Annual Pauls Stradiņš Award goes to RSU professor, ophthalmologist Guna Laganovska

The name of the winner of the annual Pauls Stradiņš Award was announced on 17 January at Pauls Stradiņš Museum for the History of Medicine. This year the Senate of the Latvian Academy of Sciences has decided to present the award to Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) professor, ophthalmologist Guna Laganovska for long-standing and significant contribution to the development of ophthalmology on a national and global scale through the implementation of innovative treatment methods and the promotion of eye disease prevention.

Professor Guna Laganovska is head of the RSU Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and leads the Ophthalmology Clinic at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital.

Over the past seven years the professor has published over 100 scientific publications in internationally recognised journals and has been actively involved in academic life, teaching a number of study courses at RSU, among these are “Ophthalmology”, “Topical Issues in Ophthalmology” and “Basic Paediatric Ophthalmology”.

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The professor takes an active role in international professional organisations, bringing the medical achievements of Latvia worldwide. Since 1997 Guna Laganovska is chair of the Association of Ophthalmologists of Latvia and a member of the board of the Latvian Association of Optometrists and Opticians and since 1999 the Latvian representative at the European Society of Ophthalmology and also the International Association of Ophthalmologists.

The professional capacity and experience of Guna Laganovska are highly regarded by her colleagues. Being awarded the Ilmars Lazovskis prize "For Fundamental Contribution to Healthcare and Medical Education" by the Latvian Society of Physicians in 2015 is confirmation of this.

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From left: RSU rector Prof. Aigars Pētersons, academician Jānis Stradiņš and Prof. Guna Laganovska

The annual Pauls Stradiņš award for outstanding research activity in medical history or significant contribution to practical medicine is presented by Pauls Stradiņš Museum for History of Medicine, Riga Stradiņš University and the Latvian Academy of Sciences. The winner of the award is traditionally announced on 17th January - the birthday of Pauls Stradiņš - while the award-giving ceremony is held a couple of months later.

The tradition of presenting the Pauls Stradiņš award was introduced in 1983 by Pauls Stradiņš Museum for History of Medicine, with the intention of giving credit to cutting-edge research in medical history or significant contribution to practical medicine. The prize is named after the outstanding surgeon, oncologist and founder of the museum and nursing school, Pauls Stradiņš. The Latvian Academy of Sciences has been involved in the awarding of the prize since 1991, whereas RSU takes part by putting forward nominations since 2014. The design author of the prize is sculptor Jānis Strupulis.