Academic education

I made the master’s degree in Food Chemistry and Doctor’s degree in Cereal Technology. My doctoral degree studies focused on Plant Biotechnology and Plant breeding. At the present, I am visiting researcher in Grain Science and Technology at the Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki.

1999 D. Sc. (Food Sci.) University of Helsinki, Finland

1984 M.Sc. (Food Sci.) University of Helsinki, Finland

Languages: native Finnish, fluent English and Swedish, reads German

Professional affiliations

Finnish Society of Food Science and Technology

Finnish (SVS) and Nordisk Cerealistförening (NCF)

Women Agronomists in Finland

Member of advisory board for The Finnish  Coeliac Society

Administrative experience

2004 – 2007
Chairman in Association of Cereal Scientist in Finland and Nordic countries

2000 – 2003
Secretary in Association of Cereal Scientist in Finland

1996 – 2001
Secretary in National Oat Program for Oat Research, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

1984 – 1996
Assistant in Cereal Science, Department of Food Technology, several short periods.

Research activities

My research focuses on studying the chemical and physical reactions and interactions of macromolecules especially plant fibre and proteins related to food processes. The research also aims to provide basic knowledge of these components to be used for development of analytical methods. The methods evaluate or predict the chemical and physical functionality of the compounds in food products.

2012-2016

Principal investigator of Academy of Finland project on Chemical oxidation of mixed linked beta-glucan.

2007 – 2010
Coordinator of cereal technology part in Folafibre 2007-2010/ Finnish Academy & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry jointly funded consortium project. Aqueous processing of oats and barley:  In situ enhancement of folate and associated bioactive compounds while maintaining soluble dietary fibre physiologically active

2007 – 2011
Member of research team in Manglin 2007-2011, Management of gluten intolerance:  novel insights in occurence, immunogenetics, food processing and safety.  the Principal Investigator in the development of gluten free analytical method. Finnish Academy & Tekes jointly funded consortium project.

2001– 2004
Coordinator of a consortium project between research groups and industry/Tekes, University of Helsinki, VTT, KTL.

Oat product basket, in particularly beta-glucan, physiological effects of beta-glucan.

2001– 2004
Researcher at Cereal Technology Group University of Helsinki:

• Exploitation of bioactive peptides in food, Tekes, 2002-2004
• Bioactive compounds in rye, MMM/Tekes, 2001-2003
• Functional wheat sourdough/ Tekes, 2000-2002

1997 – 2001
Researcher in Functional bran in baking/funded by Tekes, University of Helsinki

1987 - 1996
Ph.D. candidate, Gluten protein composition and quality in bread wheats/ Academy of Finland, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki

1984 - 1987
Research work in various cereal projects, Academy of Finland, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki

Teaching experience

2001 – 2016
Supervisor or co-supervisor for doctoral degree researchers for Cereal Science, University of Helsinki; Jussi Loponen(D.Sc 2006), Fred Gates (D.Sc. 2007), Päivi Kanerva (D.Sc. 2011), Reetta Kivelä (D.Sc. 2011), Xin Huang (D.Sc. 2016), Noora Mäkelä (DSc 2018), Yujie Wang (DSc 2018)

2001 – 2021
Lecturer in Cereal Science (cereal science methods, cereal chemistry and processing) and in Food Processing and Food Physics

Lecturing two laboratory courses, one research course and one lecture course per year. Supervisor of  masters of science works yearly and of 1-2 post graduates. Organizing the financing for post graduate research projects.

1996 – present
Co-supervisor in master of science works in Food Chemistry, Plant Breeding and Cereal Technology. Teaching in Cereal Chemistry laboratory courses and lecturing Cereal Chemistry courses.

Grants and fundings

2019-2021

AVEPURE

MMM, Makera; Erityisruokavalioon soveltuvien kauralajikkeiden tunnistaminen ja kauran gluteenianalytiikan parantaminen- työkaluja puhdaskauratuotantoon.

2019-2021

OatHow

Business Finland; Novel indicators and technologies for oat quality and applicability

2017-2019

OatYourGut

Business Finland; Oat-derived Wellbeing by Clinical and Perceived Assessment

2012-2016

Academy of Finland. Chemical oxidation of mixed-linked beta-glucans.

2013-2015

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Enhancing the use of Faba bean in foods.

2007-2010
ELVIRA, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Folafibre, maintaining properties of beta-glucan during aqueos prosessing of cereals

2007-2010
University of Helsinki Funds. New solutions for development of in vitro method for the physical properties of soluble fibre in oat products

2004- 2006
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Raisio Research Funds, detecting alien species contamination in oats and oat products.

2010
University of Helsinki teacher exchange travel grant for visit in the Food Science Faculty, Northeast Agricultural University Harbin, China 6-15.3.2010