Department of biochemistry and developmental biology

The Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology gives undergraduate teaching in Finnish, Swedish and English on the degree programs in medicine, dentistry and translational medicine. The department is responsible for the periods: cell structure and function, genome and development and endocrinology and genitals during the preclinical education and participates in teaching courses on all organ systems. The department is responsible for the coordination of the international master's programme in translational medicine (TransMed) and participates in the implementation of several courses on the program. The research infrastructures of the department also organize several courses in UH doctoral programs.

The teaching is predominantly problem-based small group teaching (PBL) and lecture-oriented. In addition, developmental biology studies are supported with courses in dissection and biochemistry with hands-on laboratory work.

The researchers at the department supervise students at all career stages including under- and postgraduate students with their projects for advanced studies, master´s and doctoral theses. We are always looking for highly motivated individuals at all career levels to join our research teams!

For project inquiries do not hesitate to directly get into contact with any of the research groups and associated researchers via email or any other means.

• Matjaz Barboric - Center for Gene Regulation
  • We explore basic principles of gene regulation by transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases and aim to use this knowledge for therapeutic exploitation. 
• James Conway – Tumour Microenvironment and Metastasis
  • We are developing approaches to visualise the intravasation of cancer cells and to understand the role the extracellular matrix plays in this process, as well as in disease resistance.
• Ove Eriksson
• Sampsa Hautaniemi - Systems Biology of Drug Resistance in Cancer
  • We use systems biology, i.e., analyze molecular & clinical data from cancer patients with machine learning and mathematical methods, to identify efficient patient-specific therapeutic targets.
• Carina Holmberg-Still
• Harri Itkonen - Transcriptional Rewiring in Cancer
• Christopher Jackson – Mitochondrial quality control and homeostasis
  • Our research group investigates cellular rescue pathways to mitochondrial dysfunction as therapeutic strategy in primary and mitochondrial-dysfunction associated diseases. 
• Mohieddin Jafari - Systems Pharmacology
  • Our research group focuses on developing and applying a systems pharmacology approach for rational combinatorial therapy in cancer treatment.
• Liisa Kauppi – Genome Stability
• Mariike Kuijjer - Cancer Data Science 
  • We develop computational tools to model how rewiring of gene regulatory networks contribute to cancer development, heterogeneity, and progression
• Dan Lindholm
• Taija Mäkinen – Vascular Biology and Disease
  •  We study the mechanisms regulating  the development, maintenance, and regeneration of the vasculature, and its role in organ-specific physiology and disease processes.
• Pipsa Saharinen – Translational Vascular Biology
  • Our research group investigates the molecular triggers behind vascular leakage in inflammatory diseases and cancer, with a goal to unveil potential strategies for restoring vascular barriers in these diseases.
• Jing Tang - Network pharmacology for precision medicine
• Sakari Vanharanta – Functional Cancer Genomics
• Sara Wickstrom - Stem Cells and Tissue Architecture

• Biomedicum In vivo Imaging
• Meilahti Proteomics Unit
• Biomedicum Flow Cytometry