About

FIMM Technology Centre at the University of Helsinki offers services covering a wide-range of cutting-edge technologies in the area of life sciences for research groups, academic institutions, hospitals, and companies both locally and internationally. The Technology Centre has nine infrastructure units each led by Senior Scientist.

The Technology Centre operates under the Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) and Biocenter Finland infrastructure networks. Additionally, FIMM Technology Centre plays a significant role in European ESFRI Infrastructures, such as EU-Openscreen and EURO-Bioimaging.

The Technology Centre currently offers services and method development in the following areas:

  • Genomics (NGS services in genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, metagenomics, targeted nCounter NanoString gene expression panels, multiplex OLink immunoassays with qPCR or NGS readout, bioinformatics services) 
  • High throughput biomedicine (screening of chemical compounds, approved drugs, and siRNA, as well as serum, cell and protein lysate microarrays)
  • Imaging (light and fluorescence microscopy, slide scanning and analysis, high content imaging with laser dissection)
  • Sample preparation (both high-throughput and challenging samples e.g. EV, FFPE, single-cell approaches) and sample storage services
Key figures
Leadership

The FIMM Technology Centre is under the leadership of Research Director Pirkko Mattila, who is serving a five-year term from 2023 to 2028. In addition to this role, she holds the position of one of the two Deputy and Campus Directors for life science research infrastructures at the University of Helsinki.
Biocenter Finland (BF) and HiLIFE

FIMM Technology Centre receives partial support towards salaries from Biocenter Finland and the University of Helsinki (HiLIFE), and undergoes continuous evaluation by these funders. The latest evaluation rounds are taking place in 2019-2020. In previous rounds, our scores have ranged from very good to outstanding.

Our Units are active members in national BF infrastructure networks and lead three of them:

  • Genomics Unit leads the BF Genome-wide methods network
  • High Throughput Biomedicine Unit and Digital and Molecular Pathology Unit lead the BF Translational Research network
  • Single Cell Analytics Unit leads the BF Single cell omics network
  • Bioinformatics Unit is a member in the BF Bioinformatics network
  • High Content Imaging and Analysis Unit is a member of the BF Biological imaging network
Maintaining quality of research infrastructures

A key method for advancing research infrastructures at FIMM TC is through the HiLIFE Research Infrastructure Assessment (HiLIFE-RIA). This process involves regular external evaluations conducted by an international panel of experts. The panel’s primary role is to identify which research infrastructures will be supported during the upcoming RIA term (currently 2025–2028) and to distribute strategic funding to cover staff salaries and equipment investments.
Access policy

All infrastructures at FIMM TC, except for FIMM-IT, operate under an open-access model, offering services to both academic and commercial users. Access is primarily granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
International links

FIMM Technology Centre Units are active members in four research infrastructures described in the Finnish national roadmap: Biocenter Finland, EU-Openscreen, BBMRI, and EURO-Bioimaging. Three of these are international members of European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI).

We are also active in other international research infrastructure forums including EU-LIFE and NACG.