Description of research and teaching

I have an extensive background in experimental studies and physico-chemical characterization of surfaces, interfaces, nanoscale layers and particle materials in close connection to material science, biophysics and nanotechnology. I received my PhD in 1999 from the Department of Physical Chemistry at Åbo Akademi University. After this I worked 10 years at KSV Instruments Ltd/Biolin Scientific Oy, a company providing high-tech, precision analytical instruments for nanoscale study of interfaces. In January 2010 I returned to academia as a senior researcher at University of Helsinki and held an Academy of Finland Research Fellow position between August 2010 - July 2015. In 2018 I obtained a university lecturer position in pharmaceutical technology at University of Helsinki, and since 1.9.2021 I have been appointed as a professor in New Drug Formulations (position shared between University of Helsinki and Åbo Akademi University). I am also a group leader of the Pharmaceutical Biophysics research group at the Faculty of Pharmacy at University of Helsinki. My main research focus is to utilize model surfaces, living cells, nanoscience and –technology, and various physico-chemical label-free characterization techniques (e.g., surface plasmon resonance, quartz crystal microbalance and time-resolved Raman spectroscopy) and well-established tools in life sciences to improve the mechanistic understanding of drug and nanoparticle action and delivery.