People
Lab members
Mart Saarma, Research Director, Group leader
Maria Lindahl, Ph.D., Principal investigator/Associate group leader
Päivi Pulkkila (Lindholm), Ph.D., Senior Investigator
Yulia Sidorova, Ph.D., Senior Investigator
Juha Kuukuma, Ph.D.
Aleksandr Käkinen, Ph.D.
Indrek Teino, Ph.D.
Ave Eesmaa, M.Sc., Ph.D. student, part time
Huini Li, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Julia Konovalova, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Nirajan Neupane, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Pauliina Rautanen, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Sven Sakson, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Olesya Shpironok, M.Sc., Ph.D student
Julia Johansson, Laboratory technician
Sari Tynkkynen, Laboratory technician
Congjun Zheng, Laboratory manager
Andrii Domanskyi, PI
Mart Saarma Research Group Alumni

Previous Post Docs and Junior Group Leaders in the Mart Saarma Research Group

  • Dr. Matti S. Airaksinen, professor of anatomy at the University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Mikko Airavaara, principal investigator at the Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Rando Allikmets, professor and sci. director of the Eye Inst., Columbia University, USA
  • Dr. Jaan-Olle Andressoo, associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Urmas Arumäe, assistant professor of cell biology at Tallinn Technical University
  • Dr. Andrii Domanskyi, principal investigator at the Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Deyin Guo, professor and dean of the Medical School at the Wuhan University, China
  • Dr. Lilian Järvekülg, professor of molecular diagnostics at Tallinn Technical University, Estonia
  • Dr. Jukka Kallijärvi, Folkhälsan Research Center, Finland
  • Dr. Satu Kuure, principal investigator at the Institute of Biotechnology and head of GM animal unit, University of Helsinki, Finland 
  • Dr. Liina Lonka-Nevalaita, Genzyme
  • Dr. Madis Metsis, professor of biology at Tallinn University, Estonia
  • Dr. Andres Metspalu, professor of biotechnology at the University of Tartu, Estonia
  • Dr. Kristiina Mäkinen, group leader at the Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki
  • Dr. Toomas Neuman, professor of biotechnology in Tallinn Technical University, Estonia
  • Dr. Anne Panhelainen, postdoctoral scientist at the Institute f Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Johan Peränen, senior scientist at the Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Finland 
  • Dr. Dmitri Poteryaev, group leader in Basel, Switzerland
  • Dr. Claudio Rivera, group leader at the Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Tõnis Timmusk, professor of neurobiology in Tallinn Technical University, Estonia
  • Dr. Erkki Truve, professor of the Tallinn Technical University, Estonia
  • Dr. Jari P. T. Valkonen, professor of plant pathology at the University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Amandio Vieira, associate professor at the University of Vancouver, Canada
  • Dr. Merja Voutilainen, assistant professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Finland

Graduated Doctors from the Mart Saarma Research Group

  • Arun Mahato, PhD, 2023, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Yulia Sidorova)
  • Emmi Pakarinen, PhD, 2022, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Maria Lindahl)
  • Tatiana Danilova, PhD, 2020, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Maria Lindahl)
  • Emilia Galli, PhD, 2018, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Päivi Pulkkila, Arto Urtti and Marjo Yliperttula)
  • Kärt Mätlik, PhD, 2018, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Jaan-Olle Andressoo)
  • Maria Lume, PhD, 2018, University of Helsinki
  • Kert Mätlik, PhD, 2017, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Urmas Arumäe and Mikko Airavaara)
  • Anmol Kumar, PhD, 2014, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Jaan-Olle Andressoo)
  • Elisa Piccinini, PhD, 2014, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Pia Runeberg-Roos)
  • Anu Planken, PhD, 2011, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Petri Auvinen and Jaan-Olle Andressoo)
  • Maxim M. Bespalov, PhD, 2009, University of Helsinki
  • Päivi Lindholm, PhD, 2009, University of Helsinki
  • Heidi Virtanen, PhD, 2009, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Pia Runeberg-Roos)
  • Mikhail Paveliev, PhD, 2008, University of Helsinki
  • Jianmin Yang, PhD, 2006, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Pia Runeberg-Roos)
  • Judith Thomas-Crusells, PhD, 2004 (co-supervised with Claudio Rivera)
  • Maria Lindahl, PhD, 2004, University of Helsinki
  • Jukka Hiltunen, PhD, 2001, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Urmas Arumäe)
  • Panu Hendolin, PhD, 2001, University of Helsinki (co-supervised with Jukka Ylikoski)
  • Antti Laurikainen, PhD, 2000, University of Helsinki
  • Petro Suvanto, PhD, 1997, University of Helsinki
  • Maxim Moshnyakov, PhD, 1997, Moscow State University
  • Kristina Mäkinen, PhD, 1997, University of Helsinki
  • Ülo Puurand, PhD, 1997, University of Tartu
  • Mati Reeben, PhD, 1994, University of Tartu