News

The Scientific Director of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), Dr. sc. ing. Uģis Cābulis, and Leading Researcher of the Polymer Laboratory, PhD Miķelis Kirpluks, participated in the international mission of the Interreg project 4Growth in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The mission brought together representatives from four countries – Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Sweden. Latvia’s participation in the project is coordinated by Cleantech Latvia. During the visit, meetings were held with academic and innovation ecosystem representatives, including City University of Hong Kong, Hong...

Three months ago, an experiment was launched at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), where the student team “The Mushroomers" (Sēņotne”), led by research assistant and Master’s student Mikus Kampuss and supervised by leading researcher Dr. biol. Ilze Irbe, set out to cultivate turkey tail mushroom ( Trametes versicolor ) under laboratory conditions. A fungus that naturally grows in the wild was, in a sense, “persuaded” to develop in a controlled laboratory environment. Today, this question already has its first answer. The project is implemented within the framework of the...

On 31 March 2026, an information seminar of the European Space Agency (ESA) on the national programme Requesting Party Activities (RPA) will take place in Cēsis at the Space Education Center. The Scientific Director of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), Dr.sc.ing. Uģis Cābulis, will also participate in the event. The aim of the seminar is to present the upcoming RPA call, including its structure, funding opportunities, and principles for proposal preparation. The programme includes information sessions led by ESA experts, covering proposal development and educational...

During the Institute’s 80th anniversary celebration on March 20, a special place was dedicated to those whose professional lives have been closely intertwined with the Institute’s history, development, and daily work. Alongside addresses by the Institute’s leadership, representatives of the sector, and cooperation partners, the anniversary programme also included a tribute to the longest-serving colleagues of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. At this meaningful moment, appreciation was expressed to researchers whose long-term work has formed the professional foundation of the...

Today, on March 20, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry celebrates its 80th anniversary – a significant milestone in the Institute’s development and its contribution to science in Latvia and Europe. Marking this important occasion, Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze presented Certificates of Recognition to the Institute’s outstanding scientists at a ceremonial event, honouring their professional excellence, contributions to research, and efforts in strengthening the Institute’s international reputation. “The contribution of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry to science...

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...