People

We are always looking for motivated individuals to join our team.
Yan Zhang

Postdoctoral researcher

I joined the Mäkinen lab as a postdoctoral researcher in 2015 in Uppsala, and relocated with the lab to Helsinki in early 2025. I have a background in developmental biology and vascular biology, and my research focuses on the role of lymphatic endothelium in organ-specific homeostasis and inflammation. 

Gauri Arolkar

PhD student

I joined the Mäkinen lab in Uppsala in December 2023, and relocated to Helsinki in early 2025 to start my doctoral studies within the iCANDOC program. Before joining the lab, I completed my studies in India, where I worked on cardiovascular regeneration and collateral artery formation in neonatal mice in Bangalore. Additionally, I joined briefly the European Center for Angioscience in Mannheim to study the role of endothelial cell-cardiomyocyte cross talk during heart development. Currently I am particularly interested in the study of lymphatic vasculature in a pathophysiological context. 

Vishal Mohanakrishnan

Postdostoral researcher

I recently completed my PhD in Ralf Adams’ research group at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Germany. My PhD work focused on investigating the molecular and functional heterogeneity in bone endothelial cells. In September 2024 I joined Mäkinen lab as a postdoc, and now I focus on the characterization of lymphatic capillary endothelial cells. Outside of the confocal room, I enjoy photography and traveling.

Yizhou Hu

University Researcher at the University of Helsinki

Researcher (Bioinformatician) at WRI

I got my Ph.D. in Pathology and M.Sc. in Human Genetics from the University of Helsinki. After my Ph.D., I worked as a postdoc and later as an affiliated researcher in Professor Patrik Ernfors’ group at Karolinska Institutet. My research focused on neural crest biology, brain mesenchymal cells, and neuro-oncology. Currently, I am working on cutting-edge technologies in single-cell and spatial MultiOmics. I construct sequencing libraries and develop deep-learning-based bioinformatics methods for analysis. When I’m not working, I love running and trying out new recipes in the kitchen! 

Ingvar Ferby

Visiting scientist

I joined Taija as a senior researcher in Uppsala a few years back having a prior background as a PI at the Ludwig Institute for cancer research working on growth factor receptors. My expertise lies mainly in the in vitro and molecular direction. Still based mainly in Uppsala this year I will be in Helsinki more sporadically as a visiting scientist.

Zuzana Varaliova

Postdoctoral researcher

I received my PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology in Prague with Lenka Rossmeislova on the interplay between adipose tissue and the lymphatic system. I joined the lab in 2023 in Uppsala and relocate to Helsinki in spring 2025. I am working on organ-specific collecting lymphatic vessel development.

Group members at Uppsala University
  • Bojana Jakic, researcher
  • Ingvar Ferby, researcher
  • Sarah Schnabellehner, postdoc
  • Filipa Oliveira, PhD student
  • Sofie Lunell, technician
  • Charlotte Rorsman, research engineer
Alumni

PhD students and postdocs

  • Hans Schoofs, PhD student (2019-2025). Next step: Postdoc, van Rheenen lab, NKI Amsterdam.
  • Marle Kraft, PhD student (2019-2025). Next step: Postdoc, Malysheva lab, VIB University of Antwerp.
  • Milena Petkova, PhD student (2018-2023) and Postdoc (2023-2025). Next step: Postdoc, Halin lab, ETH Zurich.
  • Magda Hernandez Vasquez, postdoc (2017-2024). Next step: Nordic Biosite, Uppsala.
  • Nina Daubel, PhD student (2016-2022) and Postdoc (2022-2023). Next step: ThermoFisher, Uppsala.
  • Simon Stritt, Postdoc (2016-2021). Now NGS Sales Specialist, Twist Bioscience.
  • Ines Martinez-Corral, Postdoc (2010-2019). Now CRCN Researcher, INSERM, University of Lille.
  • Maike Frye, Postdoc (2014-2018). Now Professor, University Medical Center Hamburg.
  • Maria Ulvmar, Postdoc (2013-2017). Now Senior Lecturer, Uppsala University.
  • Yang Zhang, PhD student (2014-2018). Now Postdoc, Potente lab, Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine.
  • Andrea Taddei, Postdoc (2012-2016). Now Senior Director of External Focussed Drug Discovery, Novo Nordisk Research Centre Oxford.
  • Lukas Stanczuk, PhD student (2009-2012) and Postdoc (2012-2013). Now Associate Director, Bicycle Therapeutics, UK.
  • Andres Vicente, PhD student (2009-2013). Now Education Coordinator, University College London.
  • Florence Tatin, Postdoc (2008-2013). Now CRCN Researcher, INSERM, I2MC, Toulouse.
  • Sophie Lutter, PhD student (2007-2012). Now Scientific Communications and Marketing Manager, OXGENE, London.
  • Eleni Bazigou, Postdoc (2007-2012)
  • Brett Hosking, Postdoc (2007-2008)

Other staff

  • Teodora Farago, Bioinformatician (2024-2025)
  • Ioannis Nikoloudis, Laboratory Assistant (2022-2023)
  • Henrik Ortsäter, Senior Research Engineer (2014-2020) and Project Coordinator (2020-2022). Now Campus Facilities Manager, The Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University.
  • Aissatu Mami Camara, Laboratory Assistant (2020-2022)
  • Sofie Sjöberg (Wagenius), Laboratory Assistant  (2015-2020)
  • Dimitris Kokoretsis, Laboratory Assistant (2017-2018)
  • Sherry Xie, Senior Scientific Officer (2007-2013)