I got my PhD degree in Cell Biology in 2005 at the Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku. After my post-doctoral training (Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden) I returned to my home university and have been working here since 2008. I received the title of a Docent in Cell Biology in 2013. 

My current position as a University Lecturer at the Institute of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine includes both teaching and research. As part of my profession, I am also promoting sustainable development in medical education. My research interests include stem cells, bone and vascular biology, biomaterials and translational studies in regenerative medicine.

Professionally, my goals are to contribute to human health by providing new scientific knowledge as well as to educate, supervise and tutor undergraduate and graduate students on their way to becoming experts in medicine and biomedical sciences.

My research focuses on elucidating the role of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in bone and vascular biology. We are especially interested in cell-cell and cell-biomaterial interactions and their potential applications in regenerative medicine. We use mainly in vitro cell cultures of human bone marrow derived primary MSCs and peripheral blood derived cells but also utilize cell lines, different biomaterials and clinically relevant patient samples. In summary, our research provides important novel data on cellular interactions and crucial molecular players in angiogenesis and osteogenesis. This contributes to the development of better regenerative medicine applications when aiming to enhance bone and soft tissue healing.

Pedagogic qualification of a teacher, Faculty of Education, University of Turku, Finland, 2009-2014 (60 credits).

More than 10 years of teaching experience both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including curriculum planning and implementation and development of teaching including several pedagogic approaches.

Primary areas of teaching: Histology, Cell Biology, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Regenerative Medicine and Cancer Biology.

Acting as a mentor (teacher tutor) in Biomedicine BSc program in 2013 -2022.

International teaching experience in Molecular Medicine course for Biomedicine students at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden in 2013-2018.

A partner and mentor in an EU-funded international, multidiciplinary enterpreneurial education project (IDEATE) in 2013-2016.