News

“The research team of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, together with young product designer Lūkass Segliņš, has created a unique innovation – a surfboard made from mushroom mycelium,” reports the 2–8 October issue of the magazine Ir. In the article “Mushrooms for Water Fun”, journalist Agnese Meiere introduces the story of how an idea for an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional polyurethane surfboards turned into a fully functional prototype. The project combined design and science – Lūkass Segliņš’s creativity with the innovative skills and expertise of LVKĶI...

In 2025, the Paul Walden Medal was awarded to Dr. Uģis Cābulis, Academician of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Director of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) and Head of the Polymer Laboratory, for his outstanding contribution to the development of polymer materials and space technologies. The award will be presented to our Scientific Director at the 66th International Scientific Conference of Riga Technical University on October 14. Throughout his scientific career, Uģis Cābulis has published more than 110 Scopus-indexed articles, with a Hirsch index of 31...

We are pleased and proud to announce that on September 30, academic elections were held at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. We warmly congratulate the colleagues who have been elected—whether for the first time or re-elected—to academic positions: Leading Researchers: Dr. Ulla Milbreta and PhD Mārtiņš Andžs. Researchers: Dr. Solvita Vītoliņa and Mg.sc.ing. Rūdolfs Bērziņš. May this new stage in your academic career inspire new discoveries, scientific achievements, and professional success!

With the arrival of autumn, Latvian forests and parks reveal an increasingly frequent sight on fallen or damaged tree trunks – the colorful turkey tail ( Trametes versicolor). This visually striking but inedible polypore fungus is known worldwide as one of the most extensively studied medicinal fungi. In Latvia, however, it has also become an inspiration for researchers at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, who are developing innovative mycelium biocomposites – natural materials that can replace synthetic foams and plastics. The story about this research and its achievements was...

This morning, on the Latvian Radio 1 program “Labrīt”, listeners learned about the cosmetic innovations being developed at our Institute. LSIWC’s leading researcher Dr.sc.ing. Aigars Pāže revealed how birch bark can be transformed into ecological creams that moisturize the skin and support its regeneration. The goal of our research team is to develop three products by April 2028: a hand cream, a face cream, and a sunscreen. A unique approach The LSIWC team applies the principle of Pickering emulsions: extremely fine birch bark extract particles stabilize the oil–water system. The base is...

On 26 September, the whole of Latvia celebrated Researchers’ Night 2025, with more than 30 locations simultaneously filled with the spirit of science. This year’s motto was “Discover the Researcher Gene in You!”, encouraging every visitor to embrace curiosity and experience what it feels like to be a researcher. An adventure at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry At our Institute, the evening was truly special. Event organizers Laima Vēvere and Daniela Godiņa, together with their colleagues, had prepared a diverse and engaging programme. Guests were welcomed by Ance Pļavniece and...