The team
After working as a senior researcher at numerous research institutes and in the biomedical research industry (in both Finland and Europe), Adj. Prof. Filip Ekholm founded the Biomolecular Chemistry group at the University of Helsinki in 2017. The team consists of two senior researchers, one commercial champion, three project researchers, three doctoral researchers and six undergraduate students.
Filip Ekholm

Head of the group (PI):
Adj. Prof. PhD. Filip Ekholm
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: Adj. Prof. in biomolecular chemistry 2019 (University of Helsinki), Adj. Prof. in carbohydrate chemistry and applied NMR-spectroscopy 2015 (Åbo Akademi University), PhD. in organic chemistry 2012 (Åbo Akademi University), MSc. in organic chemistry 2008 (Åbo Akademi University)

Research expertise and interests: antibody-drug conjugates, biomolecular and bioconjugate chemistry, boron neutron capture therapy, cancer therapeutics, chemical biology, drug delivery, ocular surface diseases, organic and medicinal chemistry, NMR-spectroscopy and structural elucidation of organic compounds.

Mira Viljanen

Postdoctoral researcher:
MSc. Mira Viljanen
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital

Educational background: MSc. in physics 2018 (University of Helsinki), BSc. in physics 2016 (University of Helsinki)

Research expertise and interests: biophysics, material physics, wood based materials, ocular surface diseases, X-ray scattering and imaging techniques

Jan-Erik Raitanen

Project researcher:
MSc. Jan-Erik Raitanen
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: MSc. in organic chemistry 2014 (Åbo Akademi University)

Research expertise and interests: biomolecular chemistry, boron neutron capture therapy, ocular surface diseases, organic synthesis, wood-associated polyphenols

Jelena Matović

Doctoral researcher:
MSc. Jelena Matović
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: Erasmus mundus joint MSc. in advanced spectroscopy in chemistry 2019 (University of Helsinki & University of Lille), BSc. in chemistry 2017 (University of Novi Sad, Serbia)

Research expertise and interests: organic synthesis, glycoconjugates, boron neutron capture therapy, carbohydrate chemistry, NMR spectroscopy

Tuomo Viitaja

Doctoral researcher:
MSc. Tuomo Viitaja
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital

Educational background: MSc. in chemistry 2019 (University of Helsinki), BSc. in chemistry 2018 (University of Helsinki), BEng. in biotechnology 2012 (HAMK university of applied sciences)

Research expertise and interests: biofuels, ocular surface diseases, fungal metabolites and metabolic pathways, organic synthesis, surface chemistry, biophysics, waste water treatment

Henrik Stubb

Doctoral researcher:
MSc. Henrik Stubb
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: MSc. in chemistry 2021 (University of Helsinki); BSc. in chemistry 2020 (University of Helsinki)

Research expertise and interests: organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, ocular surface diseases

Julia Sevón

Research assistant:
Ms. Julia Sevón
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: ocular surface diseases, biophysics, organic chemistry

Ioana Stefan

Research assistant:
Ms. Ioana Stefan
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry

Hanna Lai

BSc.-student:
Ms. Hanna Lai
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry

Sini Korpi

BSc.-student:
Ms. Sini Korpi
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki
Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: organic chemistry, biophysics, ocular surface research, biochemistry

Niko Havula

BSc.-student:
Mr. Niko Havula
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry

Mikko Särkiniemi

BSc.-student:
Mr. Mikko Särkiniemi
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry

Meri Hellsten

BSc.-student:
Ms. Meri Hellsten
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry

Jim Isak-Rif

BSc.-student:
Mr. Jim Isak-Rif
Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki

Educational background: -

Research expertise and interests: organic and medicinal chemistry

Former group members

MSc. I. Sokka (University of Helsinki, 2022)

BSc. Z. Musse (University of Helsinki, 2022)

BSc. C. Schlegel (Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria, 2022)

PhD. R. Paananen (University of Helsinki, 2022)

MSc. R. Rättö (University of Helsinki, 2021)

MSc. H.Stubb (University of Helsinki, 2021)

BSc. S. Grönfors (University of Helsinki, 2021)

BSc. H. Stubb (University of Helsinki, 2020)

MSc. T. Viitaja (University of Helsinki, 2019)

MSc. J. Matovic (Erasmus Mundus ASC-program, 2019)

BSc. A.Hynynen (University of Helsinki, 2019)

MSc. H. Bland (University of York, U.K., 2018; University of Helsinki, 2019)

MSc. R. M. Ferrando (Erasmus Mundus ASC-program, 2018)