News

On 7–8 November, Riga Technical University hosted the event “Step by Step: How to Be the Best of the Best”, aimed at strengthening students’ personal development and interdisciplinary skills. This year, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) was one of the key partners, and the institute’s representative — PhD Daniela Godiņa, Chair of the LSIWC Student Council and researcher at the Biorefinery Laboratory — coordinated the event from our institute’s side. LSIWC Contribution: the “Green University” Challenge LSIWC designed a timely and creative challenge for students — “Green...

The staff of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) is celebrating a special moment — our colleague, Head of the Cellulose Laboratory, Dr.sc.ing. Inese Fiļipova, has recently been elected to the position of Associate Professor. This is a significant milestone in her professional journey, reflecting not only outstanding scientific achievements but also her long-standing contribution to academic teaching. Inese is one of the leading researchers in cellulose materials, and her story is one of both rational choices and deep passion — a story about the path into science, the people...

MSc Priscilla de Souza Lima from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (IMC), Czech Academy of Sciences, is visiting the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) for ten days within the framework of the mobility project “Bio-based and recyclable material development by unleashing the potential of covalent adaptable networks (RecCAN)” (No. LZA-25-01). Originally from Brazil, MSc de Souza Lima is a researcher in the field of green chemistry, synthesis of polyurethane via non-isocyanate routes for different applications, improvement of performances of renewable foams using different...

On 7 November, the second call for Research and Innovation Projects (RIPs) of the research platform “Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products” (“BioPhoT”) closed with an indicative amount of €4,826,110 available for researchers. 99 project applications were received from 14 research organisations. “The 40 projects in the first call have already started and the interest of scientists in the second call for BioPhoT funding opportunities is also very high. The number of applications shows that the research community is ready to continue the path of Latvian science...

On superwood, Professor Liangbing Hu’s research, and the Latvian scientists’ idea for a biocompatible implant material Today Dr. chem. Laura Andže, leading researcher at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), appeared on the Latvian Radio programme “Zināmais nezināmajā” ( “Known in the Unknown”), where she spoke with journalist Mariona Baltkalne about wood densification research and recent advances in this field. Laura Andže explained that, although wood densification is not a new concept — the first patents date back to the early 1900s — modern research is revealing new...

Yesterday, at the Latvian Circular Economy Forum 2025, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) held a session titled “From Birch Bark to the Future of Mycelium”, where scientists together with an industry representative showcased how biotechnology and wood chemistry are transforming into tangible circular solutions. Moderator Dr. Jānis Rižikovs opened the discussion with the thought that circularity means “seeing resources where once there were wastes or low-value by-products”, emphasizing the role of Latvian scientists in converting biological resources into high-value materials...