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
- (2025) Nissi, Linda; Huusko, Teemu; Routila, Johannes; Vaittinen, Samuli; Leivo, Ilmo; Irjala, Heikki; Ventela, Sami
- (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
- (2025)
- European Journal of Radiology OpenInsights into imaging
Vierula, Jari-Pekka; Merisaari, Harri; Heikkinen, Jaakko; Happonen, Tatu; Siren, Aapo; Velhonoja, Jarno; Irjala, Heikki; Soukka, Tero; Mattila, Kimmo; Nyman, Mikko; Nurminen, Janne; Hirvonen, Jussi
- Risk factors and preventive measures for severe orofacial and neck infections: a three-year observational study (2025) Velhonoja, Jarno; Lääveri, Meira; Soukka, Tero; Haatainen, Saara; Al-Neshawy, Noora; Kinnunen, Ilpo; Irjala, Heikki
- Assessment of targeted therapy opportunities in sinonasal cancers using patient-derived functional tumor models2024 Lehtinen Noora, Suhonen Janne, Rice Kiesha, Välimäki Eetu, Toriseva Mervi, Routila Johannes, Halme Perttu, Rahi Melissa, Irjala Heikki, Leivo Ilmo, Kallajoki Markku, Nees Matthias, Kuopio Teijo, Ventelä Sami, Rantala Juha K.
- Identification of stemness-related glycosylation changes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma2024 Routila Erica, Mahran Randa, Salminen Seppo, Irjala Heikki, Haapio Eeva, Kytö E, Ventelä Sami, Petterson Kim, Routila Johannes, Gidwani Kamlesh, Leivo Janne
- Odontogenic neck abscesses caused by Streptococcus anginosus group bacteria: emergency MRI findings (2024)
- Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
Lääveri, Meira; Heikkinen, Jaakko; Happonen, Tatu; Sirén, Aapo; Nurminen, Janne; Vierula, Jari-Pekka; Velhonoja, Jarno; Irjala, Heikki; Soukka, Tero; Mattila, Kimmo; Gunell, Marianne; Snäll Johanna; Hirvonen, Jussi
- (2024) Atula, Markus; Atula, Timo; Aro, Katri; Irjala, Heikki; Halme, Elina; Jouppila-Mättö, Anna; Koivunen, Petri; Wilkman, Tommy; Mäkitie, Antti; Elovainio, Marko; Pulkki-Råback, Laura
- Simultaneous p53 and p16 Immunostaining for Molecular Subclassification of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas (2024)
- Head and Neck PathologyHead and Neck
Pakkanen, Pihla; Silvoniemi, Antti; Aro, Katri; Bäck, Leif; Irjala, Heikki; Aaltonen, Leena-Maija; Hagström, Jaana; Haglund, Caj; Laine, Jukka; Minn, Heikki; Huvila, Jutta
- (2024)
- Cancer MedicineDuodecimFrontiers in Oncology
Nissi, Linda; Tuominen, Sanni; Routila, Johannes; Huusko, Teemu; Ketonen, Petra; Sundvall, Maria; Leivo, Ilmo; Irjala, Heikki; Minn, Heikki; Grönroos, Tove J.; Ventelä, Sami
- Circulating Tumor DNA in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Association with Metabolic Tumor Burden Determined with FDG-PET/CT (2023) Silvoniemi A, Laine J, Aro K, Nissi L, Back L, Schildt J, Hirvonen J, Hagström J, Irjala H, Aaltonen LM, Seppänen M, Minn H
- MRI of acute neck infections: evidence summary and pictorial review (2023) Hirvonen Jussi, Heikkinen Jaakko, Nyman Mikko, Happonen Tatu, Velhonoja Jarno, Irjala Heikki, Soukka Tero, Mattila Kimmo, Nurminen Janne
- Patient and health care delays in large (class T3-T4) oral, oropharyngeal, and laryngeal carcinomas (2023) Atula Markus, Aro Katri, Irjala Heikki, Halme Elina, Jouppila-Mättö Anna, Koivunen Petri, Wilkman Tommy, Blomster Henry, Mäkitie Antti, Atula Timo
- Pictorial Review of MRI Findings in Acute Neck Infections in Children (2023) Nurminen Janne, Heikkinen Jaakko, Happonen Tatu, Nyman Mikko, Sirén Aapo, Vierula Jari-Pekka, Velhonoja Jarno, Irjala Heikki, Soukka Tero, Ivaska Lauri, Mattila Kimmo, Hirvonen Jussi
- Programmed death-ligand 1 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) - low TIL density may predict poorer long-term prognosis in T1 laryngeal cancer (2023) Pakkanen Pihla, Ilmarinen Taru, Halme Elina, Irjala Heikki, Koivunen Petri, Pukkila Matti, Ventelä Sami, Almangush Alhadi, Birkman Eva-Maria, Lindgren Outi, Pohjolainen Virva, Sjöblom Nelli, Haglund Caj, Hagström Jaana, Aaltonen Leena-Maija
- Suunielusyöpä ja elämänlaatu (2023) Ranta Pihla, Irjala Heikki, Minn Heikki, Kinnunen Ilpo
- (2023)
- Cancer Cell InternationalOral Oncology
Hyytiäinen Aini, Korelin Katja, Toriseva Mervi, Wilkman Tommy, Kainulainen Satu, Mesimäki Karri, Routila Johannes, Ventelä Sami, Irjala Heikki, Nees Matthias, Al-Samadi Ahmed, Salo Tuula
- Timing and frequency of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma recurrences after treatment with curative intent (2023) Autio Timo J, Atula Timo, Jouhi Lauri, Irjala Heikki, Halme Elina, Jouppila-Mättö Anna, Mäkitie Antti, Koivunen Petri
- TSPO is a potential independent prognostic factor associated with cellular respiration and p16 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (2023) Tuominen Sanni, Nissi Linda, Kukkula Antti, Routila Johannes, Huusko Teemu, Leivo Ilmo, Minn Heikki, Irjala Heikki, Löyttyniemi Eliisa, Ventelä Sami, Sundvall Maria, Grönroos Tove J.
- Cisplatin overcomes radiotherapy resistance in OCT4-expressing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (2022) Routila Johannes, Qiao Xi, Weltner Jere, Rantala Juha K, Carpén Timo, Hagström Jaana, Mäkitie Antti, Leivo Ilmo, Ruuskanen Miia, Söderlund Jenni, Rintala Marjut, Hietanen Sakari, Irjala Heikki, Minn Heikki, Westermarck Jukka, Ventelä Sami
