Personnel

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.

Activities in the core
Consultation, operations, training & maintenance: Flow Cytometry and Mass Cytometry


Syed Bilal Ahmad Andrabi
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lahesmaa Lab, office 7093
+358 (0)29 450 3769
bilal.andrabi [at] bioscience.fi
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


Kedar Batkulwar
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lahesmaa Lab, office 7115
+358 (0)29 450 3730
kedar.batkulwar [at] utu.fi
Pradeep Battula
Project Researcher
FFGC, Biomedical Epigenomics, office 7117
+358 40 372 5384
prabat [at] utu.fi

Rahul Biradar
Doctoral Candidate
Lahesmaa Lab, office 7094
+358 (0)29 450 3768
rahul.biradar [at] utu.fi



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 SHARPIN
Deepankar Chakroborty
Doctoral Candidate
Elenius Lab, office 4137
+358 (0)29 450 3786
deepankar.chakroborty [at] bioscience.fi


Eleanor Coffey
Vice-Director, Group Leader, Research Director
Office 7079
+358 (0)40 182 2424
eleanor.coffey@utu.fi
Project title
Regulation of integrin phosphorylationResearch interests
FRET biosensors and 3D models
Activities in the cell imaging core
CIC consultant on high content imaging
"Navid Delshad is a Pharm.D.. He has joined the John Eriksson lab in 2021 as a project researcher. Now he is a PhD candidate in Biosciences and a member of HPV Horizon team."

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 therapeutics

Alex Dickens
Group Leader, Co-PI of Metabolomics
Neurometabolomics
+358400285575
alex.dickens [at] utu.fi
Phuong 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

Klaus Elenius
Group Leader, Professor of Medical Biochemistry
Office 4114
+358 (0) 29 540 4393
klaus.elenius [at] utu.fi
Laura Elo
Professor, Vice-Director, Research Director, Group Leader
Office 7073-74
+358 (0)29 450 2090
laura.elo [at] bioscience.fi
John Eriksson
Research Director, Group Leader, Professor
+358 (0)2 215 3313, +358 (0)29 450 2042
john.eriksson [at] bioscience.fi

Ilia Evstafev
Metabolomics, office 5019

Veronica Fagerholm
Business Champion and Coordinator
Coffey Lab, office 5045
+358 (0)29 450 3784
veronica.fagerholm [at] utu.fiProject
I am searching for driver genes that act downstream of JNK1 to promote mood disorders.



Dani Flinkman
Project Researcher, Mass Spectrometry and Neuroscience
Coffey Lab, office 5045
+358 (0)29 450 3784
dani.flinkman [at] bioscience.fi
Jacquemet Lab: https://cellmig.org/lab-members/

Paulina Frolovaite
Elo Lab, office 7118a


Bishwa Ghimire
Senior Researcher
Inflames

Jelena Gnjatovic
Researcher, Neuroscience
Coffey Lab, office 5045
+358 (0)29 450 3784
jelena.j.gnjatovic [at] utu.fi

Sirkku Grönroos
Departmental Coordinator/Controller
Office 7077
+358 400 513701
sirkku.gronroos [at] utu.fi
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 suppression
Eduardo Gusmao
Elo Lab

Anna-Mari Haapanen-Saaristo
Undergraduate Student
Zebrafish, office 4138
anna-mari.e.haapanen-saaristo@utu.fi
Marjo Hakkarainen
Laboratory Technician
Lahesmaa Lab
+358 (0)29 450 3754
marjo.hakkarainen [at] bioscience.fi

Research interests
Integrin activity, cell adhesion, cancer, cell migration


Sarita Heinonen
Laboratory Technician
Lahesmaa Lab
+358 (0)29 450 3758
sarita.heinonen [at] bioscience.fi

Karoliina Hirvonen
Doctoral Candidate
Lahesmaa Lab, office 7095
+358 (0)29 450 3810
karoliina.hirvonen [at] bioscience.fi

Background
I received my Master’s degree in Cell biology at Åbo Akademi University, Finland in 2018 while working under Professor Kid Törnqvist. During this period, I was mainly studying what role the transcription factors TRb1 and Runx2 have in follicular thyroid cancer. As I finished my Master’s degree, I hoped to learn new techniques that are used in cell biology and thus became a PhD student in Professor John Eriksson’s lab. Currently, I study the importance of vimentin in the maintenance of nuclear integrity in fibroblasts. In addition, I am also involved in studies involving vimentin phosphorylation and interactions between lamins and heat shock factor 1 during heat shock.Research interests
- Imaging
- Nuclear integrity and function
- Intermediate filament structure
- Mechanosensing

Ye Hong
Doctoral Researcher, Bioinformatics
Coffey & Elo Lab, office 7089
+358 (0)29 450 3805
ye.hong [at] bioscience.fiProject in the Kinase group
I am using bioinformatics to predict molecular mechanisms of depression and schizophrenia using proteomics and behavioral data.
Grace Horgan
Coffey Lab
Tuulia Hyötyläinen
Professor
Affiliated Member of Systems Medicine

Ahmad Ichsan
Undergraduate student
Courtney Lab

Project title
Mechanotransduction mechanisms in cancerResearch interests
Cancer, actin cytoskeleton, cell migration, ECM, mechanotransduction

Guillaume Jacquemet
Affiliated Group Leader
+358 (0)50 5012 574
guillaume.jacquemet [at] bioscience.fiProject title
Targeting filopodia to block cancer cell invasionResearch interests
Cell invasion, actin cytoskeleton, myosin-X, integrins


Jismi John
Doctoral Researcher, Neuroscience
Coffey Lab, office 5045
+358 (0)29 450 3784
jimajo [at] utu.fi I work with Nikita and together we hope to identify molecular drivers of anxiety and depression. We do this using different types of in vivo and ex vivo imaging methods.

Activities in the core
Scientific adviser for Mass- and Imaging Mass Cytometry





I am mainly interested in HSFs and their importance in protein aggregation induced cell stress. Currently I am working with HSF2 and proteasome inhibition and I am mainly focusing on the HSF2-dependent transcriptional program that sensitises cells to proteasome inhibiting drugs. The overall keywords for my scientific interests could be: HSFs, protein aggregation, neurodegeneration, PTMs, SUMO, translation, cell adhesion, mechanical stress and many others!
I love knitting and crocheting, detective stories, sushi, gardening and of course my two wonderful kids Ivalo and Pietari.
Päivi Junni
Laboratory Technician
FFGC, Lab 5154, Single-Cell Omics
+358 (0)29 450 3764
paivi.junni@bioscience.fi
Sini Junttila
Postdoctoral Researcher
Elo Lab, office 7087C
+358(0)29 450 3756
simaju [at] bioscience.fi
Taina Kalevo-Mattila
Laboratory Technician
Westermarck Lab, lab 5080
+358 (0)29 450 3758
taina.kalevo-mattila [at] bioscience.fi
Ubaid Kalim
Senior Research Fellow
Lahesmaa Lab, office 7093
+358 (0)29 450 3808
ubaid.ullah [at] bioscience.fi


Pragya Karmacharya
Undergraduate student
Oresic Lab




Riina Kaukonen
Senior Researcher
Biomedical Epigenomics, FFGC, Single-Cell Omics
riina.kaukonen@utu.fi
Aleksi Kauro
Oresic Lab



Activities in the core
Maintenance and training: microscopes located on the 2nd floor

Anu Kukkonen-Macchi
Research Coordinator
Elo Lab, office 7072
+358 (0) 294 503 796
anukuk [at] bioscience.fi


Minna Kyläniemi
Vice head of FFGC, Laboratory Manager
FFGC
+358 (0)29 450 3763
minna.kylaniemi [at] utu.fi
Current Role
Day-to-day laboratory organisation and assisting in several research projectsResearch skills
Molecular biology, immunoprecipitation, PLA, IHC & IF and FACS analysis
Activities in the core
Consultation, operations, maintenance: Microscopy
Riitta Lahesmaa
Director, Group Leader, Professor
Office 7075
+358 (0)29 450 2415
riitta.lahesmaa [at] bioscience.fi



Project title
LIMA1 in Rab21-mediated integrin traffickingResearch interests
Rab21, integrins, endosomes, LIMA1, cancer
Fatemehsadat Seyednasrollah (on leave)
Doctoral Candidate
Bioinformatics, office 7116
+358 (0)29 450 3803
fseyedna [at] bioscience.fi
Riikka Lund [On a leave]
Head of FFGC, Group Leader, Adjunct Professor (Title of Docent), Senior Researcher
Biomedical Epigenomics, FFGC
+358 (0)29 450 3793
riikka.lund [at] bioscience.fi






On maternity leave

Tapio Lönnberg
Senior Researcher, Adjunct Professor
Lönnberg Lab, Single-Cell Omics
+358 (0)29 450 3738
tapio.lonnberg [at] utu.fi
Paula Luoma
HR Specialist / Human Resources
HR Specialist / Human Resources +358 (0)29 450 2676
paula.luoma [at] utu.fi

Mehrad Mahmoudian
Doctoral Candidate
Elo Lab, office 7096
+358 (0)29 450 3794
mehmah [at] bioscience.fi


Faridun Mamadbekov
Master Student, Computer Engineering
Coffey Lab



Pieta Mattila
Affiliated Group Leader
Mattila Lab, 5th floor
+358 (0)50 574 0780
pieta.mattila [at] utu.fiAidan McGlinchey
Postdoctoral research associate
Affiliated Member of Systems Medicine

Arfa Mehmood
Doctoral Candidate
Elo Lab, office 7118A
+358 (0)29 450 3800
arfa.mehmood [at] bioscience.fi
Johannes Merilahti
Facility Coordinator
Proteomics
+358 (0)29 450 3779
johannes.merilahti [at] bioscience.fi

Herbert Michlmayr
Research Fellow
Tassos Lab


Ivana Mikocziova
Postdoctoral Researcher
Single-Cell Omics, InFLAMES Research Flagship
050 473 9618
ivana.mikocziova@utu.fi

Mayank Modi
Doctoral Candidate
Eriksson Lab
+358-(0)-469527179
maymod [at] bioscience.fi; mmodi [at] abo.fiBackground
- PhD in Cell Biology (ongoing)
- MSc in Molecular systems biology (Dec 2019)
- B. Tech. in Biotechnology (May 2016)
Research interests
- Fibroblasts in ECM deposition and remodeling
- Vimentin mediated mechanotransduction in adipogenesis
- Directional cell migration
- Microscopy and bioimage analysis

Ponnuswamy Mohanasundaram
Doctoral Candidate
Eriksson Lab (Biocity 2nd floor)
+358 2 215 4079
pmohanas [at] abo.fi ; ponmoh [at] utu.fiResearch Interests
Vimentin knockout delayed wound healing process in mice. Vimentin involve in wound healing mechanism, by regulating cell proliferation, EMT signaling and collagen synthesis. Cell growth and proliferation are important process for wound healing and normal development. We found that vimentin regulate cell growth and proliferation through Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. My research work is to understand, how vimentin regulate cell growth and proliferation through Akt/mTOR signaling.Education
- PhD (2012– till date) Thesis title – Role of Vimentin in normal and disease conditions, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Cell Biology Unit, Åbo Akademi
- Masters (M.Sc) in Biomedical Science (2005 - 2010), Department of Biomedical Science, Bharathidasan University, India
- Thesis: Purification and characterization of alkaline serine protease from Bacillus pumilus TMS55


Robert Moulder
Senior Research Fellow
Lahesmaa Lab, office 7115
+358 (0)29 450 3802
rmoulder [at] bioscience.fi

Srikar Nagelli
Doctoral Candidate
Westermarck Lab, office 4120
+358 (0)29 450 3790
Srikar.nagelli [at] bioscience.fiBackground
- M.S. Pharmaceutical Sciences - Northeastern University, Boston, USA
- Specialization in Drug Delivery and Pharmaceutics
- Associate Scientist - High Throughput Screening - Oncology, Horizon Discovery Inc., Boston, USA
Project
To understand the role of CIP2A in Basal-like breast cancer initiation and tumorigenesis


Christina Oetken-Lindholm
Project Engineer
Cell Imaging & Cytometry, office 5080
christina.oetken-lindholm [at] utu.fiActivities in the core
Consultation, operations, training & maintenance: Flow Cytometry and back up for Mass Cytometry


Matej Oresic
Group Leader, Senior Scientist
Metabolomics and System Medicine
+358 (0)29 450 3798
matej.oresic [at] utu.fi




Ilkka Paatero
Head of Zebrafish Facility
+358 (0)29 450 3789
ilkka.paatero [at] bioscience.fi ; zebrafish [at] bioscience.fiProject title
In vivo imaging of cell migrationResearch interests
Confocal imaging, live in vivo imaging, zebrafish, angiogenesis, signalling, migration
Esko Pakarinen
Project Specialist, Data Systems Specialist
FFGC
+358 (0)29 450 2764
ehjpak [at] bioscience.fi
Tassos Papageorgiou
Group Leader, Senior Scientist, Adjunct Professor
+358 (0)29 450 3752, 3760, 3776
anapap [at] utu.fi

Sepideh Parvanian
Doctoral Candidate
Eriksson Lab
sepideh.parvanian [at] bioscience.fi; sepideh.parvanian [at] abo.fiBackground
I received my Master’s degree in Genetic Engineering from the National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Tehran, Iran) in 2013. I worked in the biopharmaceutical industry for six years in up-stream bioprocess and R&D, and also as an internal auditor and monoclonal antibody API supervisor. I came to Finland in March 2017 as a Research Assistant to work on vesicular compartments in bone-resorbing osteoclasts, as a member of the EU-funded EUROCLAST project (Marie Curie ESR) at the University of Turku. I joined Erikson's Lab in June 2018 as a PhD student. My research focuses on novel fundamental insights on the role of fibrotic-derived extracellular vesicles in myofibroblasts heterogeneity and mechanism of fibrosis.Research interests
• Extracellular Vesicles • Wound healing • Biopharmaceutical manufacturing

Preethy Paul
Project Coordinator & Postdoctoral Researcher
Eriksson Lab
+358 41 36 40 948
ppreethy [at] abo.fi ; prepau [at] utu.fiBackground
- Screening & development of natural compounds and small molecules for anti-cancer activity
- Studying the molecular mechanism of apoptosis induced by the compounds
Research interests
- Drug development research related to anti-cancer therapeutics
- Developing natural compounds/extracts & small molecules for treatment of HPV associated cancers and warts
- Studying the mechanism of cell death induced by the compounds in HPV associated cell lines by various biochemical and biophysical methods
Niklas Paulin
Undergraduate Student
Elo Lab, office 7086
+ 358 (0)50 5216649
niklas.paulin [at] bioscience.fi
Ulla Pentikäinen
Academy Research Fellow/University lecturer (Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku)
+358 505012574
ulla.pentikainen [at] utu.fi
Doctoral candidate in Pieta Mattila´s group. I am interested in lymphocyte biology and imaging.

Jenny Pessa
Doctoral Candidate
Potsdoc Board, Sistonen lab
Nina Pettersson
Doctoral Candidate, co-supervisor Dr. Eva Ekholm
Biomedical Epigenomics

Project title:
Regulation of stemness and invasion in normal mammary gland and breast cancer.Research interests:
Breast development and cancer, mechanotransduction, somatic stem cells.
Sami Pietilä
Doctoral Candidate
Elo Lab, office 7086
+ 358 (0)50 5216649
sami.pietila [at] bioscience.fi

Roosa Pulliainen
Undergraduate student
Lahesmaa Lab
Susanna Pyökäri
Laboratory Technician
Coffey Lab, office 5080
+358 (0)29 450 3758 / 3771
susanna.pyokari [at] bioscience.fi

Senthilkumar Rajendran
Senior Research Fellow
Eriksson Lab
+358442362631
srajendr [at] abo.fi ; sekura [at] utu.fi ; biosen81 [at] gmail.comAreas of expertise
Drug discovery and development :- Synthesis of organic small molecules and inorganic metal complexes
- Natural products – Extraction and isolation of compounds
- Apoptosis cell signaling pathways
- Drug-DNA/protein interaction
- In Ovo chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model
- Nanocarriers
Background
- Project Coordinator at Åbo Akademi Unviersity, Finland– January 2014 - present
- Postdoctoral Researcher at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Switzerland – September 2009 - January 2011
- Senior Researcher Fellow at Bharathidasan University, India – April 2007 - August 2009


Pia Rantakari
Adjunct Professor and Group Leader
Rantakari Lab
+358 (0)400 426 791
pia.rantakari [at] utu.fiActivities in the core
Scientific adviser for Mass- and Imaging Mass Cytometry
Omid Rasool
Senior Researcher, Adjunct Professor
Lahesmaa Lab
+358 (0)29 450 3769
omid.rasool [at] bioscience.fi
Background
I have received my BSc and MSc in Biochemistry from University of Aveiro, Portugal. I had the opportunity to join the Eriksson laboratory as part of the Erasmus Programme for my master`s thesis, in which I focused on studying vimentin and cell size signalling. I joined the Proteomics core facility for my summer job in 2017 and then I decided to enrol as a PhD candidate. I focus on understanding the role of vimentin in cell growth signalling by looking at signalling partners and post-translation modifications using mass spectrometry.Research interests
- Mass spectrometry techniques and data analysis
- Cell metabolism and signalling
- Post-translational modifications

Activities in the core
Consultation, operations, maintenance: Microscopy
Oso Rissanen
Laboratory Technician
FFGC, Single-Cell Omics
+358 (0)29 450 3764
oso.rissanen@bioscience.fi

Emilie Rydgren
Coordinator / Project Researcher
Single-Cell Omics & Lahesmaa Lab, office 5022
050 473 9618
emilie.rydgren@utu.fi
Kalle Rytkönen
Postdoctoral Researcher
Elo Lab, office 7089
+358 (0)29 450 3805
katyry [at] bioscience.fi
Cecilia Sahlgren
Principal investigator (Åbo Akademi University, Eindhoven University of Technology), Professor of Cell Biology (ÅAU), Professor in Biomedical Engineering (TU/e)
Sahlgren Lab, office 2017
+358 2 215 3300
cecilia.sahlgren [at] bioscience.fi

Activities in the core
Consultation, operations, maintenance: Microscopy and backup for Flow Cytometry and Mass Cytometry
Priya 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 metastasis
Mudita Shakya
Master Student, Computer Engineering
Coffey Lab

Mukund Sharma
Doctoral Candidate
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 cancer
Ankitha Shetty
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lahesmaa Lab
+358 (0)29 450 3769
ankitha.shetty [at] bioscience.fi
Farid Ahmad Siddiqui
Postdoctoral Researcher
Elenius Lab, office 5130
+358 (0)29 450 3779 / 3779
farid.siddiqui [at] utu.fiBackground
- Doctoral student at Turku Center for Biotechnology since February 2016
- MSc in Biotechnology form Punjab Technical University and master thesis form School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, 2011
Project involvement
CIMO project- Understanding the mechanism of action of conglobatin A in blocking oncogenic K-ras signalingResearch interests
Drug development especially inhibiting oncogenic K-ras
Current role
Day-to-day laboratory organisation and assisting in several research projectsResearch skills
Cell culture, DNA & RNA purification, Western blotting, IF, recombinant protein production, qRT-PCR
Background
I have done my Biochemistry degree in University of Aveiro, Portugal. During that time, I adventured myself in University of Southern Denmark, where I worked in pseudoexon activation in disease. After this experience, I decided to look for another place for me to do my master thesis. I was kindly accepted in John Eriksson’s lab, where I worked on c-FLIP regulation of cell population size. When the opportunity of starting PhD arrived, I embraced a new project working with human papillomavirus E6 and E7 oncoproteins.Research interests
- Human papillomavirus E6 and E7 oncoproteins
- Cell death
- Ubiquitination
- Proteomics



Johannes Smolander
Doctoral Candidate
Elo Lab, office 7118A
+358 (0)29 450 3800
johannes.smolander [at] bioscience.fi
Christel Sourander
Doctoral Researcher, Neuroscience
Coffey Lab, office 5045
+358 (0)29 450 3784
christel.c.sourander [at] utu.fi In my PhD project, I am studying how loss of cellular homeostasis may lead to behavioral changes at the level of the whole organism.


Freddy Suarez-Rodriguez
Doctoral Candidate
Postdoc Board, Sahlgren Lab


Background
- PhD in Cell Biology (ongoing)
- Trainee in Anatomical Pathology
- Trainee in Translational Medicine
- Master of Science in Biomedical Applications
- Bachelor’s degree in Biology
Research interests
- Cytoskeleton signaling
- ECM remodeling
- Cell migration in cancer and wound healing
- Imaging

Kim Sundfors
Laboratory Engineer
Office 5023
+358 (0)29 450 3737
kim.sundfors [at] utu.fi / tbctrouble@utu.fi


Background:
- Joined the HPV project to conduct her master’s thesis
- Technician at central animal laboratory of Turku (2019-2021)
- Master’s degree in Drug discovery and development (2020-2022)
- Bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine (2017-2020)
Research interest:
- Early phase drug development
- Oncology
- Computer aided drug design
- TurboID

Ilias Thomas
Postdoctoral research associate
Affiliated Member of Systems Medicine





Background
Master of Science in Biomedical Imaging Bachelor’s degree in biotechnologyResearch interests
- Development of Functional materials at biological interfaces for wound healing.
- Vimentin’s role in cell migration (fibroblast, macrophages and zebrafish)
- Bioimaging and image analysis

Anniina Vihervaara
Postdoctoral Researcher
Sistonen Lab
+358 (0)2 215 4055
anniina.vihervaara [at] abo.fiPostdoctoral fellow working in the laboratory of John Lis at Cornell University, New York.


Eveliina Virtanen
Project Engineer, Technical responsible
FFGC
+358 (0)29 450 2764
eveliina.virtanen [at] bioscience.fi



Peiru Yang
Doctoral Candidate
Eriksson Lab
+385 (0)418084762
peiru.yang [at] abo.fi; peiru.yang [at] bioscience.fiBackground
- Trainee in John Eriksson Laboratory (2018-2019, Åbo Akademi University)
- Trainee in Pharmaceutical Science Laboratory (2017-2018, Åbo Akademi University)
- Master's Degree in Medicine (2016-2019, Jiangsu University, China)
- Medical internship and rotation in surgery and radiology (2015-2016, The 81st Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, China)
- Bachelor's Degree in Medicine (2010-2015, Jiangsu University, China)
Research interests
- Cytoskeletal signaling
- Lipid droplet development and lipid metabolism
- Immunometabolism
- Wound Healing

Venkatram 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



Hongbo Zhang
Tenure Track Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory
+358 (0)22 154 141
hongbo.zhang [at] utu.fi
Holder of Biology Bechelor degree from Fudan university, Shanghai, China; Ph.D. degree from Beijing Institute of Transfusion Medicine, China. His research interests focus on the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in diseases, targeted therapy of cancer stem cells, tissue repair and radiation medicine based on adult stem cell therapy and multifunctional nanomaterials. He has published more than 30 articles in Hepatology (IF=11.711. 2015), Cell Death & Diseases (IF=5.9, 2019), Stem Cells Development (IF=4.6, 2012) and other journals.