Invitation to a seminar of the Doctoral school in translational medicine at the University of Latvia

The Doctoral school in translational medicine at the University of Latvia invites to participate in a seminar on the topic "The Nordic diet and the characteristics of intestinal microbiota" which will take place at 3:30 p.m., December 15. The event will be conducted by M.D. Daiga Šantare, a leading researcher at the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia.

During the seminar, Ilze Birka, a gastroenterologist and doctoral student at the University of Latvia, will tell about the intestinal microbiota and factors influencing it. Participants will have an opportunity to learn how the Nordic diet can affect the intestinal microbiota of both healthy people and patients in cases of certain diseases. Also, participants of the seminar will be told which foods from the Baltic Sea diet pyramid have the greatest influence.

To register as Doctoral school or only seminar participant, please follow this link.

Illustration of the Baltic Sea Diet Pyramid

LU KPMI project data have been presented at GASTRO 2021 Prague

On December 9-11, 2021, at the O2 Universum, Prague's most modern multifunctional cultural and congress center, is being held GASTRO 2021 Prague, arranged by the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) in partnership with the Czech Society of Gastroenterology (ČGS) in hybrid format, featuring in-person sessions with a virtual component.

Today, Olga Sjomina, a doctoral student at the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia (LU KPMI), presented data obtained from the GISTAR study “Optimisation of H.pylori eradication therapy for population-based gastric cancer prevention” funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) 1.1.1.1. project "Practical Studies", 2^nd phase (project ID No. 1.1.1.1/18/A/184).

The project aims to reduce gastric cancer mortality by eradicating Helicobacter pylori and determining pepsinogen levels. This would allow to detect an increased risk of gastrointestinal stromal tumors in a timely manner.

In the picture - Olga Sjomina

The GISTAR study is co-financed by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) 1.1.1.1. project "Practical Studies", 2nd phase, project ID Nr. 1.1.1.1/18/A/184 "Optimisation of H.pylori eradication therapy for population-based gastric cancer prevention"

The involvement of participants for the GISTAR study at the Kuldīga Regional Centre has been finished

On December 2, the inclusion of participants for the GISTAR study was successfully completed. From May 10 to December 2, 2021, a total of 679 respondents were involved at this centre. The research administrative manager, Ms Aiga Rūdule, thanked the Kuldīga Regional Centre staff for their great work.

In Latvia, the GISTAR study was launched in Cēsis town already in October 2013; and it has also taken place in such Latvian cities and towns as Alūksne, Ludza, Saldus, Tukums, Dobele, Jēkabpils, Madona, and Rēzekne so far.

It must be added that 10 381 respondents were included in the study since its beginning in 2013 until early December this year. Work with participants is currently continuing on the evaluation of the effectiveness of H.pylori eradication therapy.

 

© Aiga Rūdule. In the picture, from left to right: Elita Zazerska, Lienīte Pūpola, and Mārīte Lagzdiņa (Elīna Kronlaka and Sandra Reimane were absent when the photo was taken).

The fifth anniversary event of LU KPMI has come

November 15 marks five years since the founding of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia (LU KPMI). In honour of the event, the virtual meeting will be on Zoom starting at 3:30 p.m., November 16. The key members of administrative staff of the University of Latvia will be present to look back on what has been reached and to thank all those who have significantly contributed to the development of LU KPMI.

Many employees of LU KPMI were involved in the process of organising the informal part of the event by suggesting their colleagues for various unofficial nominations, for example, 'The Perpetuum Mobile of LU KPMI', 'The Know-It-All of LU KPMI', 'The Most Frugal Employee of LU KPMI', 'The Enthusiast of the LU KPMI Boldest Ideas', 'The Voice of Reason of LU KPMI', and for several others intriguing nominations.

The employees of LU KPMI were invited to show their gratitude to the closest colleagues for a special performance or support as well as to write both serious and humorous wishes for the Institute itself and its further development. The employees of LU KPMI expressed many colourful wishes, among them were achieving their desired outcomes, at the same time enjoying the beautiful road towards these goals; doubling the number of employees and tripling the number of projects; in poetic form expressed self-irony about the importance of one's own personality.

The live broadcast of the official event will also be available on the Facebook account of LU KPMI.

International experts will study how to improve cancer care in Latvia

The European Commission has approved the project “Improving cancer care coordination and screening in Latvia and Slovakia” (DG REFORM), initiated by LU KPMI. The project was launched on November 1, involving ministries and oncology specialists, and will become one of the measures for the development of the industry. The main goal of the project is to propose a strategic plan tailored to the needs of Latvia and Slovakia, which will contribute to reducing cancer mortality, improve cancer registration, achieve comprehensive accreditation of cancer care and research infrastructures / networks, and improve breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening programs.

At present, Latvia and Slovakia lag behind EU Member States in terms of performance in terms of continuity of cancer care and, in particular, screening programs. In Latvia, cancer registries have not provided up-to-date statistics for the last two years. Data logging platforms are not able to provide data acquisition and exchange in accordance with current requirements. Cancer screening programs, on the other hand, have a number of shortcomings, the most important of which is the lack of clearly defined responsibilities. Several ministries contribute to cancer policy, but the level of coordination is not always satisfactory. There is also no accredited cancer care center in the country that could facilitate strategic planning for cancer control. Therefore, the new DG REFORM project will help to improve the situation.

Inform about cancer research and afterpatient care

On October 28, at 14:00, a press conference of Riga East Clinical University Hospital and the University of Latvia will take place online to inform about current events in the aftercare of cancer patients both in the context of the European Union (EU) Cancer Mission Council recommendations and research, as well as on the progress of the international innovation project PERSIST.
The press conference is organized by the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia (LU KPMI) and Riga East Hospital (RAKUS), which actively cooperate in the field of education and research, implementing several important joint projects, especially in the field of cancer research. The conference will be attended by: Professor Mārcis Leja (Director of LU KPMI), Professor Haralds Plaudis (Member of the Board of Riga East Hospital), Ilmārs Stonāns (Deputy Director of LU KPMI), Krista Arcimoviča (Surgeon of Riga East Hospital) and Gunita Berķe (Chairman of the Board of the Association of Oncological patients "Dzīvības koks").
The live broadcast of the press conference will also be available on the Facebook account of the University of Latvia.

Read more about the event HERE.

   

Scientific paper has been prepared for publication on the comparison of efficacy and adverse effects in Helicobacter pylori eradication

Having analysed data, obtained from the project ID No. 1.1.1.1/18/A/184 “Optimisation of H.pylori eradication therapy for population-based gastric cancer prevention” co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, Olga Sjomina, a scientific assistant at the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia, together with a research project team, has prepared a scientific paper titled “Randomised clinical trial: comparison of efficacy and adverse effects of a standard triple clarithromycin-containing regimen with high-dose amoxicillin and bismuth therapy in Helicobacter pylori eradication.”

The article has been accepted for publication in one of the next issues of the European Journal of Cancer Prevention. https://journals.lww.com/eurjcancerprev/Abstract/9000/Randomised_clinical_trial__comparison_of_efficacy.98999.aspx

The GISTAR study is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund 1.1.1.1. measure "Practical Studies", 2nd phase, project ID No. 1.1.1.1/18/A/184 "Optimisation of H.pylori eradication therapy for population-based gastric cancer prevention".

 

The preparatory work of the HYCOR project is being successfully implemented!

From July to October, preparation work for the project “Hybrid-sensor breath analysis for colorectal cancer screening (HYCOR)" was started. After the preparation work, it will be possible to start the clinical activities of the project.

During this time period physicians and researchers worked to develop a general clinical project protocol which will be used throughout the study. Also standard operating procedure protocols were created, as well as questionnaires and data collection software were updated, which will be used to enter information about each participant in the project. The criteria for the selection of subjects were also defined and a scheme for recruiting participants was developed.

The project is funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) 1.1.1.1. project "Practical Studies", 4th phase, project ID Nr. 1.1.1.1/20/A/035.

Marcis Leja in Belgium took part in a scientific conference “40 years of Science for the Future. Prevention of cancer is effective and affordable”

On October 16, 2021 in Belgium (Elzart), near Brussels, a scientific conference on the topic was organized to celebate the 40th anniversary of the European Cancer Prevention organization (ECP) and the 30th anniversary of its journal - European Journal of Cancer Prevention.

ECP was established in 1981 to unite the forces of European researchers in the field of cancer prevention as well as to assure the leading positions of the European researchers in this topic globally.

The Director of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive medicine Mārcis Leja was inivited to present the progress of the GISTAR study; in the presentation he covered also the ongoing studies of volatile organic testing for gastric cancer, including the gastric cancer prevention initiative that has been suggested for the Health platform of the GAIA-X project being supported by the European Commission. Prof. Carlo La Vecchia (Milan, Italy) was reporting on the international gastric cancer data pooling initiative – StoP project; Latvian researchers are involved also in this.

Photo (from the left): Prof. Carlo La Vecchia and the President of  ECP Prof. Jaak Janssens

 

A seminar of the participants of the international research project PERSIST was held

Today, October 14, a seminar of the PERSIST project was held. PERSIST is a cancer survivor care plan based on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence technologies.
In the first part of the seminar, Dr. med. Daiga Shantare with delivered a lecture “Healthy diet for patients after cancer treatment”. In the second part, the technical partners of the study, together with the participants, assessed the work of the new health application mHealth. Feedback and suggestions from participants will help technical partners to improve the PERSIST system.
After completing cancer treatment, the PERSIST study participants received smartwatches and smartphones with the new mHealth application, which helps doctors monitor their health. Thus, it will be possible to provide patients with personalized care. The project is international, and its clinical part with the involvement of patients is taking place not only in Latvia, but also in Belgium, Slovenia and Spain. In Latvia, the PERSIST clinical trial is implemented by the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia.

  

*This project has received funding from the European Union’s “Apvārsnis 2020” research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 875406

Professor Marcis Leja will be the guest editor of the special edition of DIAGNOSTICS magazine

International open access journal DIAGNOSTICS announces a special issue "Advances in the Detection and Screening of Gastric Cancer" that will be guest-edited by Mārcis Leja, the Director of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine, University of Latvia
Submissions are invited in the following topic areas: ongoing studies globally in gastric cancer screening and early detection; new and emerging methods for early detection and screening for gastric cancer and gastric precancerous lesions; surveillance strategies for patients with gastric precancerous lesions; H.pylori related disease; the role of microbiota; artificial intelligence; data collaboratives and large data in gastric cancer prevention.
Please see more detailed information on the special issue, as well as manuscript submission information HERE.

 

The participants of the VIRT2UE project share a positive experience

The project VIRT2UE implemented by the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia is nearing completion. During the project, 20 participants from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland have already obtained certificates in the trainings organized by the University of Latvia.

Project participants - LU doctoral students Zanda Rubene and Reinis Upenieks trained 26 doctoral students in educational sciences at the University and share positive experience HERE.

*This project has received funding from the European Union’s “Apvārsnis 2020” research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 787580.

Marcis Leja presented Cancer Mission Recommendations and the plan to implement the recommendations

A presentation of the European Cancer Mission Board Recommendations and the plan to implement the recommendations was delivered by the member of the Cancer Mission Board Mārcis Leja during the United Gastroenterology Week (UEGW). The oncology-related areas which are expected to be supported by the European Commission were highlighted.

Director of LU KPMI participated in the President's visit to Slovenia

On Wednesday, September 29, LU KPMI director Marcis Leja, together with Latvian President Egils Levits, Slovenian President Borut Pahor and medical colleagues, took part in the signing of an academic cooperation agreement between the Slovenian National Institute of Public Health, the Slovenian Association of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and the University of Latvia.

During the visit, common EU activities in oncology were discussed, as well as Slovenia's experience in developing and implementing a nationwide cancer screening program. Meeting with scientists, the President acknowledged the need for purposeful and holistic planning of cancer screening programs in Latvia.

Over the last ten years, Latvian researchers have collaborated extensively with Slovenian specialists, including on issues related to cancer screening and, in particular, the prevention of digestive system tumors. Several projects have been planned and submitted jointly with the aim of obtaining EU funding, including the Horizon Europe project submitted a few days ago under the leadership of the University of Latvia on cooperation in the field of big data for the prevention of gastric cancer. Taking into account the epidemiological situation typical of Slovenia and Latvia, Slovenian specialists called on the Latvian side to support the development of new scientific projects for cooperation between the two countries for the primary and secondary prevention of gastric cancer.

    

Photos by: Ilmārs Znotiņš, Valsts prezidenta kanceleja.

LU KPMI project "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening" has been completed

Today, 28 September, the project of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening" has been completed. The project is based on the clinical need to introduce a screening method for the early detection of gastric cancer and precancerous changes. The goal of the project is to identify gastric cancer and precancerous conditions using nanosensors that detect volatile organic compounds, as well as to develop a modern portable nanosensor express analyzer for screening gastric cancer and precancerous conditions. The project was implemented over a period of 36 months, starting from September 28, 2018.

The clinical part of the project was implemented under the leadership of KPMI Director Marcis Leja in close cooperation with specialists from the Latvian Oncology Center of Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital and the GASTRO Digestive Diseases Centre. Within the framework of the project, many clinical activities were carried out involving patients and testing of equipment in a clinical conditions.

Before starting work in the clinic, a validation study of portable express analyzers was initially successfully implemented, which helped to evaluate the repeatability and variability between all devices, thus it was possible to start the next stage of the project - "Clinical validation study" with real patients. The study included patients with a confirmed diagnosis of gastric cancer and patients with high-risk changes, as well as control patients with a known condition of the gastric mucosa. The main goal of this project section was to develop a model that would differentiate the studied changes from the control measurements, so that in the future this model could be used for individuals with well-defined gastric changes. A total of 198 patients participated in this study, including 81 gastric cancer patients and 117 subjects from the control group. In parallel, a "Validation study in the general population" was carried out. The research took place in Jekabpils regional GISTAR center. In total, breath samples from 392 participants of the regional GISTAR center were obtained on all three analyzers.

Based on the data obtained in the clinic, a mathematical model was developed and the specificity and sensitivity of 16 different volatile organic compound sensors were evaluated, identifying exhaled air from cancer patients as opposed to exhaled air from healthy people. The specificity of this mathematical model, the parameter induction of which is performed from the measurement data when tested on a new data set, significantly exceeds the performance of any individual sensor parameter. Work on commercialization is currently ongoing.

  

Highlights of the project "Information and Communication Technology Competence Center" in the third quarter of 2021

IT competence center in accordance with the agreement No.1.2.1.1/18/A/003 concluded with the Central Finance and Contracts Agency on May 9, 2019. implements the project “Information and Communication Technology Competence Center”.

In June, SIA “Datorzinību centrs” study No. 1.5 “Ensuring interoperability of the creation, migration and use of e-learning objects in the cloud computing infrastructure”. The study developed a model and algorithms that significantly improve the existing content creation tools, ensure wider availability of content on Moodle and Open edX e-learning platforms in accordance with HTML5 and specialized e-learning standards (SCORM). Research was also carried out to develop concepts and algorithms for a cloud-based learning content migration tool and to ensure the portability of content from the Moodle e-learning platform to Open edX. As a result of the research, prototypes of both tools have been created, and the validation of these developments has also been performed.

 

The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund Operational Program "Growth and Jobs" 1.2.1. Specific objective 1.2.1.1 of the Specific objective "Increase private sector investment in R&D". the measure "Support for the development of new products and technologies within centers of competence"

LU KPMI participated in the development of a record number of seven projects in the framework of Horizon Europe

Yesterday, September 21, the call for applications for the next competition of projects Horizon Europe in the thematic group "Health" was completed.

This time LU KPMI participated in the development of a record number of seven projects in cooperation with 95 partners from 25 countries.

Projects were submitted in four research areas:

1. Staying healthy in a rapidly changing society;
2. Living and working in a health-promoting environment;
3. Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden;
4. Ensuring access to innovative, sustainable and high-quality health care.

Many thanks to all colleagues for the work done!

The XXXIV Inernational Workshop of the European Helicobacter and Microbiota Research Group has been held

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the XXXIV International Workshop of the European Helicobacter and Microbiota Research Group was held online.

Among other participating researchers from all over Europe, LU KMPI’s researchers presented several reports:

D. Ražuka-Ebela: ‘Current smoking and H. pylori status is associated with precancerous lesions, missed” by serologic pepsinogen testing’

O. Sjomina: ‘Addition of Saccharomyces boulardii to standard triple therapy in eradication of h. Pylori: adverse events and compliance’

L. R. Rotberga: ‘Reasons for refusing further endoscopic surveillance in patients with diagnosed precancerous gastric lesions’ and ‘Findings from the surveillance upper endoscopies in patients with gastric mucosal dysplasia at the baseline’.

The results of VOGAS project were reported by researchers from the University of Innsbruck, Daria Slefarka and Pawel Mochalski. The two researchers who are actively involved in project’s clinical activities, presented a report titled ‘Ex-vivo profiling of volatile organic compounds released from gastric cancer and non-cancerous tissue’.

Abstracts from the event are available here: https://www.microbiotajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/Book-Abstracts-NEW.pdf

Project VOGAS has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 824986

Scientific-practical conference "Multidisciplinary approach in gastroenterology" was held in St. Petersburg

On September 10 and 11, St. Petersburg hosted the next, fifth, scientific and practical conference with international participation "Multidisciplinary approach in gastroenterology". Since the conference was organized in a virtual format, a wide range of participants could take part in it, including those outside the second largest Russian metropolis. Questions related to autoimmune gastritis were selected for discussion within the framework of the round table. M.Leja was also invited to participate as an international expert.
During the discussion, M.Leja presented an initiative of international collaboration on data exchange to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer and precancerous lesions (‘Data collaborative in gastric cancer and precancerous lesions’). M.Leja expressed the opinion that such a model of cooperation could make a significant contribution to the detection and control of autoimmune gastritis.

The clinical protocol of the PERSIST study has been published

In the journal BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making the clinical protocol was published for the PERSIST study - Patients-centered SurvivorShIp care plan after Cancer treatments based on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence technologies. The objective is to determine if and how a mobile health system (mHealthApp), supported by data-driven Clinical Decision Support System, both developed within the project PERSIST, will positively affect the behavior of survivors of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. 

Read more:

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

 

*This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 875406.

Within the framework of the LU science excellence and commercialization support program, LU employees have been awarded

Within the framework of the LU Science Excellence and Commercialization Support Program, LU employees were awarded, whose publications in 2020 were at the Web of Science Q1 level in natural sciences or Q2 in social sciences and humanities. 1000 eur support was granted to 33 authors, from whom Signe Mežinska, a researcher at the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia, also received support. Read the publication here:

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00506-1

The number of participants in the GISTAR study has reached 10 000

We are pleased to announce that today the number of participants in the GISTAR study has reached 10 000, and currently the number of participants in the research center in Kuldiga has reached 300 people. We would like to thank the participants who have already participated in our research, as well as we are waiting for new people who want to participate in the GISTAR study in Kuldiga. The GISTAR study is carried out for the early diagnosis of digestive diseases, where the population aged 40-64 has the opportunity to perform free examinations for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. 

 

* The operation of the GISTAR Kuldīga Center is funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program in accordance with grant agreement no. 824986 within the VOGAS project.
**The work is funded by FLPP (Fundamental and Applied Research Projects) Program. Program is implemented by Latvian Council of Science, project No. lzp-2018/1-0135 "Research on implementation of a set of measures for prevention of gastric cancer mortality by eradication H. pylori and timely recognition of precancerous lesions".

Open application for the Symposium "Mutation Signatures and Cancer" organized by the National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Symposium on Mutation Signatures and Cancer will be held on December 2-3, 2021 in a virtual format.The symposium will be chaired by Dr. Ludmil Alexandrov (University of California, San Diego) and Dr. Maria Teresa Landi (NCI). Registration is free and required to receive a meeting link. Registration closes on November 24, 2021. More about Symposium: https://events.cancer.gov/nci/mutationsignatures

Registration here

The Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia is starting to implement a new project HYCOR

The Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia in cooperation with Liepaja regional hospital is starting to implement a new project "Hybrid-sensor breath analysis for colorectal cancer screening (HYCOR)". The project aim is to promote breath volatile marker concept for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening by advancing developing the application of a novel hybrid analyzer for the purpose. 

The scientific results of the current project will provide new knowledge on the potential application of the hybrid breath analyzer for CRC screening. Although currently screening programs do exist in most of the European Union (EU) countries, the tests that are used at present are still far from the ideal. The project obtained results would be important for clinical practice both in Latvia and globally – in countries with an average or high burden of CRC.

More information about the project

  

The project is funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) 1.1.1.1. project "Practical Studies", 4th phase, project ID Nr. 1.1.1.1/20/A/035.    

Review of the PERSIST conference on June 30

The PERSIST consortium held an online event on June 30th, 2021, to discuss and inform a wide range of stakeholders, regarding technical and medical aspects of the project, along with how it fits with the expectations expressed, both by Europe’s Cancer Beating Plan and the future development of projects under the Horizon 2020 framework. Under the skilled moderation of Nicola Bedlington – a special advisor to the European Patients’ Forum – members of the consortium presented general information about the project, its technical characteristics and operability, developed from challenge to innovation and the clinical study, which reveals the added value of the project to clinicians and the patient centered aspect of the project.

In the consortium took part Annika Nowak, Rafael Perez, Victoria Cal, Tomislav Sokol, and the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia was represented by Dina Bema.

Dina Bema explained how the clinical part of PERSIST addresses the unmet needs of cancer patients after their respective treatment. While presenting the current standing of PERSIST multicentre clinical trial and functionalities of the mHeath application, she emphasized that the project could empower patients as the technology could also be used to help find the trustful and useful information for each patient. “We are also bringing generations closer together as the participants in our clinical trial sometimes involve their children or grandchildren in order to help them with the technology”, Dina said.

 

  

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No.875406       

In the journal "Advanced Science" an article has been published within of our project

We are pleased to announce that an article has been published in the journal "Advanced Science" as part of our A-PATCH (Autonomous Patch for Real-Time Detection of Infectious Disease) project.Read more about new tuberculosis diagnostics in the magazine.

 

Article "Advanced Science"

 

 

   

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No.824270       

Topicalities of the project  "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening" in the 2nd quarter of 2021

As the project approaches its final phase, the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia has prepared a patent application.We have already informed that a mathematical model was developed within the project, with the help of which the possibility of gastric cancer can be determined with high reliability by analyzing the exhale indicators.

 

   

The project is funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) within the framework of the measure 1.2.1.2. "Support for the Development of Technology Transfer System", Project ID Nr. KC-PI-2017/75 "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening"             

The director of the institute M.Leja participates in the visit of the President of Latvia to Sweden

Director of the Institute M.Leja 20-22 of June  participated in the visit of the President of Latvia E. Levits to Sweden , during which the Rector of the University of Latvia I. Muižnieks signed memoranda of cooperation between the University of Latvia, the Karolinska Institute and Uppsala University on cooperation in research and education, particularly in fields of oncology, cancer research and biobanks samples.

"The agreement is the result of long-term cooperation between the three institutions in the field of biobank, microbiome and oncology research," says Rector of the University of Latvia I. Muižnieks, especially emphasizing the contribution of Mārcis Leja (Director of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia) and Jānis Kloviņš (Professor, Head of the Scientific Council of the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center) to the development of co-operation.

Cooperation agreement Karolinska Institute

Cooperation agreement Uppsala University

  

In pictures: Signing of a memorandum of cooperation

Prof.M.Leja informs about the possibilities of cooperation with Uppsala University

Photo by: Ilmārs Znotiņš, Chancellery of the President              

Conference abut PERSIST project on 30.06.2021.

Access for patients to high quality, affordable, timely and innovative cancer care is a key element in the fight against cancer. Good healthcare services improve patient outcomes, reduce the suffering and side effects of treatments as much as possible and enhance the quality of life for survivors. Good healthcare outcomes also contribute to the efficiency and sustainability of the health care systems. Therefore, the main goal of PERSIST is to develop an open and interoperable ecosystem to improve the care of cancer survivors.

The key results to be achieved by consortium partners are: (1) increased self-efficacy and satisfaction with care as well as reduced psychological stress for a better management of the consequences of the cancer treatment and the disease, resulting in an improvement in health and wellbeing and a faster integration into the labor market, where applicable, compared to usual care; (2) increased effectiveness in cancer treatment and follow-up by providing prediction models from Big Data that will support decision-making and contribute to optimal treatment decisions with positive consequences in the QoL and the health status of survivors; and (3) improved information and evidence to advance the efficacy of management, intervention and prevention policies/strategies in order to timely treat side effects and, if possible, avoid secondary diseases and fatal events, while the long-term result will be to reduce the socio-economic burden related to cancer survivors’ care.

https://projectpersist.com/

Registration form: JotForm link

    

* This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No.875406

The first 100 respondents included in the GISTAR research center in Kuldiga

The inclusion of respondents in the GISTAR survey in the Kuldiga Regional Center continues for the second month.
We are proud to announce that the first 100 respondents are already included in the center of Kuldiga!
A total of 9,807 respondents are already included in the study.

Patients continue to be included in the study.

    

* The operation of the GISTAR Kuldīga Center is funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program in accordance with grant agreement no. 824986 within the VOGAS project

Doctors will monitor patients' health from a distance - new technology will help monitor patients after cancer treatment

A clinical trial was launched in May in the PERSIST * project, in which 16 partners, led by the Spanish technology company Gradiant, develop and adapt technologies that will help patients stay healthy after cancer treatment, as well as make individualized treatment decisions.
In May, a clinical trial was launched under the auspices of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia (LU KPMI) in the PERSIST project, which involves doctors of various specialties and 160 volunteer participants. It will take place simultaneously in four hospitals - Riga East Clinical University Hospital Latvian Oncology Center, Ourense University Hospital complex (Spain), Maribor University Clinical Center (Slovenia) and Liège University Hospital (Belgium).
Each of the hospitals will include 40 patients (20 after breast cancer and 20 after colorectal cancer treatment). For the next 20 months, participants will wear a smartphone and use a smartphone with the PERSIST mHealth app installed. It will allow continuous, remote and individualized monitoring of patients by recording the necessary data, such as blood pressure, heart rate, quality of sleep, as well as various quality of life indicators, such as physical activity, mood and others.
The international project PERSIST aims to improve the quality of life of patients after cancer treatment and to help doctors make medical decisions using artificial intelligence and big data analysis. The project involves hospitals, companies, universities and technology centers in Latvia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and Spain. Technology company Gradiant manages the project as a whole and provides the software.
"PERSIST is a very ambitious project for two reasons: it involves the introduction of the latest technologies in the fight against cancer and is carried out jointly at the international level. We want to significantly improve the quality of cancer patient care," explains Luis Pérez Freire, CEO of Gradiant.
Due to the rich experience so far, LU KPMI is responsible for the conduct of the clinical trial. The institute is actively involved in other projects in the early diagnosis and prevention of cancer. The institute started its work at the end of 2016, but has already attracted more than 30 projects and actively cooperates with at least 26 partners around the world. LU KPMI is one of the largest numbers of cited publications per year at the University of Latvia.

* PERSIST - a care plan focused on patients who have survived cancer, based on big data and artificial intelligence technologies.

  

Publicity PHOTO: The newly developed PERSIST project mHealth application, which displays the patient's health data, which the doctor will be able to track remotely

The project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No.875406

The EC invites a webinar on the dissemination and exploitation of results in Horizon Europe

The European Commission (EC) invites to an online seminar on "Dissemination & Exploitation in Horizon Europe" on June 9, from 9:30 to 12:30 Brussels time on the dissemination and exploitation of results in Horizon Europe. The event is open to everyone.

The dissemination and exploitation of results covers the whole project life cycle, from the project application to the end of the project. Applicants must provide in their project application a brief description of the dissemination, exploitation and communication activities. Horizon Europe does not require a full plan for the dissemination, exploitation and communication of results during the application phase of the project, but it must be complete and completed within the first six months of the project.

More information about the event HERE.

Doctoral students of the University of Latvia will present at the seminar of the Doctoral School in Translational Research in Medicine

1) LU DF 2nd year doctoral student Maksims Ivanovs with the topic "Applications of Explanatory Artificial Intelligence in Medicine".
Artificial intelligence has a number of promising applications in medicine, as it allows large and large amounts of data to be processed and analyzed quickly and accurately. However, there are also a number of significant barriers to its use in clinical settings, the main one being that the most effective AI methods are often also the most opaque: for example, deep artificial neural networks, which are widely used in image and other data processing, act as “black boxes". To make the models of artificial intelligence more understandable and transparent, the methods of explanatory artificial intelligence are used, which will be discussed in this presentation.

2) LU MF 1st year doctoral student Ilze Troice Neilande with the topic "Post-mortem interval determination according to the development of insects and bacteria in pig carcasses in Latvia"

The seminar will be held in online- Meet on google. 
Link to the seminar: https://meet.google.com/csf-kywv-gkv
Time of the seminar: 28.05.2021, 16.30.

Defends the diploma thesis with excellence

24.05.2021. Linda Anarkulova defended her diploma work with excellence at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Latvia, who developed her work on the basis of KPMI and as a member of the scientific team of the institute. Linda Anarkulova's work topic "Application of sensor exhalation analyzer in gastric cancer diagnostics".
Supervisors Dr.med., Prof. Marcis Leja, Dr. Linda Mežmale.
Congratulations to our colleagues and we wish to continue the work she has started!

Advanced histological analysis of stomach biopsies allows better identification of gastric cancer risk

Last week, a leading world-class journal of pathology published the results of a study by scientists from the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine (LU KPMI) of the University of Latvia on determining the risk level of pre-cancerous gastric conditions. The study concluded that certain additional tests should be performed on stomach samples to detect the risk of tumor in a timely manner.

There is a difference of opinion among experts regarding the determination of the level of risk of pre-cancerous gastric conditions and the performance of appropriate follow-up examinations at regular intervals to assess the potential risk of developing gastric cancer. Researchers from the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia (LU KPMI) have contributed to solving this issue in cooperation with the world's leading gastric morphology specialists from the USA, and the material for the study was obtained in Kazakhstan. The incidence of gastric cancer is very high in this country, but the prevalence of defined pre-cancerous conditions is surprisingly low compared to countries with a high incidence of cancer.

The Kazakh pilot study involved 166 relatively healthy people aged 40 to 64 who underwent upper endoscopy by doctors. During it, they took three tissue samples from five different places in the stomach. The obtained gastric biopsy specialists examined with pathological methods, including staining preparations with special chemicals (hematoxylin-eosin, Alcyanine-PAS and high-value iron diamine method) to determine the transformation of the outer layer (epithelium) of the gastric mucosa or the so-called intestinal metaplasia.

Last week (May 14), one of the world's leading pathology journals, VIRCHOWS ARCHIV, published the results of a study by KPMI scientists showing that it is the type of incomplete intestinal metaplasia that may indicate the possible initial development of a malignancy that is common in the relatively healthy population of Kazakhstan. These people do not otherwise qualify for the high-risk group according to morphological criteria and should not be subjected to follow-up after a certain period of time under current guidelines. This means that a significantly large group of high-risk individuals may go unnoticed without specific staining for biopsy material analysis to assess these gastric mucosal changes.

The obtained data can be important not only in the populations of Central Asia, but also elsewhere, including Latvia, because such specific staining for the determination of intestinal metaplasia subtypes is performed on a daily basis in only a few laboratories in the European Union. They would help diagnose stomach cancer in a timely manner, which would provide a better chance of treatment.

The online version of the article has been published - ej.uz/vezariski

© Photo: Toms Grīnbergs, Department of Communication and Innovation, University of Latvia

Validation measurements of the new generation VOGAS breath test equipment take place at the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia

In the process of validation measurements, volunteers are invited to donate their breath to a specially designed breath analyzer or hybrid analyzer developed within the framework of an international project - VOGAS. A hybrid analyzer is a specially designed device that combines metal oxide, gold nanoparticles and infrared spectrum sensors. The VOGAS project envisages the development of an exhalation analyzer as the first reliable non-invasive gastric cancer screening tool based on exhaled air analysis.

The first clinical trials of the VOGAS project were started in November 2019 at the LU KPMI in cooperation with the Riga East Clinical University Hospital and the Digestive Diseases Center “GASTRO”.
 
It is expected that after the completion of the validation study, the equipment will be sent to Ukraine and Latin America at other study centers - clinical trials will be started. The VOGAS project involves scientists from Latvia, Finland, Israel, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Ukraine and Latin America. 

  

* Project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 824986

A seminar of the Doctoral School in Translational Research in Medicine will take place today

You are welcome to the seminar of the Doctoral School of Translational Research in Medicine, where doctoral students of the University of Latvia will give their presentations:
1) dr. Ints Ūdris - vascular surgeon, phlebologist, vascular ultrasonopoplerography specialist, 1st year doctoral student of the University of Latvia, Faculty of Medicine, with the topic "Total endovenous laser ablation of superficial veins of the legs: early and late results of operations".
2) dr. Vadims Viktorovs - dermatologist, venereologist, 2nd year doctoral student of the University of Latvia, Faculty of Medicine, with the topic "Type 1 neurofibromatosis in Latvia".

The seminar will be held online - Meet on google.

Link to the seminar: https://meet.google.com/egk-xjiw-uxh

The seminar will take place: 14.05.2021, at 16.30.

Academic Global Oncology Meeting will take place on June 10th

Academic Global Oncology Meeting hosted by ASCO (American Society of Clinical oncology) in collaboration with NCI (National Cancer Institute) Center for Global Health, will be held via Zoom on Thursday, June 10, 2021, 12:00-1:30PM US ET. The meeting objective is to convene academic global oncology professionals and partners to discuss topics pertinent to strengthening the field of academic global oncology, and supporting a strategic approach to the development of academic global oncology collaborations. The first meeting was held alongside the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting and virtually in 2020. 

This meeting will draw on the recommendations of the ASCO Academic Global Oncology Task Force.  Attendees will collaborate to identify ways to advance the themes raised by the Task Force recommendations by participating in one of four breakout groups: Global Oncology Training, Global Oncology Research, Global Oncology Professional Development, and Global Oncology Partnerships.  Breakout group descriptions are provided on the registration page.

Meeting Registration Link HERE. 

An article on the resistance of Helicobacter pylori to antibiotics is published in the journal GUT

An article on the resistance of Helicobacter pylori to antibiotics in Europe was published in the best-known European journal of gastroenterology, GUT.
In Latvia, the study was performed by the KPMI team in cooperation with the Digestive Diseases Center GASTRO and Riga East Clinical University Hospital.
The data obtained are of great clinical significance: European specialist guidelines state that such data are necessary in order to determine nationally recommended treatment regimens for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

The article can be viewed HERE. 

The Kuldiga research center of GISTAR study is starting to work

With the support of Kuldīga City Municipality, the Kuldīga Regional Center of the GISTAR study started working today, May 10. In the first two working days, the first seven respondents visited the research center. In total, 9,708 respondents are already included in the study.

 

Project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 824986

May - World Digestive Health Month! May 29 - World Digestive Health Day!

With World Digestive Health Day on May 29, Digestive Health Month will be celebrated throughout the entirety of May! A public awareness campaign is now launched and it is focused on the prevalence and impact of digestive health conditions.

This year’s theme for World Digestive Health Day is, "Obesity: An Ongoing Pandemic’’. To mark this momentous occasion and to increase the impact of the 2021 Digestive Health Month campaign, UEG has launched a virtual exhibition where a wealth of information, statistics and resources can be found. 

Everyone is invited to participate in the Digestive Health Month campaign by both utilising and sharing the available information! 

Month-long campaign will touch upon the theme of obesity from four different angles:
1.    Uniting the continent: Obesity and chronic digestive diseases across Europe 
2.    Protecting our future: Obesity and paediatric digestive diseases 
3.    Taking action now: Diet and chronic digestive diseases 
4.    Reversing the trend: Obesity and digestive cancers

Keep up with related content and discussions by following event on social media.
( Make sure to look for #DigestiveHealthMonth!)

Training is being provided for future employees of the GISTAR research Kuldiga Regional Center

Today in Kuldiga, trainings are taking place for future employees of the GISTAR research Kuldiga Regional Center. Training is organized according to epidemiological requirements both on-site and remotely. During the training, the new team is introduced to the research website, data usage and security rules, as well as the GISTAR data management system. Our staff introduces future employees to the design of the GISTAR study, its goals and objectives, tells about cooperation with family doctors and specialists at the local level.

 

* The GISTAR study is funded by FLPP (Fundamental and Applied Research Projects) within the framework of the Latvian Program, project no. lzp-2018 / 1-0135 "Study on the implementation of a set of measures to prevent gastric cancer mortality by eradicating H.pylori infection and timely detection of gastric pre-cancer conditions"

A webinar on the possibilities of European funds under the Horizon Europe program will take place soon

The United European Gastroenterology Organization (UEG) is planning a virtual webinar to present the possibilities of European funds under the Horizon Europe program.

The research webinar will take place on May 6,  6:30 to 7:30 PM.

Register for the webinar HERE. 

The following topics will be presented at the webinar:
* The current opportunities in the pillar on collaborative grants, and explain how to respond to the calls.
* How to put together the best applications, what evaluators look for, what makes an application score highest by all evaluators.

Welcome to the seminar of the Doctoral School of Translational Research in Medicine, which will be dedicated to the topic of colorectal cancer

The seminar will feature dr. Ilona Vilkoite - gastroenterologist, endoscopy specialist, Riga Stradiņš University, Faculty of Medicine, 1st year doctoral student, with the topic "Prevalence of high-risk colorectal neoplasms in young patients with functional indigestion".
 
Also, dr. Andrejs Pčolkins - surgeon, 1st year doctoral student of the University of Latvia, Faculty of Medicine, with the topic "Prevention of surgical complications in colorectal cancer surgery by performing mechanical bowel preparation together with non-absorbable antibiotics".
 
The seminar will be held online - Meet on google.

Links to the seminar: https://meet.google.com/yvq-ctea-xto

The seminar will take place: April 30, 2021, at 4.30 pm.

Researchers and students of LU KPMI participates in the International scientific conference of medicine

The International Scientific Conference on Medicine as part of the 79th Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia is takeing place on April 23-24, 2021. The conference covers various disciplines of clinical and research medicine, pharmacy and public health.

Researchers of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia and students involved in research work also participate in the conference.

Participation in the conference in the spirit of promoting international cooperation is free of charge.
Conference events take place online using the Zoom platform.

More information about the conference is available HERE.

 

The Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia starts participating in the new Horizon 2020 project on ethical aspects of open science

On April 15, the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia participated as a project partner in the opening event of the Horizon 2020 project "Responsible Open Science in Europe" (ROSiE). The aim of the project is to analyze the ethical aspects of open science and to develop practical tools to implement the principles of research ethics in open science and amateur science.

Open science, as an approach in which research planning, processes, data and results are freely available to all stakeholders, is the future of science. This approach has the potential to make research more efficient and relevant to society, as well as to enable citizens to take an active part in research as amateur researchers. At the same time, open science raises new questions about research ethics and the prevention of unfair practices, so it is important to analyze potential ethical issues in different open science areas and disciplines. Based on such an analysis, the European science system will be able to ensure that research ethics and integrity become a structural component of open science.

The ROSiE project will be implemented by a strong international and interdisciplinary team of leading European experts in the field. The project consortium is led by the University of Oslo. Signe Mežinska, the leading researcher of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia, together with the research group of the institute, will lead and implement the project section, the task of which is to develop ethics teaching materials for students, scientists and amateur scientists.

You can follow the news of the ROSiE project on the social network Twitter: @rosie_open

 

      

The project "Responsible Open Science in Europe - ROSiE" has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 101006430

Topical interview with the director of our institute Marcis Leja!

We invite to read the interview published on the portal "Delfi":

https://www.delfi.lv/news/versijas/marcis-leja-onkologijai-vajadzetu-klut-par-valsts-meroga-prioritati.d?id=53111823

Photo: LETA

Oncology should become a national priority

We invite to read the interview with the director of our institute Marcis Leja in the April 12 issue of the magazine "IR".

https://ir.lv/2021/04/12/onkologijai-vajadzetu-klut-par-valsts-meroga-prioritati/

Illustrative image from pixabay.com

A new release of the H2020 database is available

A new release of the H2020 database is now available on the eCORDA portal.  It contains data frozen on the 5 March 2021.
The main features of this new release are:
•    additional flags such as for the signed projects, 
•    additional fields for the EIC scheme,
•    same additions included in the version 4 of the eCORDA API,
•    cleaning of the researchers identifiers, that led to the extension of the tables with new fields for ORCID ID, researcher ID, Google scholar ID or Scopus author ID.
New fields to determine the Seals of Excellence were also added, but the correct data will be updated with the next refresh of eCORDA.

Other useful information:
•    you need your EU Login credentials to access eCORDA platform
•    a user manual to help you discover the platform content and reports can be accessed here
•    Confidentiality rules for framework programme data stored in eCORDA are available
•  eCORDA users having access to all themes (members of the strategic configuration of the H2020 Programme Committee and "Nationally Nominated eCORDA users") will have access to more applications tools by clicking on the "Log in" button and entering their eCORDA EU Login credentials
•    If you encounter ‘log in’ problems or have questions on the platform and its content please contact us: RTD-CORDA-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu.

Invites to the seminar of the Doctoral School in Translational Research in Medicine: Merging Medicine and Law - Institute of Entrepreneurship

Laura Kadile - lawyer, 2nd year doctoral student of the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia and researcher of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Latvia will speak at the seminar.

The introduction of the seminar will be dedicated to the sub-sector of medical law - patients 'rights, emphasizing the importance of protection of patients' rights, regulation in national and international legislation. The seminar will continue to focus on the institute of legal capacity in civil law, looking in more detail at one of the components of the institute of legal capacity - business capacity, explaining the content and evaluation procedure of the clause "human ability to understand or manage one's activities". In parallel with the Institute of Entrepreneurship in Civil Law, the seminar will make a comparison with the Institute of Decision-Making or Decision-Making Abilities in Medical Treatment.

The seminar will be held in online - Meet on google.

Links to the seminar: https://meet.google.com/hik-wven-wht

The course of the seminar: 09.04.2021, at 4.30 PM.

Highlights of the project "Information and Communication Technology Competence Center" in the first quarter of 2021

IT competence center in accordance with the agreement No.1.2.1.1/18/A/003 concluded with the Central Finance and Contracts Agency on May 9, 2019. implements the project “Information and Communication Technology Competence Center”.

The project will start implementing five new studies in the first quarter of 2021 and will continue to implement all previously approved studies. The seventh request for payment has been prepared and submitted, and meetings of both the heads of scientific directions and the council are held regularly, where the progress of the implemented research and the achieved results are reviewed. All meetings took place entirely remotely.

On February 25, the online conference “FF 314: Centers of Competence. Innovations for Growth and Exports ”, in which the representatives of the IT competence center research implementers SIA“ Tilde ”and SIA“ We Are Dots ”also shared their experience in short and concise 314-second speeches.

In March, it is planned to complete the research of SIA “Datorzinību centrs” and the University of Latvia No. 1.5 “Development of a research support model to improve the medical research data collection process”, launched in May 2019. In the first quarter of 2021, the implementation of the second industrial research activity “Development of the technological implementation concept of the research support model” has been completed and the implementation of the experimental development activity “Development and validation of the research support tool prototype” continues.

 

The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund Operational Program "Growth and Jobs" 1.2.1. Specific objective 1.2.1.1 of the Specific objective "Increase private sector investment in R&D". the measure "Support for the development of new products and technologies within centers of competence"

The staff of the KPMI of the University of Latvia warmly congratulates Professor Marcis Leja, who has been elected as the director of the institute for the second term. We also wish you inexhaustible energy and success in your work in the new term!

European Commission welcomes entry into force of EU4Health programme

The Commission welcomes the entry into force of the EU4Health programme today. This follows the Council adoption on 17 March and the vote on the programme by the European Parliament on 9 March. It marks the final step towards making €5.1 billion available to strengthen the resilience of health systems and promote innovation in the health sector. EU4Health will make a significant contribution to the post-COVID-19 recovery by making the EU population healthier, supporting the fight against cross-border health threats and boosting the EU's preparedness and capability to respond effectively to future health crisis, as part of a future strong European Health Union. 

More information read HERE. 

CANCER has published a manuscript proving the effectiveness of a smartphone-connected device that can detect gastric cancer after exhalation

The results obtained in the international project SNIFFPHONE *, in which an exhaled air analysis device to be connected to a smartphone has been developed, confirm the usefulness of the technology in the diagnosis of gastric cancer. In March, these results were published in the internationally acclaimed magazine CANCER.

In the SNIFFPHONE project, scientists developed a special device that can be connected to a mobile phone. The portable "electronic nose" will allow artificial intelligence to analyze the exhaled air and determine with good accuracy whether a person has stomach cancer or a precancerous condition. Scientists from Latvia, Israel, Germany, Ireland, Austria and Finland are involved in the project. The clinical part of the study was performed in Latvia and in our country the group was led by Mārcis Leja, Director of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine (LU KPMI), University of Latvia. The research work of the institute was carried out in close cooperation with the specialists of the Riga East University Hospital and the Academic Histology Laboratory, as well as the Digestive Diseases Center GASTRO.

Within the framework of the project, LU KPMI implemented patient involvement and device testing in clinical conditions. A recent scientific article featured a clinical study of 274 patients using an "electronic nose" to test their breath. 94 of them had a confirmed diagnosis of stomach cancer and surgery, while the rest were healthy and had an endoscopy. Analysis of sensor data revealed significant differences in exhaled air between patients with gastric cancer and 113 control participants with normal endoscopy results. The device also helped to detect, for example, pre-cancerous conditions of the stomach in 67 high-risk patients with relatively acceptable accuracy, which were then confirmed by additional analyzes.

The researchers emphasize that this device plays a particularly important role in the early diagnosis of gastric cancer, which would avoid late-onset cases and reduce patient mortality accordingly. In addition, the technology is relatively inexpensive, works quickly and accurately, and is non-invasive. For comparison, endoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography are usually used to diagnose stomach cancer. In addition, the Sniffphone is portable, which allows it to be used outside the laboratory. The potential use of the new device is very wide and could be used in the future to detect and monitor other diseases.

Work on the development of an exhaled air analyzer is currently continuing in the framework of another international project - VOGAS *, which plans to make this device even more accurate.

  

*The SNIFFPHONE project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 644031
*VOGAS project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 824986 

Topicalities of the project  "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening" in the 1st quarter of 2021

The project developed a mathematical model based on data from clinical trials and evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of 16 different volatile organic compound sensors, identifying exhaled air from cancer patients as opposed to exhaled air from healthy people. The specificity of this mathematical model, the parameter induction of which is performed from the measurement data when tested on a new data set, significantly exceeds the performance of any individual sensor parameter. The obtained results are summarized and a patent application is prepared for the developed mathematical model.

 

The project is funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) within the framework of the measure 1.2.1.2. "Support for the Development of Technology Transfer System", Project ID Nr. KC-PI-2017/75 "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening"

A collaborative work between the National Cancer Institute (US) and KPMI on EBV-associates gastric carcinoma has been published by GASTRIC CANCER

In "Gastric Cancer", a joint official journal of the "International Gastric Cancer Association" and the "Japanese Gastric Cancer Association", an article entitled "Identification of anti-epstein-barr virus (EBV) antibody signature in EBV-associated gastric carcinoma" has been published. 

The article was written in collaboration with Riga East University Hospital and the US National Cancer Institute. Among the co-authors of the article is the director of LU KPMI and leading researcher, Professor M.Leja.

Congratulations on this publication!

Read an article HERE. 

Invitation to attend the upcoming event of the Doctorial school in translation research in medicine: "The use of data mining and machine learning approaches in the analysis of research data"

During the seminar, approaches to the analysis of research data will be discussed, which use not only statistical approaches, but also the development of models for revealing regularities in data. Supervised learning, which helps to develop classification (yes / no disease) models, and unsupervised learning to detect group data, as well as the combination and use of these approaches to describe data and regularities, will be demonstrated.

During the seminar, the lecturer will demonstrate some methods of analysis, and those who want to participate and click (this will probably make questions) can download the programs and data set that will be demonstrated.

Statistical methods will be demonstrated with the open access tool JASP:
https://jasp-stats.org/download/

Data mining methods will be demonstrated with the open access tool Orange:
https://orangedatamining.com/

Data set with which the analysis options will be displayed:
https://archive.ics.uci.edu/ml/datasets/HC+Survival

The seminar will be held online - at Meet google.

Link to the seminar: meet.google.com/zdr-vgvv-ikw

The seminar will take place: March,12 2021, 4.00 - 5.30 PM.    

M.P.Bhandari, a leading researcher of the KPMI of the University of Latvia, will deliver a report at the International Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia

All interested parties are invited to listen to the report of Manohar Prasad Bhandari, the leading researcher of LU KPMI "Potential use of breath VOCs sensors in artificial ventilation machine for COVID-19 patients", which he will give in the section "Latvian researchers' contribution to COVID-19 mitigation", on March 10, 1:40 - 2:00 pm. 

The section will take place remotely, on the Zoom platform.
The live broadcast will be available on the University of Latvia Facebook page.
The section program can be viewed HERE.

The annual International scientific conference of the University of Latvia from January to April 2021 is taking place for the 79th time.
This year, the conference is taking place remotely using Zoom and MS Teams platforms.

Conference participants are introduced to current scientific achievements and news, including Covid-19 research.

 

The study is performed on the clinical, biochemical, immunogenetic paradigms of the Covid-19 infection project of the National Research Program “Covid-19 Mitigation” and their correlation with socio-demographic, etiological, pathogenetic, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic factors to be included in the guidelines ”, Project no. VPP-COVID-2020 / 1-0023

 

"Science Signs" record on research ethics has been published, in which Signe Mežinska - LU KPMI leading researcher and bioethics specialist

The post provides information on these and other issues:
* To which aspects of research life should we extend ethics?
* In the context of ethical thinking, should we think about responsibility towards other researchers, responsibility towards society?

You can listen to the recording: ŠEIT.

"Science Signs" is a voluntary podcast of the members of the Latvian Science Council's expert commissions, which unites researchers from various fields with the aim of posting road signs to scientists, jointly seeking answers to the practical challenges of modern science.

At the end of 2020, a new international platform for scientific collaboration, The Embassy of Good Science, was launched in the field of research ethics and integrity. In June 2019, consortia of two Horizon 2020 projects undertook to set up such a central website for responsible and honest research, which has now been recognized as a promising initiative by the international scientific journal Nature.

The Embassy of Good Science has been developed within the framework of EnTIRE and VIRT2UE projects in cooperation with 13 universities and 2 companies. The EnTIRE and VIRT2UE projects have received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research program (contracts N 741782 and N 787580)

How do biobanks benefit the individual and society?

On Thursday, February 18, at the scientific event “Science Cafe” of the University of Latvia (UL), the experts explained and provided answers to the questions: What is stored in the biobank? What are research biobanks and who needs them? How do biobanks benefit the individual and society?

The event took place remotely and was live.

The event recording can be viewed HERE.

 

The project is supported by FLPP (Fundamental and Applied Research Projects) Programm in Latvia, project nr. lzp-2018/2-0171 "Ethically and socially responsible governance of research biobanks in Latvia: analysis of opinions of public, donors and researchers"

At the Science Café of the University of Latvia will talk about biobanks and how they benefit society

Thursday, February 18, at 16.00 at the University of Latvia science event “Science Cafe”, experts will explain and provide answers to the questions: What is stored in the biobank? What are research biobanks and who needs them? How do biobanks benefit the individual and society? The event will take place remotely and will be broadcast live.

Biobanks can store a variety of biological materials of human origin, such as blood, tumor tissue, genetic information or DNA, including faeces, urine or saliva. In research biobanks, these biological samples are stored for scientific research.

Research biobanks can only exist and generate new knowledge if people volunteer and agree to donate biological samples to the biobank. For this to happen, the public needs to know about and trust the existence of biobanks. Is the public in Latvia aware of biobanks? Are people in Latvia ready to get involved in biobanks? What are the expected societal benefits? What are the rights of biobank donors? What questions can a potential biobank donor have? Experts will answer these questions at the Science Café.

The Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia (LU KPMI) together with the Latvian Biomedical Research Center implements the project “Ethically and Socially Responsible Management of Research Biobanks in Latvia: Analysis of Public, Donor and Scientific Opinions”. The results of the research help to understand the public's understanding and attitude towards biobanks, allow to analyze the public's readiness to donate biological samples and the expectations and concerns of biobank donors, as well as the needs of scientists in cooperation with biobanks. Based on the results of the research, recommendations are developed for the development of ethically and socially responsible management of biobanks in accordance with the public interest.

Science cafe participants:

Vita Rovīte (leading researcher of the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center, head of the State Genome Database) with the topic “What is a research biobank?”.

Signe Mežinska (LU KPMI leading researcher) with the topic “Society and biobanks - co-creation of knowledge, benefits and concerns of society”.

Aija Plinta (nurse, working in a laboratory, volunteering for a study) will share her experience of participating in a specific study in which she donated her biological sample to a biobank.

The event will be hosted by Ilze Dimanta, LU researcher and research project manager at L'Oreal.

It will be possible to watch the "Science Cafe" live on the LU portal, LU facebook account and LU youtube account. During the event it will be possible to ask questions to our experts!

The aim of the "Science Café" is to provoke a free discussion in an informal environment on scientific issues of public interest. It is an opportunity to meet with experts in the field and ask them any questions of interest and find out what is not yet understood about a particular field of science.

 

 

The project is supported by FLPP (Fundamental and Applied Research Projects) Programm in Latvia, project nr. lzp-2018/2-0171 "Ethically and socially responsible governance of research biobanks in Latvia: analysis of opinions of public, donors and researchers"

New article within the VOGAS projects

Within the VOGAS project an article “The The Volatile Mic Footprints of Human HCG-27 and CLS-145 Stomach Cancer Cell Lines ” has been written!

Congratulations to the authors!

You can read the full manuscript in “Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences”.

 

The World Cancer Day is celebrated today!

Every year, on February 4, World Cancer Day is celebrated, the aim of which is to raise awareness and increase knowledge about malignant tumors, their prevention, as well as early detection and treatment.
 
Marcis Leja, director of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia, professor and representative of the Council of the European Cancer Mission, today informed about current events in this field in the program "Rīta Panorāma".
"Although the priority now is the Covid-19 pandemic, for many people this time is also a quiet fight against cancer," M.Leja said in the "Rīta Panorāma". He pointed out that more and more cancers were being diagnosed late in the world."

The interview can be viewed HERE.
 

World Cancer Day was born on the 4 February 2000 at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris. The Paris Charter aims to promote research, prevent cancer, improve patient services, raise awareness and mobilise the global community to make progress against cancer, and includes the adoption of World Cancer Day.

World Cancer Day is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the largest and oldest international cancer organisation dedicated to taking the lead in convening, capacity building and advocacy initiatives that unite the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, promote greater equity, and integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda.

Access to life-saving cancer diagnosis, treatment and care should be the same for everyone, no matter where you live, whatever your income, ethnicity or gender.
Governments must be held accountable, and the key to accelerating progress is national leadership in policy, legislation, investment and innovation.
 
World Cancer Day is a campaign designed to respond, drive change and mobilize action long after the day has ended.
 
More information on World Cancer Day can be found HERE.

Yesterday, on February 3, the European Commission published the  Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, which covers all stages of the disease's management.

Read more about it HERE. 

Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. A new EU approach to prevention, treatment and care

Today, on the eve of World Cancer Day, the European Commission unveils a Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. The Europe's Beating Cancer Plan sets out a new EU approach to cancer prevention, treatment and care, with new technologies, research and innovation as a starting point. It will address all stages of disease management, from prevention to quality of life for those affected, focusing on actions where the EU can bring the greatest added value. The Europe's Beating Cancer Plan will be supported by actions ranging from employment, education, social policy and equality to marketing, agriculture, energy, environment and climate, transport, cohesion policy and taxation.

The Europe's Beating Cancer Plan is structured around four main areas of action and includes 10 flagship initiatives and a number of support actions. The plan will be implemented through all Commission funding instruments, of which € 4 billion is earmarked for action to combat cancer, including the EU for Health, Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programs.

Marcis Leja, European Commission Cancer Mission Council Expert, Director of the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia and Head of the Science Department of Riga East Clinical University Hospital: “The Europe's Beating Cancer Plan and the European Commission Cancer Mission Council Recommendations are closely coordinated. research in oncology and in Europe and in each European Member State are inextricably linked and a priority. Both documents place a strong emphasis on equality, in the broadest sense: reducing inequalities between European Member States, within each Member State, and, in all areas, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and equal opportunities for doctors and researchers in Europe.

One of the important steps to be taken by 2025 is the establishment of a functional network of comprehensive cancer centers across Europe, which also calls for the establishment of such a center in each EU Member State. At least 90% of the country's population must have access to the services provided by such a center. The Europe's Beating Cancer Plan also sets high standards for quality cancer screening and the digitization of oncology.”

More information is available HERE.

Europe's Beating Cancer Plan 

Annex to the Communication on a Europe's Beating Cancer Plan

Leading researcher of LU KPMI S.Mežinska is honoured for the results of the original research

On January 29, at the annual general meeting of employees and the annual award ceremony, which was held for the first time remotely, the employees of the University of Latvia were congratulated on their achievements in science and growth at the University of Latvia.

Signe Mežinska, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Medicine and Leading Researcher of our Institute, was also honored for the results of the original research.

This year, the nominees of the University of Latvia Annual Award will be presented with a special award made with the University's symbols. The award symbolizes the Academic Center of the University of Latvia and is made of two materials - concrete, which is one of the modern infrastructure materials of the Academic Center, and oak tree, which symbolizes oak, which has been the basis of the University's identity since the beginning of the University of Latvia.

On the course of the competition of fundamental and applied research projects in 2021

The Ministry of Education and Science and the Latvian Council of Science (LZP) inform that the competition for fundamental and applied research projects (FLPP) is planned to be announced on May 3, 2021 and projects can be submitted to the competition by August 31. The total funding available for the competition for the priority directions of science in all groups of science branches will be 14,808,202 euros.

Projects will be open to scientific institutions registered in Latvia that meet the definition of a research organization. The evaluation of project applications in accordance with the principles of Horizon 2020 will take place from September to November, but on November 30, LZP will announce the results of the competition.

More information  HERE. 

Postponed seminar on the impact of the Nordic diet on disease risk factors

The seminar "Influence of the Nordic Diet on Disease Risk Factors" in the Doctoral School of Translational Research in Medicine is postponed to 05.02.2021. for personal reasons of the lecturer.

The seminar will be led by Liene Sondore, a 1st year doctoral student at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Latvia.
During the seminar, the basic principles and recommendations of the Nordic diet for disease prevention will be discussed, as well as useful recommendations on the intake of products and their combination in the diet will be provided.
The seminar will be held online - on Meet Google.

Link to the seminar: meet.google.com/nrf-eygi-djt 

The seminar will take place: February 5, 2021, from 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm.  

Project competitions in 2021

The National Education Development Agency calls attention to the project competitions opened in 2021 within the framework of ERA-NET Cofund, Eurostars 2 and other international programs, in which the submission of project applications closes in the middle of May 2021.

The list of project application competitions can be found on the website of the State Education Development Agency, at the link

https://viaa.gov.lv/lat/zinatnes_inovacijas_progr/atbalsts_proj/atvertie_konkursi/ 

More information HERE.

In the project  "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening" there was an active involvement of the study subjects

During the autumn-winter period, the clinical activities of the project took place actively. A total of 198 patients were recruited, of whom 81 were gastric cancer patients and 117 were from the control group and from the high-risk gastric mucosa group.
In parallel, a validation study was performed in the general population. The study was conducted in the regional GISTAR center in Jekabpils. Based on the fact that the project envisages the development of a statistical model that will distinguish the studied changes from the control measurements, it was important to verify the efficiency of all three analyzers in the validation study in the general population, so the equipment was changed every month. In total, breath samples from 392 participants of the regional GISTAR center were obtained on all three analyzers!
It is envisaged that research and analysis of the data will now be launched to determine their quality and the need for normalization, standardization and smoothing.

  

The project is funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) within the framework of the measure 1.2.1.2. "Support for the Development of Technology Transfer System", Project ID Nr. KC-PI-2017/75 "Volatile Marker Breath Analyzer for Gastric Cancer Screening"

The term for submission of theses has been extended until January 24, 2021

As a number of authors have requested an extension, theses for the International Scientific Conference on Medicine are welcome until January 24.
The conference will take place this year, April 23 - 24, Zoom platform.

Thesis submission form and design requirements are available on the LU MF website.

The PERSIST project has been going on for more than a year

In January 2020, the PERSIST project was launched under the leadership of the Spanish ICT Technology Center Gradiant in cooperation with the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia and eleven other partners.
The expertise of the PERSIST project partners is being combined to develop an innovative platform that will support physicians in making decisions aimed at improving care for patients after cancer treatment.
In late 2020 and early 2021, the technical partners of the PERSIST project are developing the first version of the mHealth patient application. It will monitor important indicators of patients' health, such as sleep, heart rate, physical activity, while offering to fill in various surveys and obtain information about a person's emotional state. At the same time, intensive work is being done on the preparation of various informative materials. They will help the people included in the study to better understand the nature of the project, as well as the possibilities of using the app, smartphone and smartwatch. A short informative brochure, a smart process user manual and a short video with instructions on how to use the smart watch have already been prepared and translated into several languages, including Latvian. It is planned to start enrolling patients in the PERSIST pilot study in the spring. Participants will receive a smartwatch and a smartphone with the new mHealth application installed, which will provide a variety of data acquisition and then customize patient care.

The study, based on the use of artificial intelligence and big data to improve the health sector, involves 13 partners from 10 different countries: Spain, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Latvia, Switzerland, Portugal, Belgium and Turkey. The project is funded by the European Union under Horizon 2020 and has a total budget of more than 5 million euros.
Within the framework of the PERSIST project, the Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine of the University of Latvia ensures the management of the clinical trial. It will take place in four hospitals in Belgium, Latvia, Spain and Slovenia.

 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 875406

In Memoriam

On the evening of December 31, 2020, Pauls Aldiņš, a doctor of infectious disease at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, passed away after a long battle with the disease.

We express our deepest condolences and we are together with Pauls Aldiņš's family, relatives, friends and colleagues, accompanying him forever.

Picture: LETA, Zane Bitere