Areas of Scientific Interest

Bioarchaeology, Human and Pathogen paleogenetics, Forensic anthropology.

Main Activities / Research Directions

1. Development of human bioarchaeological sample collections, their legal base, ethical protocols, guidelines, and recommendations for rational and optimal use in destructive and non-destructive analyses.
2. Development of morphological analyses (macro- and microscopic, radiological etc.) for studies of ontogenesis and diagnostics of diseases.
3. Stable isotope analysis for studies of nutrition and migrations.
4. Paleogenetic analyses (studies of human and pathogen genomes).
5. Expert assistance in the identification of victims of 20th-century conflicts.
6. Phylogenetic and population genetic analysis to reconstruct human genetic diversity and adaptation in the past.
7. Investigation of evolutionary processes and past migrations through the analysis of Mesolithic, Neolithic, Copper Age, and Bronze Age human genomes.

Research

• Bioarchaeological, paleopathological, stable isotope and paleogenomic studies.
• Human and pathogen paleogenetic studies.
• Contract research for archaeological enterprises.
• Identification of remains of historicaI personalities and victims of 20th c. conflicts

Methods and Infrastructure Used

Methods: 

• Osteologic and anthropological methods.
• DNA extraction, amplification, electrophresis, genotyping, Sanger and new generation sequencing.
• Stable isotope analyses.
• Phylogenetic and population genetic analysis.
• Bioinformatical methods.

Resources: 

• Bioarchaeological samples (c. 10,000 storage units).
• Illumina iScan.
• New generation sequencing equipment (Oxford Nanopore P2Solo, Illumina NextSeq 550 Dx).
• Sanger sequencing (SeqStudio Flex).
• RL-PCR thermocycler (QuantStudio 5).
• Bioanalyser (QIAxel Advanced).
• Gel analysis system (Bio-Rad GelDoc).

Projects

• Expanding Concept and Methodology For Human Past Studies in the Eastern Baltics Countries (ECHO), HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-02-01 „Twinning“ (partner).
• Bioarcchaeological characteristics of 13-18 c.c. Vilnius inhabitants (BioArchVilnius), LMT S-MIP-23-29 (principal investigator).
• „ERC Synergy Grants“ (CPVA) „Preparation for Horizon Europe project call“.

Collaboration

• Faculty of History, Vilnius University.
• Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences, Vilnius University.
• Life Sciences Centre, Vilnius University
• Faculty of Philology, Department of Baltistics, Vilnius University.
• Center for Physical and Technological Sciences.
• State Forensic Medicine Service.
• Lithuanian History Institute.
• Lthuanian museums.
• Archeologica; enterprises.
• Institute of Genomics, Tartu University (Estonia).
• Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology (Germany).
• Institute of National Remembrance (Poland).
• Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Szczecin University (Poland).
• Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School (USA).

List of Employees and Contacts

Academic degree	Name	Memberships in societies	Contacts
Dr.	Rimantas Jankauskas (Head of the Centre)	PPA (member) EAA (member) LAD (member) LMA (member)	; +370 611 56845
Dr.	Ingrida Domarkienė	LŽGD (member) ESHD (member) ISBA (member)	; +370 613 85646
Dr.	Justina Kozakaitė	LAD (member) PPA (member) BABAO (member) ISBA (member)	; +370 628 80872
Dr.	Žydrūnė Miliauskienė	PPA (member) EAA (member) LAD (member)	;  +370 698 12617
Dr.	Alina Urnikytė	ASHG (member) ESHD (member)	; +370 698 55292
Dr.	Jennifer Barron	WAC (member) SfAA (member)	, +370 675 07567
	Rūta Brindzaitė	PPA (member) EAA (member) LAD (member) SSCIP (member)	; +370 679 30845
	Jovita Kadikinaitė	EAA (member) BAFA (member)	; +370 656 74044
	Emilija Paliulytė		; +370 641 53600
	Indrė Krastinaitė		; +370 692 13883