Baltic biomaterials centre of excellence
The Rudolfs Cimdins Riga Biomaterials Innovations and Development Centre (RBIDC) is a part of Rigas Tehniska Universitate, Latvia (RTU). The RTU RBIDC research team is composed of chemists, chemical engineers and materials scientists. RTU RBIDC scientists are working on well-defined materials science research areas for bone tissue replacement and regeneration. There has been a long lasting cooperation between RTU RBIDC and the Latvijas Organiskas Sintezes Instituts (LIOS) on investigations of biomaterials developed in RTU RBIDC. LIOS has vast experience in preclinical testing of biological/pharmacological activity in in vitro and in vivo systems. Biomaterials developed at RTU RBIDC, in cooperation with clinicians from the Rigas Stradina Universitate, Latvia (RSU) and Riga Stradins University Institute of Stomatology (RSU IS), which starting from 15 June, 2018 has been added to project as a new partner, have been tested in clinical practice in more than 400 patient cases. RTU RBIDC research fields and scientific capacity will be the core for establishing a new Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence (BBCE) and by adding the crucial experience of RSU, RSU IS and LIOS research fields, full-cycle development of biomaterials will be covered.
Establishment of Centre of Excellence will provide an opportunity to combine expertise and infrastructure, to create critical mass and excel at specific field and create spill-over effects between different fields. Within the formation of critical mass in research and development, also the cooperation between industry and research organisations will be encouraged, leading to technology transfer and delivery of new products in the market. Hence BBCE project´s main objective is to establish a joint Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence for advanced biomaterials development based on the long-term strategic cooperation between AO--Forschungsinstitut Davos, Switzerland (ARI) and Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen Nuernberg, Germany (FAU) on the one hand and RTU RBIDC, LIOS, RSU IS and RSU on the other hand.