Juha got his Ph.D in 1993 under the supervision of Prof. Kari Alitalo (University of Helsinki). In his thesis work Juha identified and characterized novel growth factor receptors, including additional members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (Fgfr) family and Tie1, an important regulator of blood vessel growth.
Juha spent years 1994-1998 as a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Prof. Janet Rossant (Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Toronto). During this time he used gene modified mice to study the functions of growth factor signaling in the development of embryonic vasculature and embryonic patterning.
In 1998, Juha established his own research group at the University of Helsinki. The main interest of the lab is in the intercellular signals and gene regulatory molecules driving differentiation of specific neuron types in the midbrain and anterior hindbrain.
Since February 2019, Parul is working as a post-doctoral researcher in developmental neurogenetics groups. Her studies are focused on molecular, anatomical, and functional characterization of midbrain GABAergic neurons involved in the regulation of sleep.
Before joining the current position, Parul received her Ph.D. degree in November 2018 from the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, India. During her Ph.D., she studied the role of miRNA in neuronal development and neurotoxicity. Particularly, she explored the changes in miRNAome upon ethanol mediated neurotoxicity.
I'm Laboratory coordinator working at the Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme and in the Partanen lab.