Projects per year
Organisation profile
Organisation Profile
Microbes have a major effect on the ecosystem and humans. Microbes run biogeochemical cycles of the elements, play a major role in the intestines of animals and biotechnology such as waste water treatment and food production, just to mention some. On the other hand, microbes cause diseases for plants, animals and humans.
The Doctoral Programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology covers the entire field of microbiology, i.e., bacteria, archaea, eukaryotic microorganisms and viruses in any environment where microbes can be found. In addition to basic research in microbiology, it includes applied microbiology which is reflected by including microbiologically relevant biotechnology in the program.
Focus area of the program include:
- environmental microbiology
- microbial biotechnology
- genetics and genomics of microbes
- food microbiology
- human and animal microbiota
- microbe evolution
- microbe-host interactions
- infection microbiology
- virology
The researcher community formed around the program is nationally the most significant unit in its field and the only one in Finland in several sub-fields.
The Faculty of Agriculture & Forestry has main responsibility for the programme.
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
Profiles
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Bartosz Adamczyk
- Doctoral Programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology - Supervisor for doctoral programme
Person
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Tero Ahola
- Department of Microbiology - Senior University Lecturer
- Doctoral Programme in Drug Research - Supervisor for doctoral programme
- Doctoral Programme in Integrative Life Science - Supervisor for doctoral programme
- Doctoral Programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology - Supervisor for doctoral programme
- Helsinki One Health (HOH)
- RNA virus replication and antivirals
Person: U3 Research and teaching staff, UH , Teaching and research personnel
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Harri Alenius
- HUMI - Human Microbiome Research - Visiting Professor
- Doctoral Programme in Integrative Life Science - Supervisor for doctoral programme
- Doctoral Programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology - Supervisor for doctoral programme
Person: Teaching and research personnel, U4 Research and teaching staff
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Eda Altan Tarakci
- Department of Virology - Postdoctoral Researcher
- Doctoral Programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology - Supervisor for doctoral programme
- Helsinki One Health (HOH)
Person: U2 Teaching and research staff
Equipment
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Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility (LS-RIA/ Instruct-HiLIFE)
Butcher, S. (Manager), Domanska, A. (Operator), Laurinmäki, P. (Operator) & Lak, B. (Operator)
Institute of BiotechnologyFacility/equipment: Core Facility
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Microbial Domain Biological Resource Centre HAMBI (LS-RIA/ HUBCRI)
Friman, V.-P. (Manager) & Oivanen, P. (Operator)
Department of MicrobiologyFacility/equipment: Core Facility
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Microbiology
Saris, P. (Manager) & Lundell, T. (Manager)
Department of MicrobiologyFacility/equipment: Core Facility
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Tecno Hub
Alakukku, L. (Manager)
Faculty of Agriculture and ForestryFacility/equipment: Core Facility
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A Metagenomic Approach to Canine Viral Infections
Pljusnin, I. (Participant) & Kant, R. (Principal Investigator)
01/12/2025 → …
Project: Foundations (Private Foundations, Non-Profit Foundations, Charitable Trusts)
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Moody mares - estrous behaviour, social signaling, stress, or pain?
Kareskoski, M. (Project manager)
01/09/2025 → …
Project: Research project
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Opening Pandora’s Box: Assessing The Risks of Permafrost Thaw to Environment and Human Health
Väliranta, M. (Project manager), Korhola, A. (Project manager), Weckström, J. (Principal Investigator), Kontro, M. H. (Principal Investigator), Bianchi, F. (Principal Investigator), Passananti, M. (Co-Principal Investigator), Vapalahti, O. (Principal Investigator), Sironen, T. (Principal Investigator), Korhonen, E. M. (Co-Principal Investigator), Green, S. (Principal Investigator), Toivanen, R. (Principal Investigator), Kiss, E. A. (Co-Principal Investigator), Smura, T. (Co-Principal Investigator), Pilkama, H. E. (Participant), Deresh, A. (Participant), Haglund, A. K. (Participant) & Karkela, P. K. (Participant)
01/01/2025 → 31/12/2027
Project: Research project
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Water & Food Futures: Navigating the route to sustainable water-food futures
Hyytiäinen, K. (Project manager), Friman, A. E. (Participant), Fu, Y. (Participant), Lamminen, M. (Participant), Meinilä, J. (Participant), Yuhai, K. (Participant), Alakukku, L. (Participant), El Wali, M. (Participant), Erkkola, M. (Participant), Friman, A. E. (Participant), Hyytiä, N. (Participant), Irz, X. (Participant), Karttunen, A. K. (Participant), Lamminen, M. (Participant), Mäkelä, P. (Participant), Peltonen, H. M. K. (Participant), Sandström, V. (Participant) & Tuomisto, H. (Participant)
Suomen Akatemia Projektilaskutus
01/12/2024 → 30/11/2027
Project: Research Council of Finland: Strategic Research Council funding (SRC)
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Pipeline for Rapid Diagnostics of Emergency Transboundary Infectious Diseases
Kant, R. (Project manager), Vapalahti, O. (Participant) & Sironen, T. (Principal Investigator)
01/09/2023 → 31/08/2027
Project: EU Innovation Actions (IA)
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Combination of vemurafenib, pleconaril, and AG7404 attenuates enterovirus replication in vitro and in vivo
Ravlo, E., Ianevski, A., Wolska, W., Schjølberg, J.-O., Cámara-Quílez, M., Nordli, I. E. O., Sæther, I. B., Lysvand, H., Oksenych, V., Vähä-Koskela, M. J. V., Vainionpää, S. A. A., Seppänen, H. E., Smura, T., Odai, R., Stoyanova, A., Galabov, A. S., Galabov, A. S., Plevka, P., Nekoua, M. P. & Hober, D. & 2 others, , 2026, In: NAR Molecular Medicine. ugaf046.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open Access -
Surveillance-Based Insights into Mosquito-Borne Disease Trends: Implications for Public Health in Poland and Europe (2018–2024)
Bogacka, A., Kant, R. & Grzybek, M., 13 Jan 2026, In: Travel medicine and infectious disease. 102953Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open Access -
Use of pharmacologically induced ejaculation to obtain semen from stallions unable to mount a mare/dummy
Kareskoski, M., 2026.Research output: Conference materials › Other conference material
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Cell culture persistence, timing of co- and superinfections, and their impact to tropism of segmented viruses : reptarenaviruses as a model
Lintala, A., 2025, Helsinki: Helsingin yliopisto. 90 p.Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis › Collection of Articles
Open Access -
Changes in serum basal insulin concentration during estrous cycle in healthy mares
Karikoski, N., Lautala, E. A. & Kareskoski, M., 2025.Research output: Conference materials › Poster
Activities
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Use of pharmacologically induced ejaculation to obtain semen from stallions unable to mount a mare/dummy
Kareskoski, M. (Speaker)
2026 → …Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Näkökulmia pedagogiseen johtamiseen yliopistossa
Kareskoski, M. (Attendee)
11 Dec 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
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University of Helsinki (Organisational unit)
Niku, M. (Board member)
Feb 2025 → …Activity: Membership types › Membership or other role in public Finnish or international organization
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Host-Associated Genomic Variability and Transmission Patterns of Leptospira in Tanzanian Livestock and Rodents
Kant, R. (Supervisor) & Sironen, T. (Supervisor)
2025 → …Activity: Examination types › Supervisor or co-supervisor of doctoral thesis
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Saasteet muokkaavat bakteeristoa – yhteys lasten diabetesriskiin?
Manninen, J. (Speaker)
13 Nov 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
Prizes
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Best Poster Presentation Award at the 7th Annual Meeting of Plant Ecology and Evolution
Christodoulou, M. (Recipient), 14 Nov 2023
Prize: Prizes and awards
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Doctoral research grant (Finnish Cultural Foundation)
Zhao, H. (Recipient), 28 Feb 2021
Prize: Prizes and awards
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European Culture Collection’s Organization Travel Grant
Christodoulou, M. (Recipient), Sept 2023
Prize: Prizes and awards
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Nutrients 2020 Best Paper Awards
Hiippala, K. (Recipient), Jouhten, H. (Recipient), Ronkainen, A. (Recipient), Hartikainen, A. (Recipient), Kainulainen, V. (Recipient), Jalanka, J. (Recipient) & Satokari, R. (Recipient), 7 Sept 2020
Prize: Prizes and awards
Datasets
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Early development of the intestinal microbiota in horses, and associations with mare microbiotas
Niku, M. (Creator), European Nucleotide Archive, 27 Aug 2019
https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/data/view/PRJEB32017
Dataset
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Metabolomic signature of the maternal microbiota in the fetus
Niku, M. (Creator), Pessa-Morikawa, T. (Creator), Husso, A. (Creator) & Iivanainen, A. (Creator), EUDAT, 2021
DOI: 10.23728/b2share.4be0ea9f87b84a06be960d6a1c4b0b42
Dataset
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Effect of controlled drainage on the carbon balance of a cultivated peat soil in Finland
Karim, R. (Creator), Alakukku, L. (Supervisor), Regina, K. (Supervisor) & Heikkinen, J. I. (Supervisor), HARVARD UNIVERSITY, 12 Oct 2021
DOI: 10.7910/DVN/0DJGYJ
Dataset
Press/Media
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Study Visit at the University of Helsinki: Transcriptomics and Metagenomic Research
14/12/2025
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Esiintyminen Ylen tiede-televisio-ohjelmassa Jälkikaronkka
27/08/2025
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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The Washington Post interview: 4 ways to make your house germier – in a good way
15/05/2025
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Lohtajalta lähtöisin olevaa väitöskirjatutkijaa kiinnostaa vanhan navetan lanta — Siitä löytyy ihmiskunnalle tärkeää tietoa
25/02/2025
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Researcher from the Division of Tropical Parasitology is co-author of the publication in "Nature"
05/04/2024
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media