Three researchers at the University of Helsinki have been awarded an esteemed grant targeted at early-career researchers by the European Research Council (ERC).
Tahkokallio studies the liturgical books of parish churches and their methods of manufacture in the parishes of the Kingdom of Sweden in 1150–1500, utilising parchment fragments stored in the National Library of Finland and the Swedish National Archives.
The Books of the Medieval Parish Church research project will produce new information on the mediaeval cultural history of the Kingdom of Sweden. At the same time, the project will shed light on the literalisation of Europe, which eventually resulted in the development of printing and the normalisation of literacy.
The goal is to establish a general understanding of the book selection of parish churches and its development in the Kingdom of Sweden in the Middle Ages. Through case studies, knowledge will also be accumulated on how the books held by parish churches were manufactured in practice, as well as where and by whom.
“Understanding the history of the book is particularly important in our time, as we are living in the midst of the greatest transformation of information technology since the late Middle Ages and the invention of printing,” Tahkokallio says.
Tahkokallio conducts his research at
Novel ways to predict cardiometabolic diseases with the help of AI
What if it were possible to predict cardiometabolic diseases before an individual even visits the doctor’s office?
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Europe, so it is important to identify high-risk individuals at an early stage. However, traditional clinical prediction models have major limitations: they are often used by doctors only when an underlying disease is already suspected, they are not developed on updated nationally representative data, and they require time-consuming clinical measurements.
Ganna’s research project A nationwide artificial intelligence assessment of cardiometabolic risk at
The research leverages the latest developments in AI and national Finnish data.
“Finland is one of the few countries in the world where this project can be done. The unique availability of nationwide health registries and large-scale genetic data can open the way to implementing new kinds of disease prediction and consequent public health interventions,” Ganna says.
How nanoplastics affect the environment
Nanoplastics are tiny plastic particles that are produced through the degradation of larger plastic pieces or can enter the environment through the incorrect disposal of waste. But do nanoplastics disrupt natural processes?
In the project NaPuE – Impact of Nanoplastics Pollution on Aquatic and Atmospheric Environments, Passananti aims to develop a method to sample and analyse nanoplastics in the environment. Until now, the methodologies have been nonexistent.
“Plastic pollution is a global problem, as small pieces of plastic have been found even in the most remote areas of the Earth. However, the problem is underestimated,” Passananti says.
“In the long run, the findings of this research can be used to take informed decisions on the use of plastics at the regulatory level.”
Passananti is affiliated with
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