More than 600 people from 31 countries registered to participate in the annual PMNET Forum or Precision Medicine Networking Forum. Over the past three years, it has become one of the leading Precision Medicine events in the Nordic region, bringing together scientists, doctors, hospital management, patient organizations, healthcare institutions, industry representatives, and policymakers. All forum participants share a common goal: to improve patient care and outcomes by promoting development and adoption of Precision Medicine.
By addressing current issues and collaborating on new initiatives, stakeholders are driving innovations and technologies that are accessible worldwide. This forum has become a valued tradition, and we look forward to hosting it again in Riga on October 9-10, 2025.
The Director of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA), Raivis Bremsmits, stated: “Precision Medicine is about more than just healthcare—it’s about saving lives and the knowledge and talent to do so. This field of medicine relies on the latest technologies, and creating innovations requires collaboration across different sectors and combining various tools, such as digitazing and artificial intelligence, which open up new approaches and opportunities. The key to Precision Medicine is our ability to be faster, more efficient, and results-oriented. Unlike larger countries, we are characterized by our agility in adapting to change and finding our niche. Thanks to our scientific potential, infrastructure, and skills for collaboration, we can make a significant contribution to the future development of Precision Medicine.” To facilitate this, the forum included a medical technology industry exhibition. Latvian companies and international representatives showcased their services in the fields of diagnostics, medicine and big data. In addition to the booths from supporters Roche, Illumina, and Novartis, attendees explored offerings from companies such as Bioavots (solutions for biotechnolgy labs), iGEM (competition in synthetic biology), Longenesis (health data management), Caszyme (gene-editing), The Force Latvia (consultation in biotech), Bdetect (diagnostics), CellBox Lab (organ on chip technology), Euformatics (bioinformatics), and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (DNA sequencing), as well as the Baltic Biomaterials Excellence Center (biomaterials research). The booth arrangements were supported by LIAA.
This year's keynote speaker was professor Simon Pfister who serves as Director of the Preclinical Research Program of the new Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg, a joint venture between the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University Hospital. His commitment to advancing molecular tumor diagnostics for childhood brain tumors focus on precision medicine and precise diagnostics is crucial for improving care in pediatric oncology. By understanding the molecular characteristics of tumors it is possible to tailor treatments more effectively and improve prognostic assessments. He advocates for investing in accurate diagnosis that cost up to 2 - 3% from modern cancer therapy before initiating expensive treatment regimens
Professor Pfister’s exploration and research algorithms can be extended globally, especially to under-resourced areas, which highlights a vital aspect of modern medicine: accessibility. His vision for 2030 will likely provide a roadmap for how we can collectively push the boundaries of pediatric cancer care and ensure that all children have access to the best possible treatments.
The PMNET Forum featured speakers from the USA, 15 European Union countries, Scandinavia, Israel, Lithuania, and Estonia.
During the forum, four key cooperation agreements were signed, further strengthening precision medicine initiatives.
- As a result of new contacts established during PMNET forum 2022 and potential collaboration discussed at PMNET forum 2023 , The Children's Clinical University Hospital and the Netherlands' Princess Máxima Center signed Consortium agreement to create Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Precision Medicine in Pediatric Care (PMPC) in Latvia.
- The Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center, Riga Stradins University (RSU), the University of Latvia, and the Institute of Organic Synthesis signed an agreement to participate in EATRIS – the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC).
- The Children's Clinical University Hospital, RSU, and Riga Technical University strengthened their partnership in the research and innovation development ecosystem, ensuring modern medical advancements that will improve patient care and public health.
- Additionally, the final partnership was formed between the Children's Clinical University Hospital, RSU, the Children's Hospital Foundation, and the Latvian Children's Oncology Foundation to promote the development of Precision Medicine in Latvia, particularly in pediatric healthcare.
For the first time, the PMNET Forum hosted a health hackathon, “Riga iDays,” in collaboration with Riga Stradins University and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's health community (EIT Health). During this hackathon, students from across Latvia developed health-related ideas, collaborating with industry experts to create innovative solutions aimed at addressing regional healthcare system challenges. The hackathon was won by Riga Stradins University and Riga Technical University student team "Linky", which will represent Latvia at the i-Days European finals in Budapest at the end of November, while RSU Business Incubator "B-Space" won the special prize received by the RSU student team "Health Connect". The solutions proposed by both teams are related to the improvement of children's palliative care, which, by developing the ideas further, would give the Palliative Care Service of the Children's Hospital the opportunity to improve the exchange of information with patients and their families, as well as to plan care provision more efficiently.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (AmCham) presented a position paper titled " The Development of Precision Medicine in Latvia. Added value for patients, development of human capital, and the opportunity for economic growth" emphasizes the contributions of Precision Medicine to patients and the economy as a whole. The position paper highlights the economic value of health innovation and research, promoting policies that support these developments. Please see the report here: AmCham_Position Paper_ENG_03_10_2024.cdr
All videos form the panel discussions are available in Forums youtube channel here: (272) PMNET Forum - YouTube
More information about the forum program and speakers is available at www.pmnetforum.com. We invite you to follow the forum's updates and activities on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, using the hashtags #MissionLatvia, #ESfondi, #investEU, #PMNETforum2024, and #PrecisionMedicineNetwork.
The PMNET Forum has become a significant event, thanks to the contributions of both local and international experts. The forum is organized by the Children's Clinical University Hospital, Riga Stradins University, the Children's Hospital Foundation, the Latvian Children's Oncology Foundation, the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Health, the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, as well as several patient organizations, in collaboration with the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center, the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia, the University of Latvia, Rīga Technical University, Riga East Clinical University Hospital, and Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital.
The funding for the PMNET Forum is provided by the European Regional Development Fund project "Support for the Development of Innovative Entrepreneurship in SMEs," No. 1.2.3.1/1/23/I/001, from the Latvian Investment and Development Agency.
The PMNET Forum is organized with financial support from the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation.