Vilja
Siitonen
Areas of expertise
Biography
Senior Researcher, Photosynthetic Microbes -research group (www.utu.fi/photo-microbes) (2025–
Postdoctoral Researcher, Photosynthetic Microbes -research group (2020–2025)
Postdoctoral Researcher, ABE Lab – Antibiotic Biosynthetic Engineering -research group (https://abelab.utu.fi) (2017–2020)
Doctoral student, ABE Lab – Antibiotic Biosynthetic Engineering -research group (2011–2016)
Research assistant, ABE Lab – Antibiotic Biosynthetic Engineering -research group (2009–2010)
Summer trainee, University of Salzburg (https://www.plus.ac.at/) (2007)
Teaching
I have taught some parts on these courses:
Photosynthetic Biotechnologies (DIBT0608-3001) (2025)
Applied Photosynthesis Research - Theory (KABI4015) (2023, 2024)
Applied Photosynthesis Research - Practical (KABI4016-3002) (2021, 2022)
Harjoitustyö biokemian tutkimusryhmässä I/II (BKEM1028/1029) (2011–2019, 8 x 1 month)
Molekyylibiologian harjoitustyöt (BKEM1010) (2011)
I have supervised theses at different levels of studies.
I have studied university pedagogy 10 ECTS.
Research
My research in the Photosynthetic Microbes -research group focuses on utilizing green algae and cyanobacteria as biocatalysts or cell factories.
My previous research in the ABE -research group focused on soil bacteria, their fermentation, genetic modification, and the structural analysis of the compounds they produce, as well as studying the functions of proteins involved in antibiotic biosynthesis.