Maiju Kannisto

“Useful theory should have an application in real life” – Jiawei Yang’s device uses AI to detect worsening heart failure

Maiju Kannisto — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:10:45 +0000

Senior Researcher Jiawei Yang is working on an exercise-aware wearable that uses AI to detect worsening heart failure. He wants to create a device that could save lives and money by detecting worsening heart failure at an early stage, making it possible for the wearer to seek medical help early. Read more on the University of Turku website.

Photo: Iida Taskila.

Julian Brandmeier seeks to reshape Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diagnostics

Maiju Kannisto — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:20:47 +0000

SYS-LIFE Postdoctoral Researcher Julian Brandmeier wants to improve Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diagnostics and facilitate earlier detection of these diseases. The goal of his research is to enable wide screening for these diseases by creating ultrasensitive immunoassays, which make it possible to detect neurodegenerative biomarkers in blood samples. Read more on the University of Turku website.

Turku City Welcome Event Brought Together Over 60 MSCA COFUND Fellows, Staff and Partners

Maiju Kannisto — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:24:52 +0000

More than 60 MSCA COFUND fellows, programme staff and network partners gathered on 23 October 2025 for the Turku City Welcome Event for MSCA COFUND Fellows. The celebration took place at Restaurant Brunndeli at Aboa Vetus Ars Nova and highlighted the growing international research community in Turku.

Celebration of Talent and Collaboration

The evening began with a toast of sparkling wine, followed by a welcome address from Sinikka Valtonen, Director of Human Resources at the City of Turku.
She emphasised the City’s strong commitment to supporting international researchers and fostering a truly global research environment in Turku.

The University of Turku’s Vice Rector Piia Seppänen then introduced the University’s MSCA COFUND programmes and highlighted how many professionals across the University contribute to their administration and success.

Presentation of COFUND Programmes

Programme Directors from all six MSCA COFUND programmes introduced their initiatives and shared highlights from their activities:

Turku Intersectoral Excellence Scheme (TIES): Martin Cloonan
Systemic Approaches to Improve Cardiometabolic and Brain Health During Lifespan (SYS-LIFE): Georges Kazan, Vice Director
Solutions for Green and Digital Transition (UTU-GreDiT): Eevi Savola, Coordinator
Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence for a Sustainable Future (HAIF): Pasi Liljeberg
Interdisciplinary and Intersectoral Research Fellowship Programme for Future Leaders in Immunology (IMMUFELLOW): Marko Salmi

Reflections from SYS-LIFE

In his remarks, Vice Director Georges Kazan summarised key achievements from the SYS-LIFE programme. He highlighted that SYS-LIFE had completed its second and final selection round, welcoming eleven new fellows and forming a vibrant international research community in medicine, biomedicine and behavioural sciences.

He noted that the University of Turku now hosts six active MSCA COFUND programmes, which together have recruited approximately 120 outstanding researchers worldwide through rigorous international peer review. These programmes advance the shared goal of the University and the City of Turku to attract and nurture top-level global talent.

Kazan also underlined the University’s Research Collegia model—based on the tradition of the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study—as a foundation for excellence, interdisciplinary exchange and societal impact.
He thanked the University, the City of Turku, Business Turku and the Turku University Foundation for their support, and acknowledged the dedicated work of the project teams behind the COFUND programmes.

Networking and Community Building

The evening concluded with networking over drinks and light snacks, giving fellows the opportunity to connect across disciplines, share experiences and strengthen collaboration within the growing Turku research community.

This article was prepared with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot.

Multilevel Science Policy and Research Impact

Maiju Kannisto — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 09:55:55 +0000

SYS-LIFE Training, 26 September 2025

SYS-LIFE fellows, together with researchers from the TCSMT Collegium, gathered for a full-day training session focused on the intersections of science policy and research impact. The event welcomed doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and featured contributions from leading experts to inspire dialogue on science policy and impact.

Programme Highlights

The UTU Strategic Multidisciplinary Themes Come Alive: What, Why and How to Get Involved
Soile Haverinen, Head of Unit, Research Affairs, University of Turku, presented the university’s strategic themes and encouraged fellows to engage with multidisciplinary initiatives.
Making Noise for Science – A Personal Approach
Jukka Westermarck, Research Director at Turku Bioscience Centre and Professor at the Institute of Biomedicine, shared his personal journey in science communication and advocacy.
EU Science and RDI Policy
Anniina Jaako, Head of EU Affairs for the Universities of Turku and Åbo Akademi, as well as Turku and Novia Universities of Applied Sciences, provided an overview of current EU-level science and innovation policy developments.
Workshop: Impact & Argument
In the afternoon, SYS-LIFE fellows participated in a lively debate workshop on the topic:
“Politicians and funding agencies should have the authority to define research topics.”
Team A supported the proposition, while Team B opposed it. After a spirited exchange of arguments, the jury narrowly declared Team B the winner.

Photograph courtesy of Maiju Kannisto

Annual Report 2023-2024 now published

Maiju Kannisto — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:48:44 +0000

SYS-LIFE _Annual_Report_2024_nettisivulle Lataa