CoE in Host Defence Research
The Centre of Excellence of Host Defence Research studies the mobility mechanisms of viruses, bacteria and cancer cells, and how the body’s defence system manages to disable them. The objective is to discover mechanisms and molecules that can be utilised in diagnostics, disease monitoring and developing pharmaceuticals.
The defence mechanisms of the human body are constantly waging a battle against viruses and bacteria intruding through the skin and mucous membranes. The defence system daily destroys the cancer cells generated within the body. However, bacteria and viruses have developed mechanisms to deceive the immunodefence and intrude into the body. Cancer cells are able to engage migration molecules, typical for white blood cells, which allow them to move around in the body while forming lethal metastases.
Current knowledge about these mechanisms is very vague. The unit performs basic research as well as translational research, which falls between basic and applied research, and this may have long-ranging consequences, particularly in treating cancer diseases and inflammatory diseases.
Internationally acknowledged results
The Centre of Excellence is coordinated by the University of Turku in cooperation with the University of Helsinki and the National Public Health Institute. The formation of the research group is unusual, even at the international level; it comprises both leading experts in basic research and one of Finland’s internationally most visible and successful sectors of clinical medicine, oncology. This combination enables the application of high-end basic research to clinical research, disease diagnostics and treatment of patients.
The unit utilises the most advanced methods of cellular and molecular biology, imaging, and well controlled patient materials. It provides the researchers with the most modern facilities and instruments, as well as a creative, encouraging working community.
The work of the unit is based on cooperation between different professional groups and fields of research, as well as international networking. When the unit submits an article to a scientific journal, the list of authors is generally long. The unit has published its findings in respected journals and they are frequently quoted.
In addition to two professors and two adjunct professors, the unit employs 13 post-doctoral researchers and 17 graduate students. The CoE is led by Academy Professor Sirpa Jalkanen.
Contact Information
Director: Professor Sirpa Jalkanen
Institute of Microbiology and Pathology
University of Turku
Tel. +358 2 333 7007
firstname.lastname@utu.fi