Latvia to build Baltics' first One Health excellence centre

On August 18, the Latvian government approved co-financing for a research initiative that will create the first centre of its kind in the Baltic and Eastern European region. The initiative received backing in April this year through the EU's "Horizon Europe" programme project competition.

The new centre will follow the "One Health" approach, studying the interconnection between human, animal and environmental health. Among the issues it will address are antibiotic resistance, infectious diseases and the health impacts of climate change.

Education and Science Minister Ilze Indriksone said investment in science directly benefits public health, economic growth and national security, and demonstrates the international competitiveness of Latvian researchers.

Digital twin and cooperation

A key element of the project will be developing a digital twin of the entire system — a tool combining data on environmental processes, microbiological and chemical risks, and their links to human health observations. It will enable real-time monitoring, scenario modelling, faster early warning and response to health risks, as well as improved production safety and quality control.

The project is being implemented by the National Research and Innovation Institute in cooperation with Riga Technical University, the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, European Molecular Biology Laboratories, and the University of Dundee in the United Kingdom. Associated partners include the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre.

Funding

The project's total budget is €30 million. Half of that — €15 million — comes from the EU's Horizon Europe programme, while the other half is Latvian funding: €14.505 million from the European Regional Development Fund and the state budget, plus €495,000 from the project implementers' own resources. The "Teaming for Excellence" competition, under which the project was approved, supports the development of excellent research centres in countries with lower innovation capacity, in partnership with leading European institutions.