Lab Members
Group Leader
Jukka Westermarck
Research Director and Professor of Cancer Biology
Turku Bioscience
jukka.westermarck [at] utu.fi
Contact Information
Turku Bioscience P.O. Box 123, BioCity
(Street addr. Tykistökatu 6 B)
FIN-20521 Turku, Finland
+358-294502880 (Jukka Westermarck)
+358-294503790 (Group members)
Laboratory Manager
Tiina Arsiola
Laboratory Manager
Westermarck Lab, office 4123 +358 (0)29 450 3788 tiina.arsiola [at] bioscience.fiBackground
- Laboratory Manager, Turku Centre for Biotechnology, since 2012
- University Research Fellow, Animal Bioscience, University of Eastern Finland, 2010-2011
- Certificated Degree in Pedagogy, Jyväskylä University of Applied Science, Finland, 2010
- Research Associate, Animal Biotechnology, University of Eastern Finland, 2000-2010
- Post Doctoral Fellow, Prostate cancer research, University of Kuopio, Finland, 2004-2007
- Post Doctoral Fellow, Prostate cancer research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA, 2001-2003
- PhD, Animal Biotechnology, University of Kuopio, Finland, 2001
Postdoctoral Researchers
Anna Aakula
Postdoctoral Researcher
Westermarck Lab, office 4123 +358 (0)29 450 3788 anna.aakula [at] bioscience.fiBackground
- PhD in Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki. Conducted in the research group of Prof. Olli Kallioniemi, at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), Helsinki.
- MSc in Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Åbo Akademi University.
Project
Dephosphorylational regulation of the epigenetic machinery in progression and treatment resistance of NSCLC.Oxana Denisova
Postdoctoral Reseacher
Westermarck Lab, office 4120 +358 (0)29 450 3790 oxana.denisova [at] utu.fiBackground
- Ph.D. in Medicine (Molecular Virology) in 2014 at Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Finland.
- M.Sc. in Biology (Molecular Biology) in 2007, at Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
- Training at the Molecular Biology Education centre (2005 –2007), Institute of Protein Research, Pushchino, Russia.
Project
PP2A in glioblastoma therapy resistance: novel opportunities for targeted therapeuticsPhuong Doan
Postdoctoral Researcher
Westermarck Lab, Office 4120 +358 (0)29 450 3790 phuong.doan [at] utu.fiBackground
- DSc (Tech) in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (2022), Tampere University, Finland
- MSc (Tech) in Bioengineering (2016), Tampere University of Technology, Finland
Project
Target mechanisms for CIP2A-mediated essentiality in homologous recombination deficiency BL-TNBC cells
Nikhil Gupta
Postdoctoral Researcher
Westermarck Lab, office 4120 +358 (0)29 450 3790 nikhil.gupta [at] utu.fiBackground
- Ph.D. in Biological Science (2020), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Master in Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), India
Project
Cancer therapy implications of species specific difference in requirement of PP2A mediated tumor suppressionMukund Sharma
Postdoctoral Researcher
Westermarck Lab, office 4120 +358 (0)29 450 3790 mukund.sharma [at] bioscience.fiBackground
- MSc in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
Project
Epigenetic regulation by PP2A and RAS synergy and its implication in cancerVenkatram Yellapragada
Postdoctoral Researcher
Westermarck Lab, Office 4120 +358 (0)29 450 3790 venkatram.yellapragada[at]utu.fiEducation
- PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology, studied in the research group of Prof. Taneli Raivio, at the Stem Cells and Metabolism (STEMM) Research Program, Research Programs Unit (RPU), Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
- MSc in Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Project
RAS/PP2A targets in rRNA metabolism in RAS-driven cancers
Doctoral Candidates
Background
- BS Biotechnology, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India
- MS Molecular Oncology, Amity University, Delhi NCR, India
Umar Butt
Doctoral Candidate
Westermarck Lab, office 4120 +358 (0)29 450 3790 umar.butt [at] bioscience.fiBackground:
- B.S. Bioinformatics-COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Pakistan
- M.S. Biomedical Imaging-Åbo Akademi University, Finland
Project:
Characterization of Oncogenic and metastatic properties of SHARPINPriya Parimelazhagan Santhi
Doctoral student
Westermarck Lab, Office 4120 priyadharshini.p.paimelazhagansanthi [at] utu.fiBackground
MSc in Biomedical Science, University of Turku, FinlandProject
Stratification markers for diagnosis and targeted drug delivery of HNSCC metastasisTechnical Personnel
Taina Kalevo-Mattila
Laboratory Technician
Westermarck Lab, lab 5080 +358 (0)29 450 3758 taina.kalevo-mattila [at] bioscience.fiUndergraduate Students
Alumni
PhD students
Name | Years | Current position | Affiliation |
---|---|---|---|
Song-Ping Li | 1998-2003 | Professor | Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China |
Melissa R. Junttila | 2001-2006 | Vice President, Head of Biology | ORIC Pharmaceuticals, San Mateo, USA |
Antoine Mialon | 2003-2009 | Senior Associate | Neste, Espoo, Finland |
Minna Niemelä | 2005-2012 | Global Product Manager | Revvity Inc., Turku, Finland |
Anchit Khanna | 2007-2011 | Senior Medical Lead | Novartis, Australia & New Zealand |
Anni Laine | 2007-2013 | Technical Support Scientist | 10x Genomics, Leiden, Netherlands |
Amanpreet Kaur | 2009-2016 | Researcher | INSERM, Strasbourg, France |
Otto Kauko | 2009-2017 | Group leader | University of Turku, Turku, Finland |
Xi Qiao | 2011-2018 | Postdoctoral fellow | Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sverige |
Eleonora Mäkelä | 2012-2021 | Medical advisor | The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Helsinki, Finland |
Johannes Routila | 2013-2015 | Clinical specialist | University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland |
Joni Merisaari | 2016-2021 | Medical advisor | AbbVie, Helsinki, Finland |
Srikar Nagelli | 2016-2023 | Postdoctoral fellow | AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK |
Post-docs
Name | Years | Current position | Affiliation |
---|---|---|---|
Tim Holmström | 2004-2006 | Director in Target Science | Orion Corporation, Turku, Finland |
Pietri Puustinen | 2004-2007 | Project founder, Scientist | Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark |
Christophe Come | 2006-2010 | Lead scientist | Adcendo Aps, Copenhagen, Denmark |
Sari Vanhatupa | 2007-2009 | Medical advisor | AstraZeneca, Espoo, Finland |
Sami Ventelä | 2007-2010 | Group leader, Deputy Department Chief | University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland |
Juha Okkeri | 2007-2014 | Subject teacher | Aleksis Kivi Comprehensive School, Siuntio, Finland |
Yuba Raj Pokharel | 2009-2012 | Assistant Professor | South Asian University, New Delhi, India |
Christian Rupp | 2013-2017 | Business Development Director | Labcorp, Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Karolina Pavic | 2015-2020 | Postdoctoral researcher | University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
Laxman Yetukuri | 2016-2018 | Senior Applications Specialist | CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd., Helsinki, Finland |
Majid Momeny | 2017-2021 | Instructor | Texas Medical Center, Houston, USA |
Julia Vainonen | 2018-2021 | University researcher | University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland |