pp.174-186. IF 3.221
- Balčiūnas, E., Baldock, S.J., Dreižė, N., Grubliauskaitė, M., Coultas, S., Rochester, D.L., Valius, M., Hardy, J.G. and Baltriukienė, D., 2019. 3D Printing Hybrid Organometallic Polymer‐Based Biomaterials via Laser Two‐Photon Polymerisation. Polymer International. IF 2.433
- Kilikevičius, A., Balčiūnas, E., Kilikevičienė, K., Maknickas, A., Bukelskienė, V., Baltriukienė, D. and Kačianauskas, R., 2018. Modelling of silk-reinforced PDMS properties for soft tissue engineering applications. Technology and Health Care, (Preprint), pp.1-10.
- Alksne, M., Simoliunas, E., Kalvaityte, M., Skliutas, E., Rinkunaite, I., Gendviliene, I., Baltriukiene, D., Rutkunas, V. and Bukelskiene, V., 2018. The effect of larger than cell diameter polylactic acid surface patterns on osteogenic differentiation of rat dental pulp stem cells. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A.
- Jarasiene-Burinskaja, R., Alksne, M., Bartuskiene, V., Voisniene, V., Burinskij, J., Cenas, N. and Bukelskiene, V., 2017. Study of the cytotoxic effects of 2, 5-diaziridinyl-3, 6-dimethyl-1, 4-benzoquinone (MeDZQ) in mouse hepatoma cells. EXCLI journal, 16, p.151.
- Valiulienė, G., Treigytė, G., Savickienė, J., Matuzevičius, D., Alksnė, M., Jarašienė-Burinskaja, R., Bukelskienė, V., Navakauskas, D. and Navakauskienė, R., 2016. Histone modifications patterns in tissues and tumours from acute promyelocytic leukemia xenograft model in response to combined epigenetic therapy. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 79, pp.62-70.
- Bogomolovas, J., Šimoliūnas, E., Rinkūnaitė, I., Smalinskaitė, L., Podkopajev, A., Bironaitė, D., Weis, C.A., Marx, A., Bukelskienė, V., Gretz, N. and Grabauskienė, V., 2016. A Novel Murine Model of Parvovirus Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy Induced by Immunization with VP1-Unique Region of Parvovirus B19. BioMed research international, 2016.
- Rutkunas, V., Bukelskiene, V., Sabaliauskas, V., Balciunas, E., Malinauskas, M. and Baltriukiene, D., 2015. Assessment of human gingival fibroblast interaction with dental implant abutment materials. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 26(4), p.169.
- Bogomolovas, J., Brohm, K., Čelutkienė, J., Balčiūnaitė, G., Bironaitė, D., Bukelskienė, V., Daunoravičus, D., Witt, C.C., Fielitz, J., Grabauskienė, V. and Labeit, S., 2015. Induction of Ankrd1 in dilated cardiomyopathy correlates with the heart failure progression. BioMed research international, 2015.
- Malinauskas, M., Rekštytė, S., Lukoševičius, L., Butkus, S., Balčiūnas, E., Pečiukaitytė, M., Baltriukienė, D., Bukelskienė, V., Butkevičius, A., Kucevičius, P. and Rutkūnas, V., 2014. 3D microporous scaffolds manufactured via combination of fused filament fabrication and direct laser writing ablation. Micromachines, 5(4), pp.839-858.
- Baltriukienė, D., Sabaliauskas, V., Balčiūnas, E., Melninkaitis, A., Liutkevičius, E., Bukelskienė, V. and Rutkūnas, V., 2014. The effect of laser‐treated titanium surface on human gingival fibroblast behavior. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 102(3), pp.713-720.
Personnel
Head of Department
Dr. Virginija Bukelskienė
Chief Researcher
Tel. +370 5 223 4408
Email
Research Staff
Dr. Aurelijus Burokas |
Dr. Daiva Baltriukienė |
Dr. Milda Alksnė Researcher Tel. +370 5 223 4413 |
Postdoctorial Fellow Researcher
Dr. Eric Banan-Mwine Daliri
Tel. +370 5 223 9443
Email
dr. Alessandro Atzeni
dr. Bazilė Ravoitytė
PhD Students
Monika Iešmantaitė Tel. +370 5 223 8220 |
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Solveiga Samulėnaitė |
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Technical Staff
Romualda Balsienė Technician Tel. +370 5 223 4418 |
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