Justinas Čeponkus

Dr. Justinas Čeponkus is a Professor at the Institute of Chemical Physics (ICP) within the Faculty of Physics at Vilnius University. His research focuses on vibrational spectroscopy and matrix isolation techniques, with applications in studying molecules in cryogenic solids and biological systems. He has established himself as a leading researcher in spectroscopy, particularly known for his work on matrix isolation infrared absorption spectroscopy and its biomedical applications.

Dr. Čeponkus' primary research interests include spectroscopy of molecules isolated in cryogenic solids and spectroscopy of biological systems. His work bridges fundamental molecular physics with practical biomedical applications, developing spectroscopic techniques for medical diagnostics. His research has significant implications for understanding molecular structures and dynamics in various environments, from isolated molecules to complex biological tissues. He applies advanced vibrational spectroscopy methods to study molecular conformations, hydrogen bonding, and molecular interactions in controlled environments.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward applying vibrational spectroscopy to biological systems, particularly in medical contexts. The research shows increasing application of matrix isolation techniques to biomedical problems, with emphasis on real-time surgical applications and pathogen detection in tissues. His work spans fundamental molecular physics to applied medical diagnostics, with collaborations across physics, chemistry, and medical disciplines.

Dr. Čeponkus actively supervises doctoral students and leads significant research projects. He currently supervises two PhD students (

• Rimante Bandzevičiūtė: 'Fiber optics based vibrational spectroscopy of biological tissues' (expected defense 2023-03)
• Gerda Anužienė: 'Identification of pathogenic microorganisms in biological tissues by the means of fiber based Infrared spectroscopy' (expected defense 2025-10)

) and has successfully guided Rasa Platakytė to PhD completion in 2022. He has served as project leader for two Bilateral Lithuanian-French 'Gilibert' agreements focusing on matrix isolation vibrational spectroscopy.

As an educator, Dr. Čeponkus teaches multiple courses including Optical and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Automatization of experiment, Geometrical optics, Computer hardware and software, and Methods for the analysis of spectroscopic data. He also serves as Head of the Bachelor study program committee for Physics at Vilnius University, demonstrating his leadership role within the academic community.