News

In December, when peace and frost prevail outside, the beehive only appears dormant. In reality, a continuous, quiet commotion is taking place inside. Bees cluster into a tight ball, vibrating their wings and muscles to maintain heat at the centre of the colony. At the core of the bee cluster, temperatures often reach 20–30 °C, which protects the queen. This is one of nature's most sophisticated thermoregulation mechanisms. However, it is also very fragile. On winter days, when temperatures fluctuate rapidly, humidity spikes, or the outside frost penetrates too deeply, even a strong colony may...

On 28 November, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) hosted a continuing education course for science teachers, dedicated to wood chemistry and physics experiments for use in schools. The aim of the course was to stimulate the interest of students in grades 5–12 in the natural sciences and to strengthen teachers’ competence in teaching about wood as an important renewable resource. Organised by Latvia's State Forests (Latvijas valsts meži (LVM)) in cooperation with the Latvijas Koks association, the course introduced participants to the methodological resource “Wood Chemistry...

At the beginning of November, the international conference ICWSE 2025 – “Wood Science and Engineering in the Third Millennium” – took place in Brașov, Romania, bringing together researchers from more than 20 countries. This year’s programme also included the latest research from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) on sustainable bio-based panel materials for construction implemented by Ramūnas Tupčiauskas , Andris Bērziņš, Mārtiņš Andžs , Rūdolfs Bērziņš and Gunārs Pavlovičs. LSIWC scientist Ramūnas Tupčiauskas presented the paper “Properties of Innovative Bio-Based...

The European Commission has adopted a new Strategic Framework for a competitive and sustainable bioeconomy in the European Union , outlining the main development directions for the materials, chemical and biotechnology sectors up to 2040. The aim of the strategy is to accelerate the transition from fossil-based resources to bio-based solutions, while strengthening Europe’s economic resilience and creating new opportunities for industry. The importance of the bioeconomy in Europe In 2023, the value of the EU bioeconomy reached EUR 2.7 trillion, providing employment for more than 17 million...

The Scientific Director of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) and Head of the Polymer Laboratory, Dr. Uģis Cābulis, participated on 25 November in the Boost Pitch Perfect event in Brussels, organised by the Pilots4U by CoPilot initiative. The event brings together pilot plants, start-ups, industry partners and investors, creating opportunities for the development and commercialisation of new bioeconomy technologies. Uģis Cābulis presented the institute’s expertise in a pitch session titled “Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry – your partner in biomass valorization in...

Yesterday, on 24 November, the first conference of the BioPhoT – Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for the Creation of Innovative Products took place under the title “BioPhoT – Latvia’s Innovation Springboard” . The event brought together representatives of the biomedical and photonics industries, science policy makers, researchers, and entrepreneurs. It introduced the first 40 innovation projects funded by the platform, demonstrated their potential, and fostered dialogue on the importance of cooperation between science and industry. The first 40 BioPhoT-funded research and innovation...