RSU congratulates 38 young Doctor of Science graduates

On Thursday, 12 November, Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) held its doctoral graduation ceremony in the RSU Great Hall, honouring 38 young doctoral degree holders. Graduates were presented with diplomas, letters of gratitude and RSU silver pins, symbolising their belonging to the university’s academic community.

The ceremony was opened by RSU Rector Prof. Aigars Pētersons. The young Doctor of Science holders were congratulated by Karina Palkova, Ombudsperson of the Republic of Latvia and Associate Professor at the RSU Faculty of Social Sciences.

From the diagnosis and treatment of diseases to sport, law and politics 

Clinical medicine was the most extensively represented field among the young medical doctors, with 19 doctoral theses developed. This was followed by basic medical sciences, including pharmacy, with eight theses; health and sports sciences, with five; and law, with four. Political science and psychology each were represented by one doctoral thesis.

In clinical medicine, particular focus was on research topics in personalised medicine and the use of biomarkers and genetics in disease diagnosis, prediction and treatment. The research covered oncology, rare and autoimmune diseases, as well as surgery. Topics included new prognostic and predictive biomarkers in the treatment of rectal cancer; the genetic and clinical aspects of systemic sclerosis and hereditary angioedema; the role of the microbiome in disease development; and the use of biomarkers to predict complications in microsurgery. Another study focused on infections and treatment effectiveness, including the use of antibacterial medicines for children. 

In basic medical sciences and pharmacy, alongside research into pharmacology, immunology, and molecular biology, studies were carried out into new technologies and materials. One doctoral thesis was devoted to the use of artificial intelligence deep neural networks for medical image analysis and 3D model reconstruction, while another investigated the use of sapropel in the development of bioactive hydrogels. Other research topics included gene expression characteristic of molecular subtypes of breast cancer, the efficacy and safety of anti-tuberculosis treatment, and the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with inborn errors of immunity. 

In health and sports sciences, the five studies covered both the professional identity of healthcare practitioners and the physical development and sporting of children and young people. Studies were also conducted on professional identity of midwifes, children’s learning to swim, the teaching of values through physical activity, and the training and competition approaches for young football players.

In law, four doctoral theses analysed topical issues in finance, business and criminal law, including the regulation of beneficial ownership in Latvia and the European Union, tax planning, and the application of coercive measures to legal entities. One study, meanwhile, explored the legal dimension of the philosophy of happiness.

In political science, the study was conducted on Russia’s foreign policy identity and its manifestation between 2012 and 2022.
In psychology, attention was focused on professional identity and its changes in crisis situations, exploring the experiences of psychologists and art therapists.

We sincerely congratulate the new Doctor of Science holders and wish them the courage to pursue their research, make new discoveries and shape the future with their knowledge!