LSIWC Represented at the BioPhoT Industry Day

Yesterday, the BioPhoT Industry Day of Latvia’s national research programme took place at the House of Science of the University of Latvia Academic Centre in Riga, bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers to strengthen dialogue between science and industry and to promote the market uptake of research results.

During the event, a cooperation memorandum was signed between the European health innovation network EIT Health and the national research and innovation platform BioPhoT. The memorandum aims to jointly promote research commercialisation, early-stage innovation and the closer integration of Latvian researchers and start-ups into the European health innovation ecosystem by engaging partners in international collaboration initiatives.

The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry was represented at the event by our Scientific Director Dr. sc. ing. Uģis Cābulis and Leading Researcher Dr. chem. Laura Andže, who is implementing the OsteoWood project within the BioPhoT framework (No. IVPP-EM-Inovācija-2024/1-0002).

The aim of the OsteoWood project is to develop and validate an innovative birch-wood-based material for osteosynthesis implants, offering a biocompatible alternative for patients for whom traditional metal implants, such as titanium or steel, are unsuitable. Approximately 2–5% of patients experience allergic reactions or metal intolerance, and the OsteoWood solution is designed specifically to address such clinical situations.

The OsteoWood team is developing partially delignified, densified and mechanically robust birch-wood specimens, which are impregnated with oligochitosan to improve biocompatibility and dimensional stability. The material will be advanced to TRL 3 through microscopic structural analysis, mechanical testing and in-vitro cell compatibility studies.

This biomaterials research direction is currently relatively underexplored worldwide, and its potential is linked to future export opportunities and medical innovations based on Latvia’s renewable resources and its high-level expertise in wood chemistry.

“From a researcher’s perspective, these memoranda open up opportunities to better understand industry thinking and step into its perspective. The BioPhoT platform is already helping scientists view their research through the lens of applicability, and collaboration with EIT Health and Hello Tomorrow can significantly strengthen this process,” emphasises Laura Andže.

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.

We invite you to watch a video about the BioPhoT project: OsteoWood

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