RSU Projects Receive Funding from LIAA

Researchers from Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) have received funding from the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) for the commercialisation of two projects.

LIAA has provided funding for the Latvian Clinical Personality Inventory (LCPI), using which it is possible to comprehensively assess a person’s mental condition as well as their ability for emotional and social adaptation.

The allocated funding will initially provide an opportunity to translate the project into Russian, which will enable it to be used with Russian-speaking Latvians. The next step is its commercialisation in Russia.

Ainārs Stepens,
Head of the Military Medicine Research and Study Centre,
LCPI co-author

‘This inventory is an innovative tool that is very crucial to psychologists’ work and since we are going to have a Russian translation, it makes sense to offer it to psychologists in Russia for professional use,’ explains Stepens. The researchers have already begun collaborating with psychologists in the neighbouring country. During the product’s commercialisation they will be looking for partners interested in undertaking the distribution of the inventory including placing it on various psychological assessment platforms online.

The allocated funding will also provide an opportunity to develop a manual intended for the interpretation of the results of the inventory, which will enable psychologists to explain and use the results of in both Latvian and Russian. The project has been allocated one and a half years to develop this project and acquire financing – one year for the final development of the interpretation manual and inventory versions (including the Russian version) and six months for commercialisation activities.

According to Stepens, the Latvian inventory is currently available on the website www.exploro.lv, which is an online psychological assessment platform created in Latvia. Psychologists can try it out for free.

The second RSU project supported by LIAA is Improvement of Glycopeptide Isolation Technology and Studying of Their Immune-Modulating Properties. Scientists from the RSU Institute of Microbiology and Virology have developed a technology to break down lactic acid bacteria and get a powdered active substance called glycopeptides. Findings show that this substance strengthens the immune system.

The project aims to offer this innovative technology to businesses and help them find ways to add the powder to the products. This would create a successful business model and the end consumer would receive a product that is beneficial to their health.

Līga Žūka, Project Manager,
RSU Technology Transfer Office

For example, possible ways of distributing the substance are to add it to food supplements, using it in cosmetics, or add it to fortified functional foods such as nutrition bars or drinks.

Approximately 40% of the LIAA funding is intended for research, refining results, and efficiency studies. Entrepreneurs will get access to the findings as proof of the valuable properties of glycopeptides. However, most of the funding is intended for a wide range of marketing activities, such as making a selection of Latvian and international entrepreneurs, introducing the technology and the products, as well as a variety of networking activities, which are currently taking place remotely.

The Technology Transfer Office manages the implementation of the new commercialisation projects. Two other projects are currently being commercialised: Test for detection of the genetic causes of infertility and A cream for restoring barrier functions of the skin.

Project development is financed by the European Regional Development Fund Operational Programme within the specific objective 1.2.1. To Increase Private Sector Investment in R&D Activity 1.2.1.2. Support for Improvement of Technology Transfer System.