On 16 April 2024, the Senate of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS) decided on awarding the LAS Grand Medal 2024 to Dr. pharm. Maija Dambrova and Dr. art. Kristiāna Ābele.
[pdf./in Latvian]
Dr. pharm. Maija Dambrova
The Grand Medal 2024 of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is awarded for outstanding achievements in the studies of the mechanisms of new pharmacologically active compounds and establishment of a new school of pharmacologists in Latvia.
Prof. M. Dambrova is Head of the Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Pharmacology, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, and Professor at the Riga Stradiņš University, Faculty of Pharmacy (Latvia). She has a PhD in Pharmaceutical Biosciences from Uppsala University (Sweden) and also holds a MBA degree from RISEBA, Latvia. She is full member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences.
Prof. M. Dambrova is specializing in drug discovery, investigation of the molecular action mechanisms of drugs and biomarkers in collaboration with academic research partners and pharmaceutical industry. Research interests include pharmacology and medicinal chemistry related to the cardiometabolic drugs and novel paths to regulate cellular energy metabolism. For her achievements, M. Dambrova has been awarded EFPIA nomination “Portraits of Science–Scientists of Tomorrow”, Baltic Assembly Prize in Science, L`Oréal Latvian fellowship "For Women in Science" with the support of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO and the Latvian Academy of Sciences.
[pdf./in Latvian]
Dr. art. Kristiāna Ābele
The Grand Medal 2024 of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is awarded for original research in the 19th century and the early 20th century Latvian and Baltic art historiography, history of books, and studies into Baltic German cultural heritage.
Dr. Kristiāna Ābele – art historian and editor, senior researcher and director at the Institute of Art History of the Art Academy of Latvia in Riga and lecturer at the Department of Art History at the same institution, full member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences.
Author of monographs about artists Pēteris Krastiņš (2006), Johann Walter (Walter-Kurau) (2009; concise version, 2014), Voldemārs Zeltiņš (2021) and Vilhelms Purvītis (in the book "Purvītis", ed. by Laima Slava, 2022), parts about the artistic life of 1840ies to 1915ies in the "Art History of Latvia" (ed. by Eduards Kļaviņš, vol. IV, 2014; vol. III, book 2, 2019) as well as articles, conference papers, public lectures, essays and exhibition projects about Baltic art in the late 19th and early 20th century. Editor of 2003 and 2012 volumes in the series “Materials for Latvian Art History” and the special issue "Representing Art History in the Baltic Countries: Experiences and Prospects" of "Kunstiteaduslikke Uurimusi" (2018, vol. 27, no. 1–3).