The aim of the Department of Paediatrics is to be a modern student and staff-friendly education and science centre in the field of paediatrics whose activities should be recognizable not only in Latvia but also beyond its borders. The department’s research spans clinical areas that aim to generate new knowledge for improving the health of children. The department believes children are the world’s most precious resource and this ethos powers its positive culture where people and ideas thrive.

Key Action Areas: undergraduate education in paediatrics in accordance with the accredited programmes within Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU), continuing education in paediatrics and its sub-specialties (implementation of the medical residency programmes and professional development programmes for medical doctors), implementation of doctoral programmes, scientific research in paediatrics and its sub-specialties (international research, national programmes, grants, student, resident and other research), cooperation with Children’s Clinical University Hospital in diagnosing, treating and preventing paediatric diseases, cooperation with other RSU structural units, national and international institutions and non-governmental organisations while implementing the strategy of RSU and the Department of Paediatrics, cooperation with the community in promoting children’s health and preventing paediatric diseases.

Research directions: paediatric diseases, their epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Projects:

• HORIZON 2020: “Personalised Risk Assessment in Febrile Illness to Optimise Real-life Management across the European Union” (PERFORM); “Diagnosis and Management Of febrile illness using RNA Personalised Molecular Signature Diagnosis” (DIAMONDS);
• National research programmes: “Clinical, biochemical, immunogenetic paradigms of Covid-19 infection and their correlation with socio-demographic, etiological, pathogenetic, diagnostic, therapeutically and prognostically important factors to be included in guidelines”; “Impact of COVID-19 on health care system and public health in Latvia; ways in preparing health sector for future epidemics”; “Complex research of acute and chronic diseases in children for diagnostics and development of treatment algorithms for reduced mortality, extended life expectancy, improved quality of life and public health”

Titles of defended dissertations:

Early eating habits in infants and their association with iron metabolism.

Clinical Peculiarities of Rota Viral Infection, Molecular Epidemiology and Health-Related Quality of Life for Hospitalised Children in Children’s University Hospital and Their Family Members.

Temporomandibular joint arthritis development influencing factors, clinical and radiologic symptoms in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Human respiratory syncytial virus caused lower respiratory tract infection: clinical and molecular characterization in hospitalized children in Latvia.

Molecular epidemiology and clinical course of pantonvalentine leukocidin positive s. aureus infection in children of Latvia.

Epidemiology, clinical signs, and early diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis in hospitalized children.

Molecular mechanisms, immunogenetic characteristics, clinical and therapeutical consequences of the 21-hydroxylase deficiency in the Latvian children.

Molecular Biological Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus for Patients Treated at a Multi-Profile Hospital in Latvia.

Clostridium difficile Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology in Latvia.