BioPhoT offers to discover Latvian innovations in biomedicine, photonics and technology at Industry Day

On 26 January, the University of Latvia (UL) Academic Centre Science House in Riga will host the Industry Day of the long-term national research programme BioPhoT. During the event, you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with current BioPhoT-funded research, innovations and prototypes, their practical applications, as well as to develop new cooperation projects.

The aim of Industry Day is to strengthen the dialogue between science and industry, promote knowledge transfer and support the development of new research and innovation projects. The event will bring together representatives from the fields of biomedicine, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, photonics, smart materials, technology and engineering systems to foster targeted collaboration between academia, industry and investors.

The language of the Industry Day is English and participation is free of charge. Event programme and registration: https://luma.com/i81hmsl0

The event will be of particular interest to researchers and academics who want to broaden the visibility of their research, better understand industry needs and develop collaborations with companies and investors.

The Industry Day programme will include presentations by foreign and Latvian experts on successful models of cooperation between science and industry, knowledge transfer and research commercialisation, including Hello Tomorrow Partnerships Coordinator Alexander Saivz (Alexander Cywes), Jakub Jasiczak, President of the Polish Association of University Knowledge Transfer Companies (Jakub Jasiczak), professor at the University of Tartu and Alliance4Life Toivo Maimets, president of the consortium, and EIT Health Director of Education Selina Karera (Céline Carrera).

The programme will be complemented by a panel discussion “What hinders successful cooperation between industry and academia?”, which will be attended by Raivis Bremšmits, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economics, representatives of industry and academia, including Prof. Prof. Māris Turks, representatives of Alternative Plants co-founder and Executive Director Anna Ramata-Stunda, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Chemical and Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs Association (LACCEA) Vitālijs Skrīvelis and other experts.

In thematic parallel sessions, companies and organisations such as Labrains, Olpha, Kinetics Science Foundation, LMT and the Latvian Federation of Security and Defence Industries will share their technological and research challenges. 

The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) will be represented at the conference by leading researcher Dr. chem. Laura Andže, who is implementing the OsteoWood project within BioPhoT.
The aim of the project is to develop and validate an innovative birch wood material for osteosynthesis implants, offering a biologically compatible alternative for patients for whom traditional metal implants (e.g., titanium or steel) are unsuitable. Approximately 2–5% of patients experience allergic reactions or metal intolerance, and OsteoWood targets precisely such cases.

The OsteoWood team is developing partially delignified, densified and mechanically robust birch wood samples impregnated with oligochitosan to improve biocompatibility and dimensional stability. The material will be advanced to TRL3, including microscopic structural analysis, mechanical testing, and cell compatibility assessments in laboratory conditions.

This biomaterial direction is still scarcely explored globally, and its potential is oriented toward future export and medical innovation built on Latvia’s renewable resources and the high-level expertise in wood chemistry.
The project is implemented by a joint research team from the LSIWC, Riga 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.

To strengthen long-term partnerships, the event will see the signing of two MoUs between the BioPhoT platform and leading international innovation and health organisations - with the global deep tech innovation ecosystem Hello Tomorrow and with EIT Health - Europe's largest network of health innovators. “The Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products (BioPhoT) is a long-term interdisciplinary research and innovation platform that brings together leading Latvian research institutions and universities with the aim of facilitating the translation of scientific results into competitive and marketable solutions.

No IVPP-EM-Innovation-2024/1-0002 "Long-term national research programme project "Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products"

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