On the afternoon of 14 November, the grand hall of Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) hosted the graduation ceremony for Latvia’s newest Doctors of Science. Among the 30-plus scholars honoured this year, three completed their doctoral theses at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS): Melita Ozola, Pāvels Dimitrijevs, and Dana Kigitoviča.
Dr. Melita Ozola’s dissertation, “Regulation of Trimethylamine N-oxide in Treatment of Cardiometabolic Diseases,” was guided by Professor Maija Dambrova, Head of LIOS’s Pharmaceutical Pharmacology Laboratory and a leading researcher.
Dr. Pāvels Dimitrijevs’ thesis, “Targeting Cancer Metabolism with Isoselenazolium Salts,” was developed under the mentorship of Dr. Pāvels Arsenjans, Head of LIOS’s Pharmacomodulator Synthesis Group.
Dr. Dana Kigitoviča, a practicing physician, defended her research titled “Effects of Meldonium on Right Ventricular Failure in a Preclinical Model and Patients.” Her work was co-supervised by Dr. Reinis Vilšķērsts, a senior researcher at LIOS’s Pharmaceutical Pharmacology Laboratory.
Throughout the RSU ceremony, a recurring theme was clear: Latvia’s future and progress are deeply intertwined with education, science, and research. These pillars are the nation’s most valuable resources, deserving both nurturing and investment.
As part of the celebration, the new doctors were awarded their diplomas and a symbolic silver pin, marking their significant achievement.
Meanwhile, on 14 and 15 November, three more of our colleagues—Toms Upmanis, Toms Kalniņš, and Viktorija Vitkovska—are defending their doctoral theses at the University of Latvia.
We stand with them in spirit and proudly celebrate all these young scientists who have completed a challenging journey requiring years of effort and patience. Their success, culminating in a Doctorate of Science, is a victory worth celebrating!
