Currently I am working as a senior researcher in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study in the Centre for Population Health Research. I am affiliated in the consortium project Right to Belong: Tackling Loneliness and Ostracism during Childhood and Youth from the SRC programme YOUNG. I also continue my other FinnBrain Birth Cohort related studies on prenatal stress, infant stress regulation, gut microbiota, hair hormone measurements and Covid-19 pandemic related stressors with personal research grants.

I completed my PhD thesis in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort research group and the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research (DPCR) in the University of Turku with the topic The Role of Maternal Prenatal Distress in the Development and Functioning of the Infant Cortisol Stress Response.

I graduated as Master of Science in drug development from a degree programme of Health Bioscience in Department of Pharmacology, Drug Development and Therapeutics, University of Turku.

Aim of my PhD thesis was to research the effects of maternal prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms on the development and functioning of the stress regulation system hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of the infant during the first year of life. Study is a part of the FinnBrain Birth Cohort.

I am expanding my postdoctoral research topics to altered infant stress regulation and gut microbiota as early biomarkers for emotional and behavioral problems during childhood after prenatal psychological distress exposure.

In addition, we have a research project aiming to study the cumulative, long-term stress hormone output related to stressful life events during the Covid-19 pandemic and their associations with the social-emotional symptoms of the children and their parents.