PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

RESEARCH

Research activities carried out in the field of Genetics and Biotechnology of agricultural crops (forage grasses, wheat, barley), over 60 papers (22 papers ISI WoS cited) covering the topics of cell and tissue culture, genome interactions in the hybrids, molecular markers. Fundamental knowledge in the trait inheritance of Lolium and Festuca species, the new strategies developed for marker assisted breeding, in vitro methodological innovations in plant cell & tissue regeneration, plant mutagenesis and double haploid production.

 TEACHING & STUDENTS’ SUPERVISION

• Supervision of PhD students – 5 students
• Supervision of Master/ Bachelor Students – 10 students
• Chair of the PhD Viva Committee – 9 PhD dissertations
• Member of the PhD Viva Committee – 21 PhD dissertations

Teaching at the BSc study level:

• Lectures, Principles of Genetics (2006 – recent)
• Seminars, Practical Use of Online Genetic Recourses: The Arabidopsis Information Recourses (TAIR) and others (2006 – recent)

Development and conductance of teaching courses in Biotechnology with the lectures’ notes published:

• “Overview of the Latest Research and Methods in Genetics and Biotechnology“
• “Genetic Research and Application of Biotechnology in Production of New Varieties of Plants”

Teaching at Post-graduate courses:

• Teacher at the 29th NORDIC/BALTIC Post-graduate course in plant breeding – “In vitro culture and plant breeding”, Kaunas – Birstonas, March 3–9, 2003
• Teacher at the 26th NORDIC/BALTIC Post-graduate course in plant breeding – “Breeding for Marginal Environments”, Reykholt, Iceland, March 6–11, 2000.

PhD Students Supervised

1. Gintaras Brazauskas (2000–2004) “Wheat x maize crosses for double-haploid production: monitoring for possible maize introgressions by application of AFLP markers”
2. Alvydas Simkunas (2000–2004) “Root growth acclimation at low temperature in Lolium, meadow fescue and their hybrids”
3. Rita Asakaviciute (2000–2004) “Genetic and physiological aspects of anther culture in spring barley”
4. Odeta Pivoriene (2004–2008) “Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) identification and charaterization in the genome of perennial ryegrass”
5. Laisve Lideikyte (2004–2008) “Genome interaction and rearrangements in Lolium x Festuca hybrids”

Awards / Honorary Posts

• National Science Award 2001 in the section of Biomedical Sciences: Sliesaravicius A., PAŠAKINSKIENĖ I., Cerniauskas H. “Synthesis of Traditional and Modern Genetics for Production of Novel Varieties in Forage Grasses”, 2002
• Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Visiting Fellowship, 2003
• Royal Society / NATO Post-doctoral Fellowship, 1997
• British Council Research Fellowship, 1994
• The Nordic Council of Ministers Fellowship, research visit at the Icelandic Agricultural Institute, Plant Molecular Biology Group, 1994&1996
• Honorary Research Associate, Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER), UK, 1999.