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BioPhoT, the biomedical and photonics research platform for innovative products, launches a new initiative - BioPhoT“ Industry Challenge , creating a space where science and industry meet, accessible to everyone. Here, companies have a unique opportunity to present their technological challenges, which research teams can address by applying scientific expertise and creating solutions with a direct impact on industry. Industry Challenge or industry challenges, cover a wide range of science-intensive sectoral issues that affect multiple industry players and other stakeholders. Researchers...

In front of the School of Aeronautical and Space Engineering (ETSIAE–UPM) at the Polytechnic University of Madrid stands the CASA C-101 training aircraft – a symbol of Spanish aviation pride and engineering precision. It was here that the 15th EASN International Conference took place, where Laima Vēvere, researcher at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, presented innovative cryogenic insulation materials for future hydrogen aviation. The 15th European Aeronautics and Space Network (EASN) International Conference this year was dedicated to the theme “Aviation and Space Innovation for...

In September 2025, the 5th International Conference “RETASTE: Rethink Food Resources, Losses, and Waste” took place in Athens, Greece, bringing together experts from across Europe to discuss innovative solutions for the reuse of food resources, losses, and waste within the framework of the circular bioeconomy. The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) was represented by researchers Anna Andersone and Natālija Zaharova, who presented the study “Inflammation-Modulating Activity of Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) and Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) Pruning Lignocellulosic Biomass’ Extracts”...

Researchers from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry participated in the 21st Annual Conference of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE), which in 2025 gathered more than 130 scientists from 18 countries. Founded in 2004, the WSE network has for two decades served as a platform for collaboration among wood science researchers, institutions, and industry representatives. This year’s thematic conference, “Green Buildings with Renewable Structural Elements and Adhesives,” was dedicated to the use of renewable materials in construction, emphasizing the...

Brewer’s spent grain is one of the largest by-products of the food industry worldwide – its annual volume exceeds 40 million tonnes, with more than 3 million tonnes produced in European breweries alone. Rich in lignocellulose, proteins, and biologically active compounds, brewer’s spent grain represents a valuable yet underutilized resource for green chemistry and bioeconomy applications. Harnessing this potential is at the heart of a new project launched by the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC). Leading researcher Dr.sc.ing. Māris Puķe, together with partners from Ltd. Baltic...

Today, filming took place at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) featuring Dr. chem. Laura Andže, recipient of funding under the national long-term research programme BioPhoT, who leads the project “OsteoWood. Next-Generation Birch Wood Solution for Bone Fixation – a Sustainable Pathway from Forest to Functional Implants.” “There are surprisingly many similarities between the structure of wood cells and human cells,” says Dr. chem. Laura Andže, leading researcher at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. Both wood and human bone are living, breathing materials – they...