Bilateral research funding agreement signed between the Research Council of Lithuania and the National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan
22 September 2023, Vilnius. The Research Council of Lithuania (LMT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) of Taiwan in order to develop cooperation between Lithuanian and Taiwanese researchers. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agrees that the two countries will fund joint projects between researchers from Lithuanian and Taiwanese higher education institutions and research institutes in the fields of biotechnology, laser and materials science, engineering and computer information technology, in line with the principles of promoting the progress of science. Up to €5 million (€2.5 million from LMT and €2.5 million from NSTC) is foreseen for joint research projects, seminars and workshops through research groups in 2024-2027.
"The partnership with Taiwanese research institutions will open up a wide range of opportunities for mutual research progress. I believe that the sharing of knowledge and experience in the fields of biotechnology, laser and materials science, engineering and information computing technologies, and the impact of jointly implemented research results on improving the quality of life, will significantly contribute to the socio-economic development of our country and the solution of the prevailing social and economic problems," says Gintaras Valinčius, Chairman of LMT, and emphasises that this cooperation is of particular importance for the promotion of the careers of young researchers, and the growth of the research potential of our country.
Taiwan-Lithuania symposium brings together renowned scientists and young researchers from both countries
A bilateral Memorandum of Understanding was signed during the joint Taiwan-Lithuania biotechnology research symposium in Vilnius. This symposium, organised for the first time in Lithuania at the Life Sciences Centre of Vilnius University, has become an excellent platform for the transfer of the latest knowledge in the field of gene editing, cell therapy and gene manipulation. How can CRISPR-Cas9 (gene editing) be used in the early diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, oncological and other diseases? What are the latest discoveries in the development of anti-cancer drugs and therapies? Scientists from the VU Life Science Centre, VU Hospital "Santaros klinikos", Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Centre for Innovative Medicine, Taiwanese universities, medical institutions, research institutes, and other renowned institutions, shared their research and technological achievements, and presented the latest research results on improving human health and treating diseases using the latest biotechnologies.
"This symposium is another significant step in the development of cooperation between Lithuanian and Taiwanese scientists and in the development of innovative methods of scientific progress and innovation. This is the second event of this kind after the workshop (in May) in Taiwan, where Lithuanian laser and materials science and engineering specialists presented their research. Such bilateral scientific meetings summarise the efforts of the two countries to promote international scientific cooperation and allow us to work together to find the latest technological solutions, which can also contribute to new methods of diagnosing and treating diseases that could have a huge impact on human health not only in Lithuania and Taiwan, but also worldwide," says G. Valinčius.