“99 scientists” ideas in second BioPhoT call for €4.8 million“BioPhoT” otrajā konkursā uz 4,8 miljoniem eiro pretendē 99 zinātnieku idejas

On 7 November, the second call for Research and Innovation Projects (RIPs) of the research platform “Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products” (“BioPhoT”) closed with an indicative amount of €4,826,110 available for researchers. 99 project applications were received from 14 research organisations.

“The 40 projects in the first call have already started and the interest of scientists in the second call for BioPhoT funding opportunities is also very high. The number of applications shows that the research community is ready to continue the path of Latvian science towards international recognition, to think boldly, to collaborate with the commercial sector and to move scientific ideas towards practical commercialisation. Innovation starts with an idea, but it grows where there is trust, support and the opportunity to act,“ says Osvalds Pugovičs, BioPhoT Platform Manager said.

The most active applicants were Riga Technical University with 26 projects and the University of Latvia (LU) with 20 projects. Riga Stradiņš University, the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis and the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia are each participating with 11 projects. The Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre has submitted eight project applications, as have the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, the Scientific Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health Environment “BIOR” and the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. In addition to the consortium members, researchers from Daugavpils University, Ventspils University College, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Latvian University of Biosciences and Technology and Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music have also applied for participation in the competition, thus significantly broadening the range of participants and promoting interdisciplinary cooperation in Latvian science.

The second BioPhoT call for proposals will approve 25 research projects and make €4,826,110 indicatively available to scientists to implement innovative solutions in two of Latvia's Smart Specialisation (RIS3) areas - biomedicine, medical technologies and pharmaceuticals, as well as photonics and smart materials research, technologies and engineering systems. Each PIP can receive up to €190,000 and has a duration of 8 months, with the possibility to extend it for a further 3 months without additional funding.

The Latvian Research Council has already started the administrative eligibility check of project applications. In early December, project teams will have the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of industry experts, who will assess the innovative potential of the ideas and their relevance to market and user needs.

“BioPhoT competitions aim to bridge the gap between science and the commercial sector by promoting the development and commercialisation of new technologies. Alongside the competitions, the platform offers free training programmes on technology transfer, intellectual property protection and commercialisation of innovations, as well as mentoring to assess the readiness of projects.

O. Pugovičs emphasises that the first BioPhoT competition has proved the ability of Latvian scientists to generate ideas with high technological and commercial potential, with 40 projects supported for a total of EUR 8 million. The projects will be presented on 24 November, when the first BioPhoT - Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products Conference “BioPhoT - Latvia's Innovation Springboard”.

“BioPhoT is implemented by the Latvian Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, the Institute of Solid State Physics, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, the Scientific Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment ”BIOR“, Riga Stradins University and Riga Technical University under the leadership of the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis. By 2032, the platform plans to develop at least 35 new technologies, more than two thirds of which will be developed to validation in real or full-scale conditions and at least four will reach the commercialisation phase.

In the first round of the National Research Programme BioPhoT, funding was awarded to Dr. chem. Laura Andže, leading researcher at the Cellulose Laboratory of our Institute, for the project: “OsteoWood. Next-Gen Bone Fixation from Birch: A Sustainable Pathway from Forest to Functional Implant.”

The OsteoWood team is developing partially delignified, densified, and mechanically strong birch wood samples impregnated with oligochitosan to improve their biocompatibility and dimensional stability. The material will be developed up to TRL3, including microscopic structural analysis, mechanical testing, and cell compatibility studies under laboratory conditions.

This niche biomaterial solution has not yet been widely explored globally, and its potential points toward future export and medical innovation pathways, grounded in Latvia’s renewable resources and LSIWC’s strong expertise in wood chemistry.

The project is implemented by a team of researchers from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, Rīga Stradiņš University, and the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis: Laura Andže, Vadims Ņefjodovs, Mārtiņš Andžs, Juris Zoldners, Sigvards Krongorns, Ulla Milbreta, Antons Sizovs, and Mārīte Škute.

Projekts “Biomedicīnas un fotonikas pētniecības platforma inovatīvu produktu radīšanai” jeb “BioPhoT” tiek īstenots Ekonomikas ministrijas finansētās ilgtermiņa valsts pētījumu programmas “Inovāciju fonds – ilgtermiņa pētījumu programma” ietvaros. Platformas numurs: IVPP-EM-Inovācija-2024/1-0002.