Research fields

Priority research fields of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies:

According to the development strategy of the Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU) for 2023 - 2027, LBTU vision is to be the leading science university in the creation of innovations in the bioeconomy and related industries and in the sustainable use of natural resources in the Baltic Sea region, promoting the introduction of innovations in the national economy for the promotion of the balanced development of Latvian regions and society for increasing the quality of life.

Block of Life Sciences (MOTTO: SUSTAINABLE AND SMART USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND RESEARCH)

  • Implementation of the "One Health" concept and species interaction studies in the context of climate change,
  • Preservation of biological diversity in agro- and forest biocenoses, ecosystem protection and services,
  • Studies of the basic resources of the bioeconomy – land, soil, water – to ensure sustainable use and reduce pollution,
  • Development and adaptation of technologies for obtaining high-value agricultural and forest products, as well as in veterinary medicine.

Block of Engineering Sciences  (MOTTO: TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABLE AND CLIMATE-NEUTRAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT)

  • smart materials and products,
  • technologies for sustainable development,
  • innovative solutions for the implementation of circular economy principles.

Block of Social Sciences (MOTTO: RESEARCH AND ADMINISTRATION OF SUSTAINABLE BIOECONOMICS AND SMART TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT)

  • researching the strategic development and socio-economic impact of the knowledge-intensive bioeconomy,
  • researching the possibilities of sustainable and smart territorial development,
  • Environmentally responsible business competitiveness and social development interaction Biomedicine, research.

LBTU’s research specialisation is based on its vision, evaluating the university’s scientific competence regarding the development challenges of Latvia, the Baltic Sea region, and the European Union, as well as global challenges.

The scientific competence of the university grasps the areas that are related to the sustainable use of natural resources. When establishing the fields of the university’s research specialisation, the topicality of each chosen option was assessed with regard to the aspect of the society’s quality of life in the present and the future, needs of the national economy, and the applicability of the expected results.

Biosciences include agricultural sciences, as well as related sub-branches in life-sciences, medical and health sciences. The main research activities are connected with agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicine.

PRIORITY RESEARCH FIELDS IN BIOSCIENCES

  1. Investigation of important microorganisms and invertebrates in agriculture
  2. Studies of soil and land as basic resources for agriculture
  3. Improving plant productivity and yield quality through environmentally-friendly technologies
  4. Improving animal productivity and functional efficiency
  5. Morphofunctional studies of animal digestion system from the aspects of ontogenesis and pathogenesis of diseases
  6. Research on new diagnostics, treatment methods, medications, feed and nutritional supplements
  7. Infectious and invasive disease control and prevention
  8. Forest ecology and forestry studies
  9. The impact of forest work and technology on the forest ecosystem, the results of the output, the assessment of quantitative and qualitative indicators
  10. Forest resource economics and forest management planning
  11. Ecology of work environment
  12. Food safety and risks

Leading units of the line of research: Faculty of Agriculture, Forest Faculty, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Agronomy, Research Institute of research in Plant Protection.

Engineering sciences refer to engineering sciences and technologies as well as related subbranches in life sciences, agricultural sciences, medical and health sciences. The main research activities are conducted in the fields of food technology, sustainable energy, smart vehicles and technologies (mostly focusing on agriculture and forestry), information technology, civil engineering, wood processing, geodesy, environment and water management (including greenhouse gases and agricultural runoff).

PRIORITY RESEARCH FIELDS IN ENGINEERING SCIENCES

  1. Research in wood materials and technologies
  2. Use of sustainable energy in vehicles
  3. Smart technologies and robots in biosystems
  4. Sources and use of renewable energy
  5. Reduction and rational use of by-products and residues
  6. New products from raw materials of plants and animals, their nutritional studies
  7. Research of biologically active substances in raw materials of food and products
  8. Research of environmental and climate change reducing technologies, hydrology and agricultural runoff
  9. Remote sensing, geodesy and geospatial research
  10. Sustainable civil engineering, development of new, innovative building materials, researchof their properties
  11. Safety and performance of building structures with long-term load
  12. Systems biology, modelling and optimization of metabolic network
  13. Information technology solutions, application of mathematical modelling and statistics in agriculture, environmental and forestry sciences
  14. Development and evaluation of intercultural information systems

Leading units of the line of research: Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology, Forest Faculty, Faculty of Environment and Civil Engineering, Faculty of Information Technologies.

Social sciences refer to social sciences as well as related scientific sub-branches in humanities. The main research activities are conducted in economics and business (mostly focusing on agrarian and regional economics), sociology, landscape architecture, pedagogy, land management.

PRIORITY RESEARCH FIELDS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

  1. Sustainable development of territories
  2. Sustainable economics of the bioresource industries
  3. Efficiency of manufacturing processes and competitiveness of companies
  4. Land and property management studies
  5. Urban and rural landscape research and development
  6. Professional education and career support in the society

Leading unit of the line of research: Faculty of Economics and Social Development, Institute of Education and Home Economics in Faculty of Engineering.

Priority research fields of LBTU

No.

Line of research

Leading unit of the research field

FA

FVM

FF

FE

FFT

FRE

FIT

FESD

Block of Biological Sciences

1.

Research of microorganisms and invertebrates important to agriculture

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.

Research of soil and land as the main resource of agriculture

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.

Improvement of plant productivity and quality of harvest by using environmentally friendly technologies

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.

Improvement of animal productivity and functional efficiency

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.

Morphofunctional research of the digestive apparatus of animals in the aspect of ontogenesis and disease pathogenesis

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.

Research of new diagnostics, treatment methods, medication and food additives

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.

Control and prevention of infection and infestation diseases

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.

Safety of food of animal origin

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.

Research of forest ecology and forestry

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

10.

Influence of forest work and machinery on the ecosystem of the forest, assessment of the derived products, and quantitative and qualitative indicators of measurement

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

11.

Forest resource economy and forest management planning

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

12.

Working environment ecology

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

13.

Food safety and risks

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

Block of Engineering Sciences

1.

Research of wood materials and technologies

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

2.

Use of sustainable energy in motor vehicles

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

3.

Smart technologies and robots in biosystems

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

4.

Acquisition and use of renewable energy

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

5.

Reduction and rational use of manufacturing by-products and residues

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

6.

New products from raw materials of the plant and animal origin, study of their nutritional value

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

7.

Research of biologically active substances in food raw materials and products

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

8.

Research of environmental technologies and technologies decreasing climate changes, as well as hydrology, and agricultural runoff research

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

9.

Remote sensing and geodesy research

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

10.

Sustainable building, development of new, innovative building materials and construction products, research of their performance characteristics

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

11.

Safety of building structures and behaviour under long-term loads

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

12.

Systems biology, modelling and optimisation of metabolic networks

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

13.

Computer control of biosystems

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

14.

Information technology solutions in precision forestry

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

15.

Mathematical modelling of the drying process of agricultural products

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

16.

Calculation and forecast of greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

Block of Social Sciences

1.

Professional education and career support for the sustainable development of society

 

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

2.

Land and real estate management studies

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

3.

Research and development of urban and rural landscape

 

 

 

 

 

x

 

 

4.

Sustainable development economics of the bioresource industries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

5.

Research of sustainable territorial development possibilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

x

6.

Efficiency of production processes and competitiveness of companies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

x