Finnish Centres of Excellence

Centres of Excellence in Research (CoEs) are at the cutting edge of research in their respective fields. Through Finnish CoE programmes, the Academy of Finland provides substantial and visible direction to Finnish science.

The Academy’s CoE programmes are a significant funding scheme in the Finnish research system. By providing six-year funding, the programmes offer an excellent opportunity for research teams to carry out research of a high international standard

Academy of Finland: Centres of Excellence – Spearheading science

Centres of Excellence in Research 2014 – 2019

University of Helsinki leads 7 out of 14 Centres of Excellence in Research designated by the Academy of Finland for 2014-2014.

Kari Alitalo:  Centre of Excellence in Translational Cancer Biology

Elina Ikonen: Centre of Excellence in Biomembrane Research: From Lipid-Protein Interactions to Functions

Jukka Jernvall: Centre of Excellence in Experimental and Computational Developmental Biology Research

Markku Kulmala: Centre of Excellence in Atmospheric Science – From Molecular and Biological Processes to the Global Climate

Antti Kupiainen: Centre of Excellence in Analysis and Dynamics Research

Martti Nissinen: Changes in Sacred Texts and Traditions

Risto Saarinen: Centre of Excellence in Reason and Religious Recognition Research

University of Helsinki is also involved in following Centres of Excellence:

Eva-Mari Aro: Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology of Primary Producers, University of Turku

Juha Hyyppä: Centre of Excellence in Laser Scanning Research, Finnish Geodetic Institute

Howard Jacobs: Centre of Excellence in Research on Mitochondria, Metabolism and Disease, University of Tampere

Centres of Excellence in Research 2012-2017 

University is involved in 10 out of 15 Centres of Excellence in Research for 2012-2012. Seven out of these ten are led by the university.

Lauri Aaltonen: The Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Cancer Genetics Research
Spotting the Gene Defect

Ilkka Hanski: The Centre of Excellence in Metapopulation Biology
From Malagasy Jungle to Viikki Lab

Markku Kivinen: The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies – Choices of Russian Modernisation
Ending the Cold War

Markku Leskelä: The Centre of Excellence for Atomic Layer Deposition
Atoms as building blocks

Uskali Mäki: The Centre of Excellence in Philosophy of the Social Sciences
More lucid thinking

Lassi Päivärinta: Centre of Excellence in Inverse Problems
To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond

Marja-Leena Sorjonen: The Centre of Excellence in Intersubjectivity in Interaction
We understand each other

University of Helsinki is also involved in following Centres of Excellence:

Johanna Mappes: Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä » »
Erkki Oja: The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Computational Inference Research (COIN), Aalto University » »
Matej Oresic: Centre of Excellence in Molecular Systems Immunology and Physiology Research, VTT » »

Centres of Excellence in Research 2008-2013

Twelve of the Centres of Excellence selected for 2008-2013 operate either entirely or partially at the University of Helsinki; seven are steered by the University.

Centres of Excellence steered by the University of Helsinki:

• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Algorithmic Data Analysis Research:
  Data analysis mines information
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Analysis and Dynamics Research:
  Dynamics offers wider views
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Foundations of European Law Polity Research:
  Law crosses national state borders
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Trophic Factors in Neuronal Development, Plasticity and Disease:
  Researching the most challenging questions in neuroscience
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Microbial Food Safety Research:
  Aiming at safe foodstuffs
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Philosophical Psychology, Morality and Politics:
  Human ways of thinking as a research subject
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Meteorology of Atmospheric Composition and Climate Change: Accurate information on the progress of climate change

The University of Helsinki is one of the partners and financing also other Centres of Excellence:

• Centre of Excellence in Cancer Biology:
  Effective cancer treatments in sight
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Host Defence Research:
  Battling cancer with the body’s own means
• Centre of Excellence in Integrative Photosynthesis and Bioactive Compound Research at Systems Biology Level:
  The infamous blue-green algae are useful
• Centre of Excellence in Molecular Neurology:
  Dysfunction in the cellular power house
• Centre of Excellence in Functional Printable Materials:
  Intelligent materials for practical applications
• Centre of Excellence for the Study of Variation, Contacts and Change in English (VARIENG):
  How English became English
• The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research:
  Music for the brain
• Centre of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Immunological Diseases research group:
  Explaining coeliac disease