Presenting this year's keynote speakers!
For the second year in a row, Prof. Sica joins our conference—not only as a respected member of the presentation evaluation panel, but also as a keynote speaker ready to inspire young surgeons with a highly relevant talk:
“The Role of Research in a Surgical Career.”
Prof. Sica is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Head of Gastrointestinal & Minimally Invasive Surgery at Policlinico Tor Vergata. Holding a Ph.D. in Microsurgery, he has completed training and research fellowships at Harvard, NYU, and Oxford.
His work centers on precision medicine and oncology, and he is an active representative of the European Society of Colorectal Surgeons. With more than 20 years of experience, he is a recognized leader in laparoscopic and robotic minimally invasive visceral surgery.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Ona Lapteva to the Vilnius Surgical Symposium for Young Surgeons — a neurosurgeon whose expertise, innovation, and compassion continue to shape the future of spine surgery in Lithuania and beyond.
Dr. Lapteva specializes in complex spine pathology, spinal deformities, and spinal cord oncology. Her work combines state-of-the-art surgical techniques — including next-generation anchoring implant systems — with evidence-based conservative care and multidisciplinary rehabilitation. This approach allows her to deliver safe, precise, and truly individualized treatment for every patient.
She is not only an exceptional surgeon, but also a mentor and role model for young doctors — a reminder that medicine requires both skill and humanity.
We are proud to welcome Dr. Mindaugas Kvietkauskas, MD, PhD as a Keynote Speaker at the Vilnius Surgical Symposium for Young Surgeons.
Dr. Kvietkauskas is an abdominal, hepatopancreatobiliary and transplant surgeon at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics, known for combining complex clinical surgery with forward-thinking experimental research. He has trained as a Clinical and Research Fellow in Austria, Germany, and the UK, working under renowned experts in liver and pancreatic surgery.
His expertise spans advanced liver and pancreatic surgery, organ transplantation, and the development of innovative organ preservation and machine perfusion technologies, with active scientific contributions shaping the field.
In his keynote lecture, “From Ice to Life: Developing an Experimental Liver Perfusion Platform for Clinical Translation”, Dr. Kvietkauskas will guide the audience through the journey from experimental models to real clinical application, showing how research-driven innovation can expand transplant possibilities and transform patient outcomes. A truly inspiring session for young surgeons eager to push boundaries, think scientifically, and shape the future of surgery.
Professor Schemmer is a globally respected Swiss transplant and visceral surgeon with an extraordinary career spanning decades. He is internationally recognized for his leadership in general, visceral and transplant surgery, with deep expertise in surgical oncology, hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, and complex liver and kidney procedures, including pediatric and living donation cases.
He has held major academic and clinical positions, including Full Professor of Surgery at the Medical University of Graz (Austria) and Professor of Partnership at Vilnius University (Lithuania). He has trained at top centers in Germany, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, and Asia, and has performed thousands of highly complex operations.
Professor Schemmer is also an established clinical scientist and prolific author with hundreds of publications, editorial roles in scientific journals, and active membership in key surgical societies. His research focuses on organ preservation, ischemia-reperfusion injury, cancer surgery, and improving outcomes in transplant and visceral surgery.
His keynote lecture, “Liver and Kidney Transplantation – Surgical Techniques”, will deliver cutting-edge insights and practical wisdom drawn from his rich international practice.
We are excited to welcome Dr. Viktoras Palys, internationally recognized neurosurgeon and innovator, as a Keynote Speaker at the Vilnius Surgical Symposium for Young Surgeons on March 14 in Vilnius!
Dr. Palys has been living and working in the United States for over 15 years and is known for his pioneering work in functional neuro- and epilepsy surgery. Earlier this year, he made international headlines by performing the first-in-the-world operation to transplant living neurons into the brains of patients as part of an innovative clinical trial aimed at treating drug-resistant epilepsy — a procedure that has shown promising early results in reducing seizure frequency and improving quality of life.
His dedication to advancing neurosurgical care and sharing knowledge globally has made him an inspiration to surgeons and trainees alike. Dr. Palys continually collaborates with colleagues in Lithuania and abroad, driven by a passion to push the boundaries of surgical science while improving patient outcomes.
Keynote Lecture: “Innovations in Surgery: Personal Experience and Future Perspectives for Young Surgeons”. Join us for an unforgettable opportunity to hear from one of the leading minds in modern surgical innovation, whose work bridges cutting-edge research and transformative patient care.
Presenting this year's keynote speakers!
For the second year in a row, Prof. Sica joins our conference—not only as a respected member of the presentation evaluation panel, but also as a keynote speaker ready to inspire young surgeons with a highly relevant talk:
“The Role of Research in a Surgical Career.”
Prof. Sica is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Head of Gastrointestinal & Minimally Invasive Surgery at Policlinico Tor Vergata. Holding a Ph.D. in Microsurgery, he has completed training and research fellowships at Harvard, NYU, and Oxford.
His work centers on precision medicine and oncology, and he is an active representative of the European Society of Colorectal Surgeons. With more than 20 years of experience, he is a recognized leader in laparoscopic and robotic minimally invasive visceral surgery.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Ona Lapteva to the Vilnius Surgical Symposium for Young Surgeons — a neurosurgeon whose expertise, innovation, and compassion continue to shape the future of spine surgery in Lithuania and beyond.
Dr. Lapteva specializes in complex spine pathology, spinal deformities, and spinal cord oncology. Her work combines state-of-the-art surgical techniques — including next-generation anchoring implant systems — with evidence-based conservative care and multidisciplinary rehabilitation. This approach allows her to deliver safe, precise, and truly individualized treatment for every patient.
She is not only an exceptional surgeon, but also a mentor and role model for young doctors — a reminder that medicine requires both skill and humanity.
We are proud to welcome Dr. Mindaugas Kvietkauskas, MD, PhD as a Keynote Speaker at the Vilnius Surgical Symposium for Young Surgeons.
Dr. Kvietkauskas is an abdominal, hepatopancreatobiliary and transplant surgeon at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics, known for combining complex clinical surgery with forward-thinking experimental research. He has trained as a Clinical and Research Fellow in Austria, Germany, and the UK, working under renowned experts in liver and pancreatic surgery.
His expertise spans advanced liver and pancreatic surgery, organ transplantation, and the development of innovative organ preservation and machine perfusion technologies, with active scientific contributions shaping the field.
In his keynote lecture, “From Ice to Life: Developing an Experimental Liver Perfusion Platform for Clinical Translation”, Dr. Kvietkauskas will guide the audience through the journey from experimental models to real clinical application, showing how research-driven innovation can expand transplant possibilities and transform patient outcomes. A truly inspiring session for young surgeons eager to push boundaries, think scientifically, and shape the future of surgery.
Professor Schemmer is a globally respected Swiss transplant and visceral surgeon with an extraordinary career spanning decades. He is internationally recognized for his leadership in general, visceral and transplant surgery, with deep expertise in surgical oncology, hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, and complex liver and kidney procedures, including pediatric and living donation cases.
He has held major academic and clinical positions, including Full Professor of Surgery at the Medical University of Graz (Austria) and Professor of Partnership at Vilnius University (Lithuania). He has trained at top centers in Germany, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, and Asia, and has performed thousands of highly complex operations.
Professor Schemmer is also an established clinical scientist and prolific author with hundreds of publications, editorial roles in scientific journals, and active membership in key surgical societies. His research focuses on organ preservation, ischemia-reperfusion injury, cancer surgery, and improving outcomes in transplant and visceral surgery.
His keynote lecture, “Liver and Kidney Transplantation – Surgical Techniques”, will deliver cutting-edge insights and practical wisdom drawn from his rich international practice.
We are excited to welcome Dr. Viktoras Palys, internationally recognized neurosurgeon and innovator, as a Keynote Speaker at the Vilnius Surgical Symposium for Young Surgeons on March 14 in Vilnius!
Dr. Palys has been living and working in the United States for over 15 years and is known for his pioneering work in functional neuro- and epilepsy surgery. Earlier this year, he made international headlines by performing the first-in-the-world operation to transplant living neurons into the brains of patients as part of an innovative clinical trial aimed at treating drug-resistant epilepsy — a procedure that has shown promising early results in reducing seizure frequency and improving quality of life.
His dedication to advancing neurosurgical care and sharing knowledge globally has made him an inspiration to surgeons and trainees alike. Dr. Palys continually collaborates with colleagues in Lithuania and abroad, driven by a passion to push the boundaries of surgical science while improving patient outcomes.
Keynote Lecture: “Innovations in Surgery: Personal Experience and Future Perspectives for Young Surgeons”. Join us for an unforgettable opportunity to hear from one of the leading minds in modern surgical innovation, whose work bridges cutting-edge research and transformative patient care.
