By leading the Latvian National Contact Point of the European translational medicine infrastructure EATRIS, Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) plans to purposefully strengthen cooperation with other European research infrastructures (ERICs) and initiatives included in the ESFRI Roadmap of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, building on the collaboration established by EATRIS-ERIC at the European level
The European translational medicine infrastructure, EATRIS, aims to bring together the research infrastructures and expertise of European countries to deliver high-quality translational medicine projects, accelerating the development of new diagnostic methods and medicines, ensuring their implementation in clinical practice, and promoting scientific excellence. In Latvia, EATRIS is coordinated by RSU.
"EATRIS is a European infrastructure that helps turn scientific discoveries into real medical products by providing access to expertise, equipment, and resources from more than 150 leading academic centres across Europe. EATRIS also collaborates with national funding agencies and policymakers, providing support such as regulatory advice, training, and mentoring to promote research and innovation. By joining the EATRIS network, Latvian research institutions gain access to broader collaboration opportunities and can take on a significant role in the development of personalised medicine solutions,” previously explained Zaiga Nora-Krūkle, Director of the RSU Institute of Microbiology and Virology.
Within the project “RSU Participation in the Horizon Europe Programme,” the Latvian EATRIS National Contact Point plans to strengthen cooperation with the national contact points of other ERICs. This collaboration aims to expand Latvian researchers’ access to Europe-wide research resources, competencies, and services in translational medicine.
The planned cooperation includes regular information exchange among ERIC national contact points, joint organisation of thematic events and information activities, and targeted consultations for Latvian researchers on access to infrastructure services and participation in international research projects. To improve access to biological samples and related data, essential for biomarker development and the advancement of personalised medicine, strengthened cooperation with BBMRI-ERIC is envisaged. Cooperation with ELIXIR will focus on biomedical data management, interoperability, and the implementation of FAIR principles, while collaboration with OpenScreen will address opportunities in the early stages of drug development through high-throughput screening technologies.
Within the EATRIS Latvia initiative, it is planned to provide national research institutions and clinical partners with access to modern research technologies and to attract resources for the development of new medicinal products. As EATRIS is dedicated to the implementation of medical innovation, Latvian scientists will have the opportunity to actively use the capabilities of the EATRIS research infrastructure, designed to support the development of personalised medicine and new therapeutic approaches.
