Young Vilnius University Scientist I. Mogila Received Birnstiel Award for Breakthrough in CRISPR-Cas10 Research

“I feel great. The award recognises the CRISPR-Cas10 research I conducted during my PhD studies, investigating the bacterial defence system against viruses. I would like to thank my PhD supervisor, Dr Gintautas Tamulaitis, and the Head of the VU LSC School of Doctoral Studies, Dr Daiva Baltriukiene, for their encouragement and for nominating me for this competition. Of course, I also thank my entire research team for their enormous contribution,” says I. Mogila.

The award-winning research is part of the ongoing investigations into bacterial defence systems against viruses led by Dr G. Tamulaitis’ research group. One of the most widespread defence systems is CRISPR-Cas10, which activates when foreign genes are expressed in a virus-infected bacterium. Researchers discovered that the Csm complex responsible for this defence switches to “defence mode” lasting for several hours after detecting viral RNA and destroys both the virus’ RNA and DNA. This research, conducted in collaboration with a biophysics group from Leipzig University led by Prof. Ralf Seidel, was published in the scientific journal Nucleic Acids Research this year. The Csm complex, once activated by the virus, also synthesizes signalling molecules—cyclic oligoadenylates—which relay signals to CRISPR-Cas10 effector proteins. The study introduces a newly discovered group of effectors named Cami1. Detailed research revealed that Cami1 suppresses protein synthesis in the cell during infection, preventing the virus from replicating. Last year, the results of Cami1 research were published in the prestigious scientific journal Science.

“I have been studying at VU since my bachelor’s degree, and this year I will defend my PhD dissertation. I conducted most of the experiments in the VU LSC laboratories. This award demonstrates that the knowledge, skills, available infrastructure, and support from experienced academic colleagues at the University provide opportunities to conduct high-level research here,” says I. Mogila.

“Irmantas’ journey as a scientist began during his bachelor and master studies, where his research on CRISPR-Cas10 was published in the scientific journal Cell Reports. His PhD research on Cami1 demanded the most ingenuity, effort, and time, spanning five years. This monumental work encompassed computational, biochemical, biophysical, cell viability, and structural investigations of Cami1. I am delighted for Irmantas and congratulate him on receiving this award,” says Dr G. Tamulaitis.

Research into bacterial defence mechanisms offers insights into the interactions between bacteria and the viruses that attack them during infection. Understanding these defence mechanisms could help develop bacterial strains resistant to viral infections, which are crucial for biotechnology and the food industry. In medicine, the pressing issue of antibiotic-resistant bacteria might be addressed by using bacteriophages, which can bypass bacterial defence systems. Additionally, CRISPR-Cas systems, known for recognising viral nucleic acids, are excellent tools for developing various virus detection kits.

The international Birnstiel Award for PhD research in molecular life sciences is presented to the most talented and promising researchers in the field. Established in 2019 by the Max Birnstiel Foundation and the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), the award is named after Max Luciano Birnstiel, a Swiss molecular biologist who studied gene regulation in eukaryotes and founded the IMP. Each year, six laureates are selected. This year, more than 100 researchers from around the world participated in the competition, with applications submitted by renowned universities and research institutes, including Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, ETH Zurich, and others.

This year, awards will also be presented to Kun Huang (CAS Center for Excellence of Plant Molecular Sciences, Shanghai, China), Alexander Mackintosh (University of Edinburgh, UK), Luca Schulz (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany), Christina Stankey (The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK), and Shushan Toneyan (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA).

The Birnstiel Award consists of a trophy, a certificate, and a EUR 2,000 prize. The award ceremony will take place on 6 November in Vienna, Austria, where the laureates will have the opportunity to publicly present their research and share ideas with research group leaders.