The Academy of Finland Flagship Programme, Innovation Ecosystem Based on the Immune System, InFLAMES awarded fixed-term postdoctoral researcher positions to Dr. Bilal Andrabi and Dr. Lea Mikkola.

Lea Mikkola works at Dr. Tapio Lönnberg’s Single-Cell Genomics Immunology Group at Turku Bioscience. In her research she focuses in understanding the role of immune responses in atherosclerosis and osteoarthritis. The final aim is to find novel biomarkers and targets for therapeutic interventions for these complex diseases. Lea says that she is deeply honoured to receive this position, which gives her the opportunity to continue her research with long-term certainty.

– I’m also excited about the great possibilities for academy-business collaboration this flagship entails, she continues.

Bilal Andrabi carries out research in Prof. Riitta Lahesmaa’s Molecular Systems Immunology group at Turku Bioscience. His research aims to understand the epigenetic mechanisms that control human regulatory T cell (Treg) development and function.

– InFLAMES provides an excellent opportunity and cutting-edge platforms for young investigators to carry out top-level, immunological research. I am delighted to be part of InFLAMES and excited to continue my postdoctoral studies in such a great scientific environment, says Bilal.