News

On 17 March, Leading Researcher at the LSIWC Polymer Laboratory, PhD Miķelis Kirpļuks, visited the University of Latvia at the invitation of Assoc. Prof. Ingars Reinholds to deliver a lecture on polyurethane (PU) materials. The lecture provided a comprehensive overview of polyurethane chemistry, with particular focus on PU foams—their structure–property relationships and applications in construction, automotive engineering, and energy-efficient thermal insulation solutions. It covered the reaction mechanisms of isocyanates and polyols, the significance of the NCO index, the use of various...

In 2026, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) celebrates its 80th anniversary. Eight decades mark continuous development — from fundamental research in wood chemistry to modern bioeconomy, biorefining, and international collaboration. The anniversary year is structured as a series of events reflecting the institute’s activities at different levels: 20 March — anniversary year opening event with cooperation partners 6–8 May — international young scientists’ conference BTechPro 2026 November — anniversary event for colleagues These events reflect the institute’s activities...

What do cosmetic cream, home insulation foam and plywood have in common? All of these products can use compounds derived from birch bark. Researchers at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, working together with industrial partners, are investigating how these natural compounds can be transformed into new cosmetic ingredients, insulation materials and environmentally friendly binders that can replace fossil-based raw materials. In the modern bioeconomy, the ability to use natural resources efficiently and to develop new materials from woody biomass is becoming increasingly important...

On 10 March 2026, the Latvia–Czech Business Forum took place in Riga at the Pullman Riga Old Town hotel. The forum was dedicated to strengthening cooperation in the fields of security and defence technologies as well as biotechnology. The event brought together representatives of companies, research organisations, investors and policymakers from Latvia and the Czech Republic. Opening remarks at the forum were delivered by the President of the Republic of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, as well as the Latvian Minister of Economics, Viktors Valainis...

During the spring semester of this year, the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences at the University of Latvia offers the Master’s level course “Mycology” within the Biology study programme. The course provides students with knowledge about fungal structure, metabolism, taxonomy, and ecology. On 4 March 2026, students from the University of Latvia, together with the course lecturer — leading researcher Dārta Kļaviņa from the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava — and staff members from the Forest Phytopathology and Mycology Laboratory of Silava, visited the Latvian State Institute of...

The ARMS consortium is celebrating a new scientific milestone: a collaborative publication that demonstrates how sustainable materials and smart engineering can redefine what printed energy‑storage devices can achieve. In our new Small Science open‑access article, a team of researchers Hamed Pourkheirollah, Remuel Isaac M. Vitto, Jari Keskinen, and Matti M¨antysalo from Tampere University, Dāvis Kalniņš, Līga Grīnberga, Anatolijs Šarakovskis, Gints Kučinskis from the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Aleksandrs Volperts from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry...