Heikki Irjala
MD, PhD
Otorhinolaryngology; Head and neck surgery; Cancer research
2002 PhD thesis "An Immunotherapeutic Approach to Cancer of the Head and Neck"
2009 Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology
2014 Adjunct Professor of Otorhinolaryngology
2015 Specialist in Head and Neck Surgery
2017 Special Competence in Medical Education
Research is focused on cancer of the head and neck including both clinical aspects (quality of life, treatment methods and outcome, diagnostics, etc.) and basic science like cancer immunology and cell trafficking.
Clinical lecturer (Otorhinolaryngology) 2012-2015
Personal teacher mentor for medical students from 2012
Supervisor of several PhD students
- European surgical guidelines: transoral robotic surgery for head and neck cancers (2026) Lechien, Jérôme R.; Paleri, Vinidh; Baudouin, Robin; Brunet, Aina; Chiesa-Estomba, Carlos M.; Crosetti, Erika; De Vito, Andrea; Cammaroto, Giovanni; De Virgilio, Armando; Fakhry, Nicolas; Golusinski, Wojciech; Irjala, Heikki; Lang, Stefan; Leemans, C. Rene; Moriniere, Sylvain; Saibene, Alberto M.; Sampieri, Claudio; Siddiq, Somiah; Vander Poorten, Vincent; Viros Porcuna, David; Vergez, Sébastien; Briganti, Giovanni; Maniaci, Antonino; Remacle, Marc; Simon, Christian; Hans, Stéphane
- MRI-based measurement of masseter muscle area: reliability and clinical relevance in acute neck infections (2026) Elo, Akseli; Vierula, Jari-Pekka; Heikkinen, Jaakko; Nurminen, Janne; Happonen, Tatu; Nyman, Mikko; Velhonoja, Jarno; Irjala, Heikki; Soukka, Tero; Mattila, Kimmo; Arponen, Otso; Sirén, Aapo; Hirvonen, Jussi
- MRI edema patterns in acute neck infections: A multicenter and multidisciplinary interobserver study (2026)
- European Journal of Radiology
Vierula, Jari-Pekka; Aro, Katri; Bode, Michaela; Haapio, Eeva; Hakumäki, Juhana; Happonen, Tatu; Hollmén, Carita; Huhtanen, Heidi; Irjala, Heikki; Jouppila-Mättö, Anna; Jussila, Ville; Kaapu, Kalle; Karhu, Jari O.; Koivunen, Petri; Kolasa, Marcin; Kovalainen, Antti; Kurdo, Goran; Kytö, Eero; Laurikainen, Tiina; Lindén, Riikka; Martikainen, Ilkka; Nyman, Kristofer; Paananen, Timo; Paavilainen, Teemu; Saravo, Jarkko; Tähtinen, Jutta; Tammilehto, Ville; Velhonoja, Jarno; Ånäs, Niklas; Sirén, Aapo; Heikkinen, Jaakko; Nurminen, Janne; Nyman, Mikko; Mattila, Kimmo; Hirvonen, Jussi
- Prognostic role of histological depth of invasion in T1-2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (2026)
- American Journal of Otolaryngology
Nissi, Linda; Elseragy, Amr; Wahab, Awais; Wennerstrand, Pia; Knuutila, Maisa; Routila, Johannes; Huusko, Teemu; Irjala, Heikki; Salo, Tuula; Ventelä, Sami
- Restoring the tumour mechanophenotype of vocal fold cancer reverts its malignant properties (2026) Kaivola, Jasmin; Punovuori, Karolina; Chastney, Megan R.; Abdo, Hind; Follain, Gautier; Mathieu, Mathilde; Joshi, Omkar; Miroshnikova, Yekaterina A.; Krautgasser, Fabian; Di Franco, Jasmin; Conway, James R. W.; Held, Sofia; Bertillot, Fabien; Hagström, Jaana; Mäkitie, Antti; Irjala, Heikki; Ventelä, Sami; Hamidi, Hellyeh; Scita, Giorgio; Cerbino, Roberto; Wickström, Sara A.; Ivaska, Johanna
- Spatial single-cell analysis reveals tumor microenvironment signatures predictive of oral cavity cancer outcome (2026) Näsiaho, Joni; Nissi, Linda; Ventelä, Sami; Irjala, Heikki; Salmi, Marko
- Added value of HPV-DNA in situ hybridization as an adjunct to p16 Immunohistochemistry in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (2025) Nissi, Linda; Huusko, Teemu; Routila, Johannes; Vaittinen, Samuli; Leivo, Ilmo; Irjala, Heikki; Ventela, Sami
- Diverse oncogenes use common mechanisms to drive growth of major forms of human cancer (2025) Kauko, Otto; Turunen, Mikko; Pihlajamaa, Päivi; Häkkinen, Antti; Queiroz, Rayner M. L.; Pääkkönen, Mirva; Ventelä, Sami; Gaetani, Massimiliano; Lundström, Susanna L.; Murgia, Antonio; Sahu, Biswajyoti; Routila, Johannes; Wei, Gong-Hong; Irjala, Heikki; Griffin, Julian L.; Lilley, Kathryn S.; Kivioja, Teemu; Hautaniemi, Sampsa; Taipale, Jussi
- Evaluation of Integrin Glycovariants as Biomarkers of Metastasis, Invasion, and Therapy Stratification in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (2025) Routila, Erica; Salminen, Sadie; Mahran, Randa; Toriseva, Mervi; Irjala, Heikki; Haapio, Eeva; Kytö, Eero; Ventelä, Sami; Pettersson, Kim; Routila, Johannes; Gidwani, Kamlesh; Leivo, Janne
- Kuulo-ongelmista kärsivät kaikenikäiset (2025) Irjala, Heikki; Willberg, Tytti
