Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine Supports Young Postdoctoral Researchers

The objective of the Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine is to recruit top researchers of their respective fields to the University of Turku, supporting the researchers at their early career when it is time to build the foundation for creating their own research groups. During its ten years of operations, the Collegium has had a strong vision that, in order to succeed in the increasing competition, the University of Turku must be able to recruit the most talented researchers.   

The Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine covers all of the disciplines under the Faculty of Science and Engineering as well as the Faculty of Medicine. The postdoctoral researcher programme begun in 2016, and so far altogether 15 postdoctoral researchers have been recruited in the three application rounds. The latest call for applications took place in 2017.

Unique Opportunity for Researchers

One of the postdoctoral researchers of the Collegium is Lihua Sun from China. He has been one of the Collegium’s researchers since August 2018, conducting brain research in the Turku PET Centre. He specialises in cognitive neuroscience. In his research, he uses PET scanning and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to examine human cognition, emotions, and social cognition. His central research project studies the brain basis of psychopathy and violence.

– The Collegium offers the researchers freedom to study areas they find interesting I really appreciate that the Collegium does not restrict what I can study. It is very unique. The Collegium offers a platform where I can work as an independent researcher, Dr Sun sums up.

The subject for Sun’s other research project arose from his own interest and experiences in Finland. He got interested in the effects of environment and seasonal sunlight on human brain physiology after noticing changes in people’s moods in the winter.

– The Collegium values interdisciplinary research and the researchers’ diverse backgrounds. They enable unique and groundbreaking research, Dr Sun concludes.

Sophie Reichert from France conducts research combining ecophysiology and evolutionary biology. Her research revolves around the mechanisms of ageing and cellular senescence and the factors impacting them – e.g. how growing and reproduction affect organisms’ lifespan. Previously, she studied these phenomena on birds (e.g. king penguins), but nowadays her research subject is Asian elephants.

– The Collegium has offered me freedom and time to concentrate on my research. For a young scientist, this is a rare and valuable opportunity, Dr Reichert enthuses.

Reichert especially appreciates the encouraging atmosphere of the Collegium and the respect she feels she has been shown. In addition, she has enjoyed getting acquainted with her colleagues. The Collegium’s researchers come from a multitude of backgrounds both in interdisciplinary and international sense.

The Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine opens a call for applications for the fixed-term postdoctoral researcher positions at the beginning of November 2019. The fixed-term employment relationship of the selected postdoctoral researchers start at the earliest on 1 August 2020 or at the latest on 1 January 2021. Simultaneously, the Collegium opens a call for applications for the three year fixed-term positions of collegium researchers. These positions can be extended by two years. This is the seventh time the collegium researcher recruitment is opened.