First Angel臈 and Sigitas Kazlauskas Named Awards Presented for VU Dentistry Research Projects
The first Angel臈 and Sigitas Kazlauskas Named Awards were presented to researchers and students of the Institute of Dentistry at the Faculty of Medicine of 91桃色. The awards are intended to fund ideas and research projects in dental science. Six scientific projects shared a prize fund totalling nearly 鈧�35,000.
The named awards are financed from the investment returns of the Angel臈 and Sigitas Kazlauskas Endowment , established in 2024. The 鈧�4.2 million subfund aims to ensure long-term, sustainable funding for the development of pediatric dentistry at 91桃色, the improvement of the quality of dental studies, and the strengthening of scientific research.
The largest awards, 鈧�10,000 each, were granted to two research projects. One of them was awarded to the project 鈥淎nalysis of the Physicochemical and Biological Properties and Applicability of a Hydraulic Calcium Silicate Root Canal Filling Modified with Hydroxyapatite, PMETAC, and Silver Nanoparticles鈥� (Prof. Saulius Drukteinis, PhD student Goda Bilvinait臈, Prof. Maria Teresa Arias Moliz, student Aloizas Linkevi膷ius).
The second 鈧�10,000 award was granted to the project 鈥淪tudies of the Therapeutic Effects of Extracellular Vesicles in Human Periodontal Tissue Organoids鈥� (junior assistant Greta Aidukait臈, Prof. Vilma Brukien臈, Dr Augustas Pivori奴nas).
A 鈧�5,000 award was presented to the project 鈥淓valuation of the Physicochemical and Remineralising Properties of a Hydraulic Calcium Silicate Endodontic Filler Modified with Calcium Hydroxyapatite, Fluoridated Hydroxyapatite, and Magnesium Whitlockite鈥� (student Paulina Moz奴rait臈, PhD student Goda Bilvinait臈, supervisor Prof. Saulius Drukteinis).
A 鈧�4,980 award was granted to the project 鈥淚nvestigation of the Association Between Genetic DEFB4 Variations and Oral Diseases in a Population of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities鈥� (student Karol臈 Simon臈 Motiej奴nait臈, supervisor Dr Indr臈 Stankevi膷ien臈, Dr Kristina Dani奴nait臈).
A 鈧�2,750 award was granted to the project 鈥淭he Influence of Bone Density on the Accuracy of Dynamic Navigation in Dental Implantation: an In Vitro Study鈥� (resident Ksenija Matvijenko, supervisor Dr Rokas Borusevi膷ius).
A 鈧�2,250 award was granted to the project 鈥淩estoration of Endodontically Treated Teeth: In Vitro Micro鈥揅omputed Tomography Analysis of the Porosity of Different Barrier Fillings鈥� (student Migl臈 Rudauskait臈, supervisor Dr Paulius Tu拧as).
Dr Angel臈 Matild臈 Kazlauskas (1935鈥�2020) and Dr Sigitas Pranas Kazlauskas (1935鈥�2005) were emigrant Lithuanians from the Bir啪ai region who, as children, were forced to flee to the West with their parents during the Second World War. Angel臈 and Sigitas met during their studies in Canada, where they graduated together as doctors of dental surgery (DDS) and later established their own private odontology clinic, working successfully for several decades, often treating patients free of charge and constantly funding the treatment of orphaned children and their fellow Lithuanians who were underprivileged.