Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University; Centre for Medical Genetics of Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos

Education

• 1970; Vilnius University; biology (genetics)
• 1982; Vilnius University; mathematics
  
• 1974; Vilnius University; Ph.D. (biology – genetics); thesis: “Population genetics analysis of allergic diseases”
• 1987; Center of Medical Genetics, Medical Acad. Sci. of the USSR, Moscow, USSR; Dr. Habil. (genetics); thesis: “Genetic process in contemporary Lithuanian population”

Professional Experience

A. Domestic

• 1977–1985; Research Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine (Vilnius); Head of the Laboratory of Medical Genetics. 
• 1970–1977; Vilnius Republican Hospital; Head of the Genetic Counselling Office.
• 1985–1990; Research Institute of Mother and Child Care (Vilnius); Head of the Dept. of Medical Genetics.
• 1985–1990; Vilnius Republican Clinical Hospital (Vilnius); Director of Medical Genetics Centre.
• 1991–2002; Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine (Vilnius); Professor, Head of Human Genetics Centre.
• 1991–2002; Vilnius University Hospital Santariški? klinikos (Vilnius); Professor, Director of Human Genetics Centre.
• 2002–present; Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine (Vilnius); Professor, Chairman of Department of Human and Medical Genetics.
• 2002–present; Vilnius University Hospital Santariški? klinikos (Vilnius); Director of the Centre for Medical Genetics, medical geneticist.  

B. Foreign

• 1992; Lab. of Viral Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.; Visiting scientist
• 1993; Dept. of Medical Genetics, Umeå University, Sweden; Visiting scientist
• 1996; Centre for Studies of Mitochondria and Energy Metabolism, Bari, Italy; Visiting Professor of the National Research Council
• 1996; Institute of Ophthalmology, Dept. Of Molecular Genetics, University College London, UK; Visiting Professor of the Royal Society
• 2002; Institute of Genetics, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan; Visiting Professor

Current Research

• Application of DNA-based diagnosis to patient care;
• mt-DNA, Y chromosome and nuclear DNA polymorphism in human populations

General Research

• Human genome diversity and genetic process in human populations

Teaching Appointments

• Courses of lectures on human, clinical and population genetics at Vilnius University (Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Philosophy).
• Guidance of Ph.D. studies.
• Guidance of bachelor and master of science work.

Social Responsibilities

• Geneticist in chief, Ministry of Health Care of the Republic of Lithuania (from 1994);
• Board Member of the Lithuanian National Committee on Biomedical Ethics (from 2006);

Membership in Editorial Boards

• Journal „Journal of Applied Genetics” (Poland);
• Journal „Acta medica Lituanica” (Lithuania);
• Journal „Medicina” (Lithuania)
• Journal „Laboratorin? medicina” (Lithuania);

Membership in Societies:

• Board Member of the European Society of Human Genetics;
• President of the Lithuanian Human Genetics Society;
• Vice-president of the Lithuanian Society of Geneticists and Breeders
• Member of the International Association of Human Biologists;
• Member of the European Anthropological Association;
• Member of the American Society of Human Genetics;
• HUGO member;
• Research Council Member of the International Retinitis Pigmentosa Association

Professional Honors & Awards

• 2002–2003; Highest degree Fellowship of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania
• 2003; First degree award of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Lithuania for the textbook      Kucinskas V. Genetics (Genetika). 2001 (in Lithuanian).
• 2003; Second degree award of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Lithuania for the co-authorship of textbook      Children Diseases (Vaik? ligos) (Ed. A. Raugale). 2001 (in Lithuanian).
• 2005; Lithuanian Science Prize for the cycle of studies "Genome Diversity: Lithuanians in Europe" (1987–2004)  

More information: see personal website http://www.geneticahumana.lt/VU/engl/personal/Kucinskas-en.htm