Dr. sc. ing. Sandra Muižniece-Brasava, Professor and leading researcher, Faculty of Food Technology, Head of the Department of Technology and Knowledge Transfer, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Corresponding Member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Sandra’s main research interests are sustainable food packaging technologies and optimisation of food packaging according to an eco-design strategy.
Dr. phys. Gints Kučinskis, Leading researcher and Head of the Laboratory of Materials for Energy Harvesting and Storage, Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia. Physicist Gints Kučinskis has used his more than five years of experience working in research institutes in Germany to establish what is probably the largest battery materials research group in Latvia at the ISSP UL, successfully collaborating with both local start-ups and Europe’s leading lithium-ion battery manufacturing companies.
Dr. chem. Jānis Veliks Leading researcher and Head of the Laboratory of Organic Synthesis, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis. The main research focus of Jānis Veliks is the development of new – efficient, easy to use and stable – fluoromethylene group reagents for the simultaneous introduction of fluorine and carbon atoms into organic compounds. These reagents allow new fluorinated molecules to be formed more easily and their most important potential application is in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, as on average one in four of them contains at least one fluorine atom.
Ph. D. Brigita Dejus, Leading researcher, Water Research and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Riga Technical University (RTU). Brigita is a young RTU researcher whose research work is related to water, wastewater monitoring and treatment. She developed her PhD thesis while studying at RTU and the Royal Swedish Institute of Technology, studying the potential of using microscopic fungi in the treatment of wastewater from pharmaceutically active substances.
Dr. med. Linda Gailīte, Leading researcher and Head of the Scientific Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradins University. Linda has been working in the RSU Scientific Laboratory of Molecular Genetics since 2002. The main activity of the laboratory is genetic analysis, studying acquired or inherited DNA changes in various diseases and signs. Linda has developed a genetic test, GENTERF, for the simultaneous detection of genetic variations important for reproduction, which helps to diagnose known genetic causes of infertility more quickly.
Prof. Mārcis Auziņš Head of the Department of Experimental Physics of the Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Optometry, University of Latvia. The professional career of physicist Mārcis Auziņš has always been associated with the UL and is undeniably regarded as a truly successful one, both in Latvia and worldwide. He has chaired the UL Senate, served as Dean of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, and Rector of UL. He has served on the Senate of the Latvian Academy of Sciences and the Latvian Council of Science, has been a visiting professor at several universities in the UK, Germany, Israel, Taiwan and the USA, and his monographs have been published by Cambridge and Oxford University Press.
Dr. biol. Vita Rovīte, Head of the Molecular and Functional Genomics Research Group, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre and Head of the Latvian National Biobank. Molecular genetics has been Vita’s specialisation since the beginning of her studies. She has received recognition for her research on acromegaly, a rare endocrine pathology caused by a benign pituitary tumour overproducing growth hormone (GH), contributing to various comorbidities and causing increased mortality.
Dr. geogr. Pēteris Lakovskis, Chairman of the Scientific Council and Head of the Bioeconomy Division, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics.
Pēteris has been actively involved in Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics research management for eight years and is currently leading the National Research Programme project “Sustainable management of land resources and landscapes: assessment of challenges, methodological solutions and proposals”, which is developing an interactive digital landscape atlas and comprehensive alternative scenarios and recommendations for the efficiency and sustainability of land resource use.
Ph. D. Miķelis Kirpļuks, Leading researcher, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. The research interests of chemical technologist Miķelis Kirpļuks are related to the development of innovative polymers and their extraction from renewable and recyclable raw materials, replacing refined petroleum products with more environmentally friendly alternatives. He has successfully leveraged several Fundamental and Applied Research Programme, European Regional Development Fund and European Research Area Networks projects.