Honorary Members
Distinguished figures in Lithuanian and international gastroenterology whose work has made a lasting contribution to the specialty are appointed Honorary Members of the Society.
Prof. Dr Habil.Marijonas
Krikštopaitis
Honoured Physician of Lithuania.
1942–1945 Lecturer at Vytautas Magnus University.
1945–1990 Lecturer at Vilnius University.
1951–1957 Chief Physician in Internal Medicine at the Ministry of Health of the Lithuanian SSR.
1957–1961 Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine.
From 1982, Head of the National Centre of Gastroenterology.
1991–1995 Consultant Professor at the Centre of General Practice, Vilnius University.
In 1964, he was awarded the title of Honoured Physician of Lithuania.
From 1995, he was a member of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Author and co-author of several books, more than 600 scientific articles and 10 inventions.
Editor of the journal “Medical Theory and Practice”.
Books
- “Propedeutics of Internal Medicine” (published with co-authors in 1963, 1971 and 1981)
- “Peptic Ulcer Disease of the Stomach and Duodenum” (1959)
- “Clinical Laboratory Practice in Medicine” (1971)
- “Health and Illness” (published in 1959, 1961 and 1965)
- “Principles of Diet Therapy” (1984)
- “Clinical Gastroenterology” (published with co-authors in 1979 and 1988)
Prof. Dr Habil.Algimantas
Irnius
Professor at Vilnius University since 1985.
1991–2004 Head of the Clinic of Gastroenterology and Dietetics at Vilnius University.
2004–2005 Director of the Centre of Gastroenterology and Dietetics at Vilnius University Hospital Santariškės Clinics.
Published more than 300 scientific papers and five textbooks. Seven doctoral dissertations were defended under his supervision. He served on the editorial boards of the journals “Medical Theory and Practice”, “Gerontology”, “Internist” and others.
Developed experimental models for studying the mechanisms of interaction between diseases of the intestine and bile ducts. Co-author of four inventions.
Monographs
- “Diseases of the Colon” (1989)
- “Clinical Gastroenterology” (2010)
In 2005, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania.
Prof. Dr Habil.Dalia
Tamulevičiūtė
Professor at Vilnius University from 1980.
From 1991 to 2000, she worked as a professor at the Clinic of Gastroenterology and Dietetics of Vilnius University Santariškės Hospital.
Published approximately 400 scientific works, 10 monographs, nine methodological guidelines, 18 rationalisation proposals and two inventions.
Books
- “Peptic Ulcer Disease and Symptomatic Gastroduodenal Disorders” (1973)
- “Diseases of the Oesophagus” (1981)
- “Chronic Hepatitis and Liver Cirrhosis” (1983)
- “Diseases of the Small Intestine and Malabsorption Syndrome” (1985 and 1986)
- “Diseases of the Oesophagus and Cardia” (1986)
- “Guide to Symptoms and Syndromes of Internal Diseases” (published with a co-author in 1988)
- “Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases of the Colon” (1990)
- “Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases” (1992)
- “Clinical Syndromes and Symptoms” (1995)
- “The Role of Helicobacter pylori in Gastroduodenal Pathology and Its Treatment” (1997)
Awarded the Lithuanian Science Prize.
Assoc. Prof.Danutė Marija
Speičienė
Associate Professor at Vilnius University since 1979 (qualification recognised in 1994).
Long-serving Associate Professor and consultant gastroenterologist at Vilnius University Hospital Santariškės Clinics.
Author of books and publications
Author of 10 teaching books and author or co-author of more than 300 scientific articles, including seven indexed by ISI. Co-author of editions of “Clinical Gastroenterology” published in 1979, 1988 and 2002, to which she contributed the following chapters: “Chronic Hepatitis”, “Alcohol-Related Liver Injury”, “Drug-Induced Liver Injury” and “Cholestatic Liver Diseases”.
Professional interests: hepatology and immunology.
The principal aim of her research was to assess the significance of immune changes in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis of alcohol-related liver injury. She mastered various methods for examining humoral and cellular immunity, percutaneous liver biopsy and abdominal ultrasound.
One of the initiators of liver transplantation in Lithuania, she undertook training at transplant centres in Hamburg and Hanover and at the Gastroenterology Clinic of Oslo University Hospital.
Co-author of the Lithuanian professional standard for clinical and medical immunologists.
Co-author of two inventions and 13 rationalisation proposals.
Member of the editorial board of the journal “World Journal of Gastroenterology” (1999–2002).
Assoc. Prof., PhDJonas
Šimanauskas
Following the restoration of Lithuania’s independence and the establishment of the Gastroenterology Clinic at Kaunas Medical Academy (now LSMU), he became its first head (1991–1992).
One of the first Lithuanian gastroenterologists to introduce endoscopic examination methods into clinical practice, he designed and patented an original aspiration biopsy probe that made it possible to perform two diagnostic tests simultaneously – assessment of gastric secretion and mucosal biopsy.
Author and co-author of four textbooks and teaching books.
Taught a course on digestive diseases.
Prof.Peter
Malfertheiner
1978–1995 Lecturer, researcher, Associate Professor and Professor at the universities of Ulm (Germany), Rochester (USA) and Bonn (Germany).
1995–2018 Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
Foreign Member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences since 2014.
Professor Emeritus at the University of Munich since 2018.
For 20 years, the Professor has maintained close scientific and professional ties with Lithuanian gastroenterology researchers and has made a significant contribution to Lithuanian medical science as the initiator and coordinator of numerous academic cooperation programmes carried out in Lithuania. Through these programmes, researchers from LSMU and Vilnius University, as well as doctors from Klaipėda, Panevėžys and Šiauliai, undertook placements at leading university hospitals in Germany, Denmark, Belgium and France.
Since 1998, he has been the principal organiser of the annual European conference for young researchers, the European Bridging Meeting in Gastroenterology. The 6th and 23rd conferences were held in Lithuania in 2004 and 2022, bringing together young researchers from 22 countries and leading gastroenterology scientists from across Europe.
Professional interests: H. pylori infection and associated pathology, chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis, the microbiota, the pathogenesis and clinical aspects of gastric cancer, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, the development of oesophageal metaplasia and carcinogenesis, and acute and chronic pancreatitis.
Author of more than 68 textbooks, monographs and chapters, he has published more than 700 scientific articles in journals indexed in Web of Science, cited more than 26,000 times (h-index: 86).
Member of the editorial boards of Gastroenterology, American Journal of Gastroenterology, European Journal of Gastroenterology, Helicobacter, Digestive Surgery, International Journal of Pancreatology and other journals.
Honorary Member of the gastroenterological societies of South Africa, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Poland.
In recognition of his work on H. pylori and gastroduodenal pathology, he received the United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Prof.Andre
Franke
Director of the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology at Kiel University, Germany.
Foreign Member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences since 2023.
He is best known for his work on the genetics of inflammatory bowel disease, genome-wide association studies and microbiome research.
For 20 years, he has maintained close scientific and professional ties with Lithuanian gastroenterology researchers, biologists, biochemists and bioinformaticians.
He is the initiator and coordinator of Horizon scientific cooperation programmes carried out in Lithuania, including consortia on inflammatory bowel disease genomics and autoimmune diseases. Through these programmes, more than 20 Lithuanian researchers – gastroenterologists, molecular biologists and bioinformaticians – undertook placements and conducted joint research at Kiel University.
Author of more than 650 scientific articles in journals indexed in Web of Science, including approximately 100 as lead author. The impact factor (IF) of 143 of his published articles exceeds 20.
Principal organiser of the international conference “Inflamation in the Surface”, held in Germany every two years. Lithuanian gastroenterology researchers regularly present at the conference. The Professor has visited Lithuania four times, delivered lectures and advised young gastroenterology researchers and molecular biologists.
In 2015, he presented at a joint conference of LGD and the European Association for Gastroenterology, Endoscopy and Nutrition (EAGEN) in Kaunas.
Consultant for five doctoral dissertations defended in Lithuania.
Academician, Prof. Dr Habil.Limas
Kupčinskas
Professor at LSMU since 2000.
In 2000, he defended his habilitation thesis at Kaunas University of Medicine.
1992–2018 Head of the Gastroenterology Clinic at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.
In 2008, he was elected an expert member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences (LMA), and in 2011 a full member of the Academy.
Head of the Hepatology Sector at the Gastroenterology Clinic of the Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos since 2011.
Chair of the Division of Biology, Medicine and Geosciences of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences since 2021.
Member of the European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and of the General Assembly of United European Gastroenterology (UEG).
Author and co-author of 150 scientific articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals with high citation indices. Author and co-author of nine student textbooks, including Clinical Gastroenterology (published in 2002 and 2012) and Clinical Hepatology (published in 2014).
Professional interests
Inflammatory bowel disease (clinical, epidemiological, molecular, genomic and microbiome research); research into diseases associated with H. pylori infection; chronic viral liver diseases; and rare liver diseases.
Awards
- 2023 LMA Commemorative Medal
- 2023 Title of Honorary Member of the Lithuanian Society of Gastroenterology
- 2022 Title of Honorary Member of the Lithuanian Medical Association
- 2020 Lithuanian Academy of Sciences Academician Vladas Lašas Prize
- 2016 Kaunas Best Scientist Prize
- 2011 Awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas by decree of the President of Lithuania
- 2010 Recipient of the Lithuanian Science Prize
- 2009 Title of Honoured Physician of Lithuania and Badge of Honour
- 2008 “Tree of Life” award from the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Health and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists for scientific work
Prof. Dr Habil.Jonas
Valantinas
Professor at Vilnius University since 2005.
2005–2021 Head of the Centre of Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Dietetics at the Clinic of Gastroenterology, Nephrourology and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University; currently Consultant Professor.
Doctoral dissertation defended at Vilnius University in 1983.
2005–2020 Head of the Centre of Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Dietetics at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos.
Habilitation thesis defended at Vilnius University in 2001.
His principal field of research encompasses various areas of gastroenterology, primarily hepatology.
One of the coordinators of the international Pancreas2000 project.
Member of United European Gastroenterology since 2008, including service on its board; member of the European Association for the Study of the Liver since 2009; and member of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation since 2010.
Undertook professional training in Switzerland, Sweden and the United States.
Produced more than 80 publications in medical scientific and popular publications.
Author of books and monographs
- “Irritable Bowel Syndrome” (1999)
- “Modern Differential Diagnosis and Treatment of Complications of Portal Hypertension” (2000)
- “The Role of Helicobacter pylori in Gastroduodenal Pathology and Its Treatment” (1997)
- “Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Socioeconomic Significance of Gallstone Disease” (1998)
- “Liver Cirrhosis, Its Consequences and Complications: Diagnosis and Treatment” (2009) — co-author
- “Clinical Gastroenterology” (2010) — one of the editors
Awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania.
Assoc. Prof., PhDDanutė
Bierontienė
Associate Professor at the Gastroenterology Clinic of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), whose academic work placed strong emphasis on training medical students, interns, resident doctors and future gastroenterologists.
She defended her doctoral dissertation in medical sciences in 1970 and made a major contribution to the development of Lithuania’s modern postgraduate medical training system.
Vice-Dean of the LSMU Centre for Postgraduate Studies.
Published the original textbook “Gastroenterology” for students and doctors (2001), and co-authored the textbooks “Clinical Gastroenterology” (2010) and “Clinical Hepatology” (2014).