Research Programs

One of the important goals of Biomedicum Helsinki - the medical research and training center on the Meilahti campus - is to provide an optimal environment for active and productive collaboration between basic scientists and clinical investigators (physician scientists).

The building houses several basic science departments of the University of Helsinki (Institute of Biomedicine, and Institute of Dentistry together with Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Medical and Clinical Genetics) along with laboratory research units of the Helsinki University Central Hospital for physician scientists whose primary appointment is within the Helsinki University Central Hospital. The more presence of basic scientists and clinical investigators in the same building promotes the establishment of joint research projects for the benefit of both parties.

An important special means to foster and facilitate collaboration between basic scientists and physician scientists will be achieved through the nineResearch Programs established at the Biomedicum Helsinki building. The current programs were selected on the basis of the  evaluation by the Scientific Advisory Board. The space has been allocated to the programs for five years.

The programs report to the Director of Biomedicum Helsinki, and an international Scientific Advisory Board will review the programs towards the end of their five-year term.

The research programs for the years 2019- 2025 are as follows:

Applied Tumor Genomics (ATG)

Program Director Lauri Aaltonen

Applied Tumor Genomics Research Program aims to advance the understanding of the genetic and environmental signals that lead to neoplasia: improving the knowledge of the function of the coding and noncoding genome, exploiting the public data, and creating and analyzing new key data sets from highly selected patient populations.

Principal Investigators:
Ralf Bützov
Outi Kilpivaara: Hematological Genetics
Anna Lepistö
Sirpa Leppä: Lymphoma Biology and Survival
Outi Monni: Oncogenomics
Ari Ristimäki: Gastrointestiinal Tumorigenesis
Jussi Taipale
Pia Vahteristo

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Oskari Heikinheimo
Minna Pöyhänen
Laura Renkonen-Sinisalo
Ulla Wartiovaara-Kautto

Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism (CAMM)

Program Director Kirsi Pietiläinen

Clinical and Molecular Metabolism Research Program aims to understand the pathophysiology and renew the management of diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases. We focus on studying the key physiological functions and cross-talk between multiple peripheral organs during the development of metabolic diseases. We also aim to effectively test several prevention and treatment strategies that have a potential to reverse the pathophysiological disease development and thereby, renew and personalize management of these intractable, costly and very common disorders. The ten Principal Investigators of our program amalgamate both the medical expertise of different diseases, tissue-specific and integrative metabolism, as well as different research methodologies from bench to bedside.

Principal Investigators:
Per-Henrik Groop
Mikael Knip: Pediatric Diabetes Research Group
Kimmo Kontula
Sanna Lehtonen: Translational Metabolism
Outi Mäkitie: Metabolic Bone Diseases
Markus Perola
Eija Pirinen: Mitochodria and Nutrient Signaling
Marja-Riitta Taskinen: Lipid Metabolism Study Group
Tiinamaija Tuomi

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Marit Granér
Anne Juuti
Juhani Kahri
Nina Lundbom
Kristiina Luopajärvi
Niina Matikainen
Jussi Naukkarinen
Camilla Schalin-Jäntti
Jukka Tienari
Sanna Toiviainen-Salo
Helena Valta

Human Microbiome Research (HUMI)

Program Director Willem M de Vos

The human microbiome has been under intense investigation during the past decade and the results implicate its important role in health and a wide range of diseases. This research has mostly been based on associations between microbiota and health. The Human Microbiome (HUMI) research program is addressing translational aspects and is focusing on causal links between microbiota alterations and the increased risk or development of disease, mechanisms of host-microbe interactions, and microbiota-targeted therapeutics and diagnostics. This is realized by 7 Principal Investigators and their teams that collaborate with 9 clinical groups, constituting altogether around 100 researchers and supporting staff.

Principal Investigators:
Reetta Satokari: Intestinal Health and Therapeutic Bacteria
Anne Salonen
Harri Alenius: Systems Immunology
Anu Kantele
Riitta Korpela: Medical Nutrition Physiology
Mikael Skurnik

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Perttu Arkkila
Martti Färkkilä
Tamim Khawaja
Tinja Lääveri
Kaija-Leena Kolho
Mikael Kuitunen
Pekka Nieminen
Annamari Ranki
Filip Scheperjans

Individualized Drug Therapy (INDIVIDRUG)

Program Director Mikko Niemi

Recent and ongoing advances in the methods in genomic and pharmacokinetic analyses, as well as the facilitating changes in the legislative environment open up novel possibilities to investigate the individualization of drug therapies. The Individualized Drug Therapy Research Program brings together groups involved in basic, translational and clinical drug research. The synergistic interdisciplinary combination of experts in in vitro and animal models, pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenetics, systems pharmacology and modeling, as well as clinical research in major therapeutic areas forms a cutting-edge center of individualized drug therapy.

Principal Investigators:
Janne Backman
Martti Färkkilä
Erkki Isometsä
Michael Jeltsch: Lymphangiogenesis Research and Antobody Development
Katri Koli: Growth Factor Group
Sirpa Loukovaara
Marjukka Myllärniemi
Klaus Olkkola
Pekka Rauhala
Kim Vettenranta

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Jukka Kanerva
Heli Malm
Kimmo Porkka

SLEEPWELL Research Program

Program Director Tiina Paunio: Sleep and Health

SLEEPWELL is a multidisciplinary, translational and future-oriented research network bringing together expertise from clinical medicine, psychology, genetics, neurobiology and neuropharmacology. Researchers from different stages of career are assembled around the core scientific idea: the importance of sleep in resilience to stress and in recovery processes.

We work from bedside to bench, and back to bedside to extend our understanding on the role of sleep in plasticity processes during the different stages of development, with a particular focus on youth and young adults. Our research is based on the hypothesis that disturbed sleep has a central role in developmental processes and in the transition of an acute illness to a chronic disease such as depression, anxiety disorder, or chronic pain. The methods of research extend from population-based and clinical samples to experimental research and animal models.

Our ultimate goal is to develop evidence-based novel interventions to prevent the disease development to chronic conditions via promoting brain plasticity by tools such as face-to-face and internet-based psychosocial treatments, neurostimulatory and novel pharmacological approaches, as well as enhancement of slow wave activity by targeted stimulation of brain.

Principal Investigators:
Marko Elovainio: Psychosocial Factors and Health
Iiris Hovatta: Neurogenomics Laboratory
Eija Kalso
Mauri Marttunen
Anu-Katriina Pesonen: Sleep and Mind
Tomi Rantamäki: Laboratory of Neurotherapeutics
Tarja Stenberg: Sleep Team Helsinki

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Hanna Harno
Klaus Ranta
Katinka Tuisku
Anna-Sofia Urrila

Research Program Systems Oncology (ONCOSYS)

Program Director Sampsa Hautaniemi: Systems Biology of Drug Resistance in Cancer

Systems Oncology research program (ONCOSYS) consists of basic, translational and clinical researchers who use cutting-edge measurement technology, patient data and AI methods in cancer research and oncology. The overall objective of ONCOSYS is to understand the underlying causes of cancer progression or treatment resistance, and to develop effective diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic approaches.

Principal Investigators:
Olli Carpén
Liisa Kauppi: Genome Stability Group
Riitta Lassila
Johan Lundin: Clinical Informatics and Image-based Diagnostics
Tuomas Mirtti
Antti Mäkitie
Antti Rannikko
Jing Tang: Network Pharmacology for Precision Medicine
Anna Vähärautio; Single Cell Transcriptomics of Cancer

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Petteri Hervonen
Miikka Korja
Antti Loimaala
Mikko Loukovaara
Helka Parviainen
Kauko Saarilahti

Translational Cancer Medicine Program (CAN-PRO)

Program Director Kari Alitalo

Approximately one-third of all adults will face cancer diagnosis during their lifetime, creating an urgent need for more efficient cancer therapies. The Translational Cancer Medicine Program (CAN-PRO) aims to tackle this challenge by analysis of tumor heterogeneity and tumor microenvironment, screening and discovery of targeted cancer therapies, and use of artificial intelligence tools into more effective treatments.

CAN-PRO provides a platform for translational discovery that bridges the gap between the fundamental cancer research in the Academic Medical Center Helsinki and the early-stage clinical trials of the Helsinki University Hospital. In this platform, genomic, epidemiological and pathological analyses, analysis of patient-specific cancer organoids, mechanistic validation and drug efficacy studies will be integrated with data from the national databases, registries and biobanks. This enables the discovery and validation of the biomarker signatures that associate with the drug efficacy profiles of individual patients, paving the way for precision cancer treatments.

The team comprises the strong expertise of the basic and translational researchers from 10 research groups, supported by clinical pathologists. With this synergistic expertise, the use of cutting-edge technologies and the access to the wide collection of tumor samples and related research and clinical programs, the team aims to achieve the translational goals of CAN-PRO.

Principal Investigators:
Caj Haglund
Juha Klefström: Cancer Cell Circuitry Laboratory
Pirjo Laakkonen
Päivi Ojala: Cancer Cell Biology
Saara Ollila
Pauli Puolakkainen
Pipsa Saharinen: Translational Vascular Biology
Hanna Seppänen
Emmy Verschuren: Lung Cancer Model Systems
Kari Vaahtomeri

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Panu Kovanen
Johannes Dunkel

Translational Immunology Research Program (TRIMM)

Program Director Satu Mustjoki: Hematology Research Unit

Immunology is presently one of the most rapidly developing fields of medical science. Increasing understanding of the regulation of immune responses has led to the launch of several new therapeutic agents for clinical use especially in cancer. However, not all cancer patients are responding to current immunological treatments and no cure or prevention is available for autoimmune diseases. The ambitious goal of Translational Immunology Research Program (TRIMM) is to explore the development and regulation of T cells and immune tolerance and understand the aberrant immune responses in auto- and alloimmune diseases and cancer. Our ultimate goal is to translate the discoveries into prevention, novel disease classifications, diagnostic tools and personalized treatment. The program joins together 9 active research groups in different career phases and is complemented with 11 clinical research teams led by the clinical researchers.

Principal Investigators:
Petteri Arstila
Vincenzo Cerullo: ImmunoViroTherapyLab
Kari Eklund
Akseli Hemminki: Cancer Gene Therapy Group
Eliisa Kekäläinen
Seppo Meri
Päivi Saavalainen: Immunomics
Pentti Tienari: Neuro-immunology and Degeneration

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Martti Antero Färkkilä
Micaela Hernberg
Hanna Jarva
Kaija-Leena Kolho
Karl Lemström
Kimmo Porkka
Annamari Ranki
Tuula Salo
Mikko Seppänen
Taina Sipponen
Kim Vettenranta

Stem Cell Biology and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM)

Program Director Timo Otonkoski: Pluripotency and Disease Modeling

Translational Stem Cell Biology and Metabolism (STEMM) program brings together eleven research groups and four associated clinical researchers interested in cellular metabolism as a driving force in tissue homeostasis, cellular differentiation and degenerative diseases. Many of the groups take advantage of the possibilities of stem cell and genome editing technologies to understand molecular disease mechanisms in order to develop innovative treatments. Close ties to pediatric and neurology clinics enable efficient use of our research findings for diagnosis, patient care and counselling.

Principal Investigators:
Elina Ikonen: Lipid Trafficking Lab
Jukka Kallijärvi: Mechanisms and Therapies of Mitochondrial CIII Deficiencies
Juha Kere: Genetics of Complex Phenotypes
Riikka Kivelä: Endothelial and Stem Cells Regulating Tissue Function
Satu Kuure: Kidney Development
Thomas McWilliams: Mitochondrial Homeostasis in Development, Disease & Repair
Taneli Raivio: Genetics and Disease Modeling with Human Pluripotent Stem Cell
Anu Suomalainen-Wartiovaara: Mitochondrial Medicine
Henna Tyynismaa: Medical Neurogenetics
Sara Wickström: Stem Cells and Tissue Architecture

Clinical Assosiated Researchers:
Pirjo Isohanni
Risto Lapatto
Kirmo Wartiovaara
Emil Ylikallio

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