Bioconversion of Renewable Resources

· Biotechnological conversion of industrial and agricultural waste and by-products to valuable products.
· Bioconversion of lactose containing substrates from dairy industry.
· Biotechnological application of non-conventional yeasts (Kluyveromyces spp.), microalgae, lactic acid bacteria, bacteria Zymomonas mobilis.
· Prebiotic and probiotics, polyfunctional food products.

2025 - 2028 “From waste biomass to human health: bioconversion of oat hulls by microalgae for production of ingredients with immuno-modulating properties (ALGAE2HEALTH)”. ERDF project Nr. 1.1.1.3/1./24/A/133
2024 - 2026 Project - contract research for JSC ”Smiltenes piens”: "Optimization of microalgae biomass cultivation on whey permeate-based substrates.", ZD2024/21774
2020 -2021 “Evolutionary adaptation of non-conventional industrial yeasts Kluyveromyces marxianus to acetic acid stress and evaluation of adaptation mechanisms”. Latvian Council of Science. lzp-2020/2-0082
2018 - 2019 Production of probiotics from cheese and curds whey and the further use of whey in production of improved multifunctional dairy products. European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) project. Nr. 18-00-A01612-000002.
2017 - 2018 Project – contract research for company Baltic Dairy Board Ltd. “Experimental and analytical services for research of galactooligosaccharides (GOS) biosynthesis”. Contract Nr: A69-DL/554.
2016 - 2017 ERDF project of Center for Competence in Smart Materials and Technologies(1.2.1.1/16/A/005). “Improvement of controlled enzymatic hydrolysis process for the production of highly valuable whey and milk protein hydrolysates”.
2014 - 2015 ERDF project „Application of non-conventional yeasts for improvement of bioethanol production from inulin containing raw materials – biotechnological and systems biology aproach. Nr. 2DP/2.1.1.1.0/14/APIA/VIAA/043, LU Nr. ESS2014/171
2014 - 2015 ERDF Industry research project of Environment, Bioenergetics and Biotechnology Competence centre „ The research of improvements of composition of non-conventional yeasts biomass and its based products obtained by fermentation of lactose containing substrates.” project Nr.1.20 , KC/2.1.2.1.1/10/01/006, L-KC-11-0005.
2014 ERDF industry research project of Environment, Bioenergetics and Biotechnology Competence centre „The improvement of industrial potential of yeasts Kluyveromyces and studies of biomass processing methods in bioconversion of cheese whey" project Nr.1.8 , KC/2.1.2.1.1/10/01/006, L-KC-11-0005.
2010 - 2012 Participation in ESF project „Establishment of Latvian interdisciplinary interunivesity scientific group of systems biology”, sub-activity „Co-fermentation of sucrose and hydrolytic enzymes by Z.mobilis”. Project deals with modeling „ in silico”of metabolics pathways of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ans Zymomonas mobilis.
2005 - 2008 Project “Biosynthesis of valuable products of Zymomonas mobilis by levansucrase and glucose-fructose oxidoreductase – influence of physico-chemical factors on stability and activity of enzymes” supported by Latvian Council of Science (Nr. 05.1523).
2004 - 2005 Market oriented project „Application of Latvian apples for production of fermented beverages” supported by Ministry of Education and Science Republic of Latvia (TOP 04-49).
2001 - 2004 "Investigation of catalytic properties of Zymomonas mobilis levansucrase; enzymatic bioconversion of sucrose". supported by Latvian Council of Science (Nr. 01.0038).
 

Kolesovs, S., Shvirksts, K., Grube, M., & Vigants, A. (2025). Studies on lactose utilization by the microalga Graesiella emersonii in the 3N-BBM-V model medium. European Journal of Phycology, 1–10. doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2025.2471784
Žiganova M, Merijs-Meri R, Zicāns J, Bochkov I, Ivanova T, Vīgants A, Ence E, Štrausa E. Visco-Elastic and Thermal Properties of Microbiologically Synthesized Polyhydroxyalkanoate Plasticized with Triethyl Citrate. Polymers. 2023; 15(13):2896. doi.org/10.3390/polym15132896
Vigants A, Kovtuna K. 2021. The lactoferrin stability in fermented dairy products containing probiotics. The EuroBiotech Journal, vol.5, no.s2, pp.77-77. doi.org/10.2478/ebtj-2021-0031
K. Kovtuna, J. Martynova, S.I. Krēķe, R. Scherbaka, A. Vigants “The sweet and acidic whey as substrates for probiotics biomass production”(2019) Journal of Biotechnology, 305: Supplement 15 , Pages S53-S54, doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.05.190
A. Pentjuss, E. Stalidzans, J. Liepins, A. Kokina, J. Martynova, P. Zikmanis, I. Mozga, R. Scherbaka, H. Hartman, M. G. Poolman, D. A. Fell, A. Vigants (2017) “Model-based biotechnological potential analysis of Kluyveromyces marxianus central metabolism” Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, 44 (8): 1177 – 1190. doi.org/10.1007/s10295-017-1946-8
Jekaterina Martynova, Martins Mednis, Armands Vigants, Peteris Zikmanis (2017) “Kinetic modeling of ethanol fermentation by yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus from lactose- and inulin- containing substrates” Engineering for Rural Development: 16th International Scientific Conference Proceedings Jelgava: Latvia University of Agriculture, 16: 88 – 97. 10.22616/ERDev2017.16.N016
Martynova J, Kokina A, Liepins J, Vigants A (2016) Utilization of different carbohydrates by various Kluyveromyces marxianus strains. JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY , 231: S62-S62 Supplement: S. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.05.232
Patetko A, Silins R, Scherbaka R, Martinova J, Vigants, A (2016) 2-Phenylethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus on glucose and lactose substrates. JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY , 231: S62-S63 Supplement: S. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.05.233
Vigants A, Martynova J, Kovtuna K, Kokina A, Liepins J (2016) Whey lactose bioconversion to valuable products by non-conventional yeasts Kluyveromyces marxianus. JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, 231: S7-S7 Supplement: S. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.05.051
Martynova J, Kokina A, Kibilds J, Liepins J, Scerbaka R, Vigants A. (2016) Effects of acetate on Kluyveromyces marxianus DSM 5422 growth and metabolism. APPL. MICROBIOL BIOPTECHNOL ,100:4585-4594, doi.org/10.1007/s00253-016-7392-0
J Lukjanenko, K Kovtuna, M Grube, A Vigants (2015) Enhancement of protein content in Kluyveromyces marxianus biomass produced on cheese whey lactose. J BIOTECHNOL 208 (Supplement): 76-76. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2015.06.232
J Lukjanenko, K Kovtuna, R Scherbaka, A Vigants (2014) Bioethanol and biomass production by Kluyveromyces marxianus during lactose fermentation at different salts and substrate concentrations. J BIOTECHNOL 185 (Supplement): 122-122. doi.org/10.1016/J.JBIOTEC.2014.07.416
A Vigants J Lukjanenko, M Grube, J. Liepins (2014) The influence of fermentation conditions on biomass composition during ethanol biosynthesis from cheese whey lactose concentrate by Kluyveromyces marxianus. J BIOTECHNOL 185 (Supplement):122-122. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2014.07.418
A Vigants, D Upite, R Scherbaka, J Lukjanenko, R Ionina (2013) An influence of ethanol and temperature on products formation by different preparations of Zymomonas mobilis extracellular levansucrase. FOLIA MICROBIOLOGICA 58: 75-80. doi.org/10.1007/s12223-012-0185-7
Visnapuu T, Mardo K, Mosoarca C, Zamfir AD, Vigants A, Alamae T. (2011) Levansucrases from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and P. chlororaphis subsp. aurantiaca: substrate specificity, polymerizing properties and usage of different acceptors for fructosylation. J BIOTECHNOL. 155: 338-349. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2011.07.026
Lukjanenko J, Scherbaka R, Vigants A (2010) Buckwheat based substrate fermentation - possibilities for non-traditional alcoholic beverage production, J BIOTECHNOL. 150 (Supplement): 311-311. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2010.09.287
Lukjanenko J, Zikmanis P, Scherbaka R, Jonina R, Vigants A (2010) Ethanol production improvement in Zymomonas mobilis by supplementation of fructan-cleaving enzymes on sucrose containing substrates . J BIOTECHNOL. 150 (Supplement): 360-360. doi.org/10.1016/J.JBIOTEC.2010.09.415[P-I.50