Keyword: InFLAMES Flagship

Discoveries made when biology meets computational sciences are revolutionising the landscape of life sciences and healthcare. Computational biology and bioinformatics are driving this transformation, helping researchers analyse vast amounts of biological data. European Conference on Computational Biology (ECCB) is Europe’s main event in computational biology and bioinformatics this year, bringing 600–800 experts to Turku, Finland, on 16–20 September 2024.

University of Turku Professors Johanna Ivaska and Lauri Nummenmaa have received significant research funding from the European Research Council ERC. Ivaska received funding for a project that aims to discover how the biological limits of a healthy body influence cancer progression. Nummenmaa’s project examines the link between a person’s negative emotions and their physical well-being.

Young Alexander Mildner wanted to be an artist. His parents did not object to the idea but suggested that their son should first go to the University of Göttingen, from where he could transfer to an art school after a year. But things turned out differently. Today, Mildner is one of the world's most cited immunology researchers and an Associate Professor at the InFLAMES flagship of the University of Turku.  

Researchers at the University of Turku have uncovered how the new bexmarilimab therapy alters the function of immune cells so that they can infiltrate the tumour in cancer patients who do not respond to any other current therapies.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), also known as the squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, is the most common form of metastatic skin cancer. The incidence of cSCC is increasing worldwide with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. The prognosis of metastatic cSCC is poor as there are currently no effective targeted treatments available. New study conducted at the University of Turku, Finland, shows that plixorafenib, a new drug developed for treating melanoma and lung cancer, can also stop the progression of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

A research group from the University of Turku and Turku Bioscience Centre together with Misvik Biology Ltd in Finland have developed a new method for studying how cancer cells function in softer and stiffer tissue environments. This insight challenges the existing paradigm, opening up new possibilities for research in cancer biology and tissue engineering.

Biomedical research often occurs in painfully slow pace. Here, as an alternative approach we aim to pilot rapid research and collaboration. This takes a form of an experimental biomedical workshop / mini-hackathon called “SpeedFish” utilizing rapid zebrafish models for cardiovascular biology and disease.

How can a researcher become an entrepreneur, what does the journey require and why should more researchers aim to commercialise their invention? The Corporate Corner event of the InFLAMES Flagship shares stories of how science can become business, told by interesting speakers and companies. The theme for the next Corporate Corner is The Journey of Turning Science into Business, and it will be held on 6 October in Turku.

Frontiers of Science Seminar program is ready for autumn 2023. All seminars are on-site only at 12:00 in BioCity, Presidentti auditorium. Coffee and sandwich is served before each seminar.

Human immune cells are capable of coordinating their own movement more independently than previously thought. InFLAMES researcher Jonna Alanko has discovered that immune cells do not just passively follow the chemical cues in their environment. Quite the contrary, they can also shape these cues and navigate in complex environments in a self-organised manner.