Join Urtė Neniškytė and Her ERC-Funded Project — Discover How Sugars Shape the Brain

When we talk about scientific excellence in Europe, the European Research Council (ERC) sits at the very top. These highly competitive grants are awarded purely based on scientific excellence—without quotas, political considerations, or regional bias. That’s what makes them so powerful: they allow bold, curiosity-driven ideas to thrive. And they give researchers the freedom to explore big questions that can ultimately benefit society—by deepening our understanding of the world and advancing technologies, treatments, or entire disciplines.

To be awarded an ERC grant is a mark of the highest scientific quality. And to join an ERC-funded team means stepping into a research environment where ambition, creativity, and excellence are not just encouraged—they’re expected. It’s an environment that supports risk-taking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scientific independence.

Despite the fact that Widening countries continue to secure only a small share of ERC grants compared to other regions — with success rates often just 2–7%, far below countries like Switzerland where they can reach around 20% (Science|Business, Widening countries gain ground with ERC, but barriers remain, 6 Feb 2025) - progress is visible. According to the EU Dashboard, researchers from Widening countries obtained 50 ERC grants in 2024, compared to only 36 in 2014, showing a steady upward trend. Within this challenging environment, Vilnius University stands out as a true success story. In 2024, it won the prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant GLYCOCIRC, and to date it has hosted all seven ERC projects awarded in Lithuania, five of them at the VU Life Sciences Center. This exceptional track record firmly establishes Vilnius University as the nation’s leading hub for frontier research — and highlights its strong contribution as a proud member of Alliance4Life.

What if the Brain’s Most Mysterious Architect Was… Sugar?

Dr. Urtė Neniškytė is on a mission to uncover how sugars on the surface of neurons help build the brain. Her ERC-funded project, GLYCOCIRC, explores the neuronal glycocalyx—a sugar-rich coat covering brain cells—and its role in shaping how neurons connect, interact with immune cells, and form functional networks.

The project focuses on sialic acids, a particular type of sugar molecule that is unusually abundant in the human brain and shows unique evolutionary adaptations in our species. Changes in sialic acid biology have been linked to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions—but the exact mechanisms are still unclear. Through GLYCOCIRC, Urtė and her team will uncover how these sugar molecules act as hidden players in brain wiring and refinement.

The approach is as ambitious as the question itself: combining human and non-human primate iPSC-derived neurons, genetic engineering with CRISPR, electrophysiology, advanced microscopy, and molecular glycomics. The project will push the boundaries of what we know about brain development—and how it may have evolved to make us human.

Who Is Urtė Neniškytė, and Why Work With Her?

Urtė is one of those rare scientists who sees the connections between molecular events and evolutionary meaning. With a PhD from St John’s College, University of Cambridge, and postdoctoral work at EMBL, she has built a career at the crossroads of neuroscience, immunology, and glycobiology. Her early research on microglia—the brain’s immune cells—challenged long-standing assumptions and helped reshape how we think about synaptic pruning.

She’s also an active mentor, teacher, and communicator. From the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships to the L'Oréal-UNESCO International Rising Talent Award, her work has received recognition across Europe and beyond. She’s committed to building a lab environment that is international, inclusive, and intellectually adventurous. Joining her team means joining a space where new ideas are welcome—and where curiosity drives the agenda.

She’s Looking for Teammates Who Want to Ask Big Questions

With the start of her ERC project in autumn 2025, Urtė is looking for two postdoctoral researchers to join her team. She’s not just hiring for skills—she’s looking for people who are excited by complex problems, willing to explore new methods, and interested in connecting disciplines that don’t often speak to each other. If you’re someone who thrives on experimental design, who finds joy in connecting data with meaning, and who wants to be part of a research journey that starts at molecules and ends at brain function—this might be your lab.

You might be the kind of person who lights up at the idea of working with stem cell-derived neurons from humans and primates. Or maybe you're passionate about reading circuits with multi-electrode arrays and optogenetics. Either way, you’ll be joining a close-knit team with access to state-of-the-art technologies, embedded within the VU LSC–EMBL Partnership Institute, surrounded by researchers asking equally ambitious questions.

Why Vilnius? Why Vilnius University?

Vilnius University—founded in 1579—is the leading research university in Lithuania and one of the most dynamic in the Baltic region. Its Life Sciences Center is a modern research campus with strong international links, generous research infrastructure, and close connections to hospitals and biotech.

The city itself offers more than you might expect. Vilnius is walkable, green, creative, and increasingly cosmopolitan. It’s a place where culture, science, and innovation co-exist in a human-scale setting that’s both affordable and inspiring. You’ll find English widely spoken, good food and music around every corner, and a growing international community of researchers and entrepreneurs.

And You’re Not Alone: The Power of Alliance4Life

By joining Vilnius University, you also become part of something bigger: Alliance4Life. This network of leading research institutions from the Widening region supports scientists not just with partnerships, but with opportunities to grow.

Through the A4L_BRIDGE project, you’ll gain access to:

• Short-term internships and exchange opportunities across Alliance4Life member institutions
• Activities of the Virtual Research Center, connecting researchers across disciplines and countries
• A growing E-learning platform, with high-quality courses in research leadership, grant writing, communication, and more

Being part of an ERC team is already something special. Being part of a thriving research community that lifts each other up across borders—that’s even better.

We look forward to welcoming new minds to this exciting project!