Ari Pikkarainen profile picture
Ari
Pikkarainen
Doctoral Researcher, Department of Biology
Filosofian kandidaatti

Contact

Vesilinnantie 5
20500
Turku

Areas of expertise

clinical biochemistry
chemistry
biology (ecology)

Biography

I am a graduated from the University of Oulu in 1986 majoring in clinical biochemistry, minor in mm. chemistry and medical microbiology. After graduating I worked  in Wallac Ltd, Turku, where I worked as product line manager in international marketing. 1991 I moved to the University of Turku as a researcher at biochemistry and food institute. My research was related to new biochemical methods for evaluating bone degradation and formation of serum samples. Later, I worked as managing director in Svanco Composting Ltd. My diverse mission image included, among others, preparation of patent applications, preparation of an environmental permit application, environmental standard 14001 drawing up of a manual and drafting of a water monitoring program. In 2002, I moved to Aboatech Ltd, where I worked as a project manager for the commercialization of scientific inventions made at the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University and Turku University Central Hospital. Since 2011  I have been in the Department of Biology of the University of Turku, a graduate student preparing a doctoral thesis. The topic of my dissertation is related to the effects of environmental poisons on insect immunity and other life cycle traits.

Teaching

I have not worked as a teacher.

Research

I am currently studying the effects of various environmental poisons such as tributyltin and glyphosate on insect immunity and other life cycle traits. As  research objects I have used Protephormea terranovae, Tenebrio molitor and Galleria mellonella . In my study I followed up the effects of the environmental poisons on the degree of insect encapsulation, growth rate and body weight. In the past, I have studied the new biochemical methods to assess bone degradation and formation in human serum.

Publications

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