Visit of MIRRI-ERIC Director to the University of Latvia Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences
On 3 June 2025, MIRRI-ERIC Director PhD Ana Portugal Melo visited the Latvian National Node of MIRRI-ERIC, where she met with representatives of the Node’s partner institutions: the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences at the University of Latvia, the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, and the prospective partner Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment – BIOR.
At Silava, the Director was welcomed by Professor Dārta Kļaviņa, Head of the Microbial Collection, expert Natalija Burneviča, and Head of the Molecular Laboratory Professor Dainis Rungis. The team presented the institute’s research directions and ongoing projects.
The visit continued at BIOR, where Laura Alksne, Head of the Microbial Resource Collection, introduced the work of the collection. Ana Portugal Melo also had the opportunity to meet BIOR’s Director, Professor Olga Valciņa, and to hear from PhD Juris Kibilds about the institute’s molecular research activities.
Visit to the University of Latvia
Later, the Director visited the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences at the University of Latvia, where she was introduced to the faculty’s diverse research areas. During her visit, she toured several research laboratories: in personalised medicine, cancer research, rare diseases, and the use of aptamers in diagnostic tool development; the Cell and Tissue Test Systems Laboratory; and the Natural Products Research Laboratory.
In a brief meeting with researchers from the Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology — PhD Reinis Rutkis, Professor Jānis Liepiņš, and PhD Olga Mutere — Ana Portugal Melo was introduced to the institute’s key research areas, including environmental remediation, secondary metabolite production by microorganisms, and yeast biology.
The visit concluded with a meeting with the faculty leadership: Dean Professor Kristaps Jaudzems and Vice-Dean for Research Professor Vita Rovīte. The discussion focused on the faculty’s development plans related to microbial collections and explored future opportunities for collaboration with MIRRI-ERIC.
