Identification number: OSI_PIP_BioPhoT-2025/1-0076
Type: National Research Program - BioPhoT project
Duration: 01.10.2025. - 30.09.2026.
Project manager: Assoc. Prof. Oļegs Sabeļņikovs, Rīga Stradiņš University
Responsible person from ISSP UL: Dr.phys Aleksejs Zolotarjovs, Institute of Solid State Physcis, University of Latvia (ISSP UL)
Project partners: Riga Stradins University
Total funding: 200 000 EUR
ISSP UL funding: 111 443 EUR
Project description:
Sepsis and septic shock are global health issues characterized by high mortality rates and significant healthcare costs. Current sepsis guidelines focus on stabilizing systemic hemodynamics through fluid resuscitation and vasopressor therapy; however, these treatments do not always improve microcirculation. Impairments in microcirculation lead to tissue hypoxia and organ dysfunction, which are linked to higher mortality. Clinical guidelines for assessing microcirculation recommend using manual capillary refill time (a subjective method) or serum lactate levels (a non-specific method). Existing microcirculation assessment techniques have several drawbacks, such as being non-specific or failing to provide continuous assessment at the organ level.
The aim of the project is to develop a new, minimally invasive optical device for the real-time assessment of microcirculation at the sublingual and gastric mucosa levels. Using diffuse light spectroscopy, the device will evaluate tissue oxygenation, perfusion index, and heterogeneity index. This project integrates the clinical expertise of RSU with the optical technology developed by ISSP UL to enable continuous organ-level microcirculation assessment in septic shock patients during initial stabilization. This technique has the potential to improve microcirculation assessment, reduce septic shock complications, and contribute to Latvia's RIS3 strategy by developing biomedical technologies and strengthening a knowledge-based economy.