HiLIFE’s cutting-edge research offers exciting opportunities to collaboration partners

HiLIFE’s researchers are pursuing breakthroughs in areas including the treatment of cancer and depression. The institute’s high-quality infrastructures can benefit companies as well.
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Anna Humalamäki, Image: Helena Hiltunen

Unique datasets, state-of-the-art technologies and world-class scientific expertise – the  can offer all this to companies. Established in 2017, the multidisciplinary institute has rapidly strengthened its collaboration with the business community.

“From 2019 to 2022 our business funding almost tripled,” says HiLIFE’s Director, Professor Jari Koistinaho.

At present, HiLIFE operates with about €17 million of funding and is involved in some 25 collaboration projects. The aim is to deliver an increasing number of commercial success stories and inventions improving people’s everyday lives.

In the coming years, HiLIFE wishes to conclude long-term strategic partnerships with companies and provide campus-based laboratory facilities for commercial use. Researchers will be supported in commercialising and applying for funding from Business Finland, the European Innovation Council and Horizon Europe’s third pillar. Collaboration with faculties will also be reinforced, as multidisciplinary research generates fertile ground for inventions.

“The University of Helsinki’s innovation activities are off to a strong start. We’re learning fast from the experiences of pioneers, which saves us from having to reinvent the wheel,” Koistinaho points out.
Rare genetic data and world-class cancer research

All three of HiLIFE’s operating units have their own strengths. The  is known for its unique sample and data collections. One of FIMM’s high-profile projects is , which merges the genetic and health data of over 520,000 Finns to unravel disease mechanisms. The three-stage project is worth €150 million and involves pharma giants such as Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline.

“The project has a huge scientific impact,” states Koistinaho.

FIMM and, more broadly, HiLIFE collaborate with the Faculty of Medicine and HUS Helsinki University Hospital in conducting cancer research of the highest international standards. For example, the  Flagship has already produced over 50 invention disclosures. Researchers working in this project use AI to predict the effects of cancer treatments on patients. 
Innovations for food production and depression treatment

Since the 2010s, the has received 15 competitive  (information in Finnish). Its researchers are engaged in several Research to Business projects, seeking to, for example,  and . The institute generates knowledge about species evolution and investigates stem cells to create innovative medical therapies.

“We have enormous potential of interest to pharmaceutical companies,” says Koistinaho.

The conducts groundbreaking brain research. One of its strengths is research on depression, for which the University of Helsinki and its collaboration partners have received  in funding from Wellcome Leap. The funds will help develop targeted therapies for various types of depression, which can be identified with modern brain imaging techniques.
High-quality infrastructures at the service of companies

HiLIFE’s groundbreaking research is enabled by its internationally reviewed , in which it invests over €10 million each year. These include cellular research tools, the services of the  in support of drug development, the equipment of the brain laboratory and, of course, skilled staff.

Companies can also use the infrastructures as contracted services. These will be tailored into more convenient packages that will make business easier for both small and large companies.

“They won’t have to acquire the skills and equipment themselves.”

Koistinaho believes that closer business collaboration benefits the academic community too. It produces top-level publications, opens new career paths for researchers, helps them acquire EU funding and naturally provides the University with more resources.

“Business collaboration and innovation are a permanent part of the landscape at internationally successful universities.”
Business collaboration and innovation are a permanent part of the landscape at internationally successful universities
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Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE)
  • HiLIFE’s sophisticated infrastructures support life science research across the University of Helsinki’s four campuses as well as Finland more broadly.
  • Key areas of research include cancer, the brain, ageing, metabolic and heart diseases, plants, evolution, and food chains.
  • HiLIFE’s strong point is its multidisciplinary approach: the institute is involved, for example, in the  project and the application for a new profile-building project, which will combine  data with social scientific research.
  • About half the researchers have an international background, and English is used as the working language.
  • HiLIFE recruits three to five young international top researchers every other year for tenure-track positions.
  • Companies to emerge out of HiLIFE’s units include Mobidiag, since bought by a US-based business, , which analyses medical images, , which processes data, , which focuses on neurogenerative diseases, and Kasvu Therapeutics, based on research into depression.