Tuesday, 21 October from 11.00 to 12.30 CET (am) Welcome to the 5th online workshop of the Thalasso Working Group! Participation at the event is free of charge. Please fill-out the Registration form to attend. PROGRAMME 11:00 - 11:10 Welcome address and introduction by Marlies Sobczak and Dr. Siyka Katsarova11:10 - 11:25 Dr. Marcus Wengel: "Minerals and Thalassotherapy"11:30 - 11:45 Ms. Claudia Wagner: "Thalasso for Today's Health...

One of the most anticipated and dazzling moments of the European Spas and Balneology Congress is undoubtedly the ESPA Innovation Award Ceremony. This year, the prestigious event took place in Haapsalu, Estonia, at the enchanting Kuursaal (Resort Hall) — a setting that perfectly reflected the elegance and excellence of the occasion. A record-breaking 27 applications were submitted across eight categories, each meticulously reviewed by a...

Dr. sc. ing. Linda Lancere is a digital rehabilitation expert, physcial therapist and researcher at the Virtual and Augmented Reality Laboratory of the Institute of Sociotechnical Systems Engineering at ViA - Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. Her topic addresses how virtual reality solutions for mental and physical health — from burnout support to rehabilitation — face specific challenges during introduction, testing, and integration. These challenges often arise...

Mrs. Margrét Grímsdóttir is the Director of Nursing for Heilsutofnun NLFI, a Rehabilitation clinic in Iceland. She has long-term experience working with patients in physical and psychiatric rehabilitation settings, in Iceland and USA. She has specialised in burnout, recovery and the role of rehabilitation in restoring function and well-being. In her presentation, “Long-Term Effects of Rehabilitation Following Burnout: What works?” she shares findings from a...

Ing. Mgr. Aleš Příhoda is working at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering CTU in Prague and in Medical Spa Hotels and Resorts Royal Spa, Inc. At the European Spas and Balneology congress 2025, he will be talking about Virtual reality.He explained: "Virtual reality has experienced dynamic development in recent years, not only in the field of rehabilitation and spas. The Czech startup VR Medical, s.r.o....

Jana Holmar is an Assistant Professor of Biomarker Optics and the Director of the Department of Health Technologies at TalTech. She also serves as the lead figure of the Health and Food Technologies Focus Centre. She is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary collaboration, with a focus on enhancing the research capacity, competitiveness, and visibility of research groups, while fostering partnerships both within the university and with...

Alar Veraksitš, Dr. med., is a lecturer in human physiology at the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu. At the ESPA Congress, he will give a lecture: "Myometric measurements practice in collaboration with Värska Sanatorium and the University of Tartu."

Kristi Kuusmik-Orav is the community leader of the hõbeKOBAR (SilverCluster) project at the University of Tartu Pärnu College and Pärnumaa Development Centre. As a recent graduate in health promotion, she is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people aged 55 and over, focusing on fostering healthy ageing and creating a supportive environment for active ageing and wellness in Pärnu County. Kristi has...

Loora Salurand is a health technology professional with a background in pharmacy and academic expertise in developing digital health technologies. She has contributed to Estonia’s digital health advancements, including the launch of the first national e-pharmacy and work at the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. At Teadus ja ärilinnak Tehnopol, she leads EU-wide medtech innovation and export projects, with a focus on chronic diseases such...

Mari-Liis Ööpik-Loks is a board member of the Haapsalu Neurological Rehabilitation Centre (HNRK). She holds degrees in Health Sciences in Physiotherapy from the University of Tartu and in Global Development and Healthcare Management from Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Finland. With extensive experience as both a physiotherapist and head of services at HNRK, she has been actively involved in implementing cutting-edge technologies in...