Institute of Life Sciences and Technology

The Institute of Life Sciences and Technology (DZTI) is a multi-disciplinary research institute that unites basic and applied research in the most Eastern part of the European Union. Our scientific staff conduct research in different fields like Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. DZTI also aims at collaborations with businesses, municipalities and other third parties by providing services and expertise.

More specifically, our strength lies in research and service provision in the fields of nature conservation, ecology, taxonomy, evolution, forestry, botany, bryology, plant physiology, population genetics, synthesis of luminophores, analytical chemistry, sensor technology, nanomaterials, nanobiotechnology, holography, mathematical modelling, data analysis as well as nonlinear boundary problems for ordinary differential equations. Recently, socially engaged research became a common focus for further research projects at DZTI.

The institute is organized in three departments interacting with each other and where researchers conduct inter-disciplinary research activities. Biologists, biophysicists, environmental specialists, physicists, chemists, mathematicians and engineers are jointly addressing modern societal challenges. Traditional boundaries between research fields, collaboration possibilities and interaction between scientists are overcome for knowledge creation contributing to regional development. Employees can build informal research platforms to conduct specific research projects.

DZTI has over 100 employees conducting research on a permanent basis, working on specific projects or employed for service contracts. DZTI employees also participate in the implementation of a dozen of study programmes and collaborate with other units of the University.

DZTI also works closely with the Research and Business Center “REBUS” to enhance science-business collaboration in the region and to identify research offers suitable for regional businesses, as well as for international entrepreneurs. DZTI sees its role as the main contributor for a smart society and the development of an innovative region.

ABOUT DZTI INFRASTRUCTURE

DZTI provides outstanding infrastructure for carrying out research in different fields and to ensure inter-disciplinary basic and applied research. The DU cloud is available to all DZTI employees for file storage and sharing.

The Laboratory campus is located in the center of Daugavpils city. The Study and Research Center “Ilgas” and the Laboratory campus for biological research on forest ecosystems are located in Skrudaliena parish in the nature park “Silene”.

DZTI Laboratory campus in Daugavpils

The newly built Laboratory campus opened its gate in 2014, providing over 5800 m² for laboratory, research activities and studies.

The Laboratory campus contains the state-of-the-art G. Liberta Innovative Microscopy Centre, which includes clean rooms for different analysis in physics for the development of new sensors, nanomaterials and the detection of different structures. The platform for research and science-business collaboration in modern robotics, programming and laser processing focusses on metal industry. The campus provides all necessary facilities and expertise for the creation and the production of high-quality holograms.

Infrastructure facilities for analytical chemistry contains different chromatographs for precise analysis, including all necessary infrastructure for organic synthesis as well as the development and synthesis of home-made luminophores.

DZTI is fully equipped for high-level hydroecology research with an infrastructure for experimental aquaculture. This includes facilities and technical resources for physical and chemical water analysis and also for biological analysis of phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic macrophytes and macroinvertebrates, both for field and laboratory works.

The Drosophila facility promotes the use of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster (common fruit fly) in ecology and evolution research. As an invertebrate, Drosophila is ethically an ideal animal model. The most widely applied high-throughput video tracking software NOLDUS EthoVision XT can track and analyze animal behaviors, movements and activities.

Facilities for parasitology research include a modern confocal laser-scanning microscopy and rooms for different parasitological examinations, including ELISA, trichinellosis, parasites of mammals, fish and other aquatic organisms, including dissection of hosts etc. Histology studies are conducted there.

The modern infrastructure for molecular biology methods allows to conduct research in population genetics, phylogeny, as well as molecular physiology of stress, cell memory, epigenetics etc. Facilities and resources allow to perform all kind of molecular biology analysis like from DNA or RNA isolation or obtaining nucleotide sequences, including pyrosequencing, Raman spectroscopy and flow cytometry.

The genomics and biotechnology facilities are used for studies on nanobiotechnology and the influence of nanoparticles on genetic material of plants. Mainly plant in vitro culture is used for our experiments on gene expression under influence of the nanoparticles.

Mathematics facilities

Mathematics facilities are located at the building of Daugavpils University on Parades street 1, connected with the Laboratory campus in Daugavpils. There is a strong expertise providing support in statistics and mathematical modelling, including big data analysis.

Study & Research Center “Ilgas” and Laboratory campus for research on forest biological diversity in Skrudaliena parish

Study and Research Center “Ilgas” and Laboratory Campus are located in Skrudaliena parish in the nature park “Silene”. Designed by the architect Wilhelm Neimann in the second half of the 19^th century, it was initially a hunters’ castle belonging to the Ilgas manor.

The “Ilgas” complex was fully renovated in 2012 and is now equipped for biodiversity research, nature conservation, studies of invasive species and forestry. A 3D X-ray tomography for nano-scale imaging is mainly used for paleoentomology. Fully equipped facilities are used for the storage of coleopterological and botanical collections in Latvia, which contains samples from allover the world.

The Coleopterological Research Center conducts research on the systematics, taxonomy, morphology, fauna and biogeography of beetles (Coleoptera).

The Herbarium Universitatis Daugavpiliensis in Ilgas contains collections of vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and fungi. Besides the historical and international collections, this herbarium presents the latest botanical and lichenological collections in Latvia and is regularly updated. The herbarium offers also microscopy equipment with camera. Additionally, there are facilities for experimental biology studies as climate boxes with regulated temperature and humidity regimes.

āvā jaunākās botāniskās un kerpju kolekcijas Latvijā un tiek regulāri papildināts. Meža bioloģiskās daudzveidības pētījumu centrā, kur atrodas kolekcijas, ir pieejama arī mikroskopijas iekārta ar kameru. Turklāt ir plašas iespējas eksperimentālās bioloģijas pētījumiem, piemēram, klimata kameras ar regulējamiem temperatūras un mitruma režīmiem.

Journals published at DZTI

Acta Biologica Universitatis Daugavpiliensis

Baltic Journal of Coleopterology

OUR DEPARTMENTS
Department of Biodiversity
Department of Ecology	acting head Dr. biol. Artūrs Škute
Department of Technology	acting head Dr. biol. Inese Kokina

PROFESSORS AT DZTI

Dr. biol. Arvīds Barševskis

Dr. biol. Inese Kokina

Dr. biol. Artūrs Škute

Dr. biol. Nataļja Škute

Professors at Faculty of Life Sciences and Healthcare and lead researchers at DZTI

Dr.habil.math. Felikss Sadirbajevs

Associated professors at Faculty of Life Sciences and Healthcare and lead researchers at DZTI

Dr. chem. Sergejs Osipovs

Dr. math. Armands Gricāns

Dr. math. Ināra Jermačenko

MANAGEMENT
Director
Scientific Council	Dr. biol. Uldis Valainis (priekšsēdētājs)
	Dr. biol. Arvīds Barševskis
	Dr. biol. Inese Kokina
	Dr. biol. Artūrs Škute
	Dr. biol. Maksims Balalaikins
	Dr. phys. Ēriks Sļedevskis