DRUG DISCOVERY AND CHEMICAL BIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

Come to learn how YOUR RESEARCH could benefit from the chemical biology and drug discovery tools available in Finland!

 
 

Date and time: May 4, 2023 between 12:00-16:00.

Place: Lecture hall 2, Biomedicum 1, Helsinki.

Format: hybrid (on site or remotely)

Online translation link (Zoom) will be provided to registered participants a few days prior to the event.

Registration: by April 15 (registration link)

Confirmed speakers:

Prof. Päivi Tammela, University of Helsinki

Dr. Michael Courtney, Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Academy University

Laxman Yetukuri, CSC – IT CENTER FOR SCIENCE LTD

 

Find out more:

Symposium's web page

DDCB consortium web page

FIMM High Throughput Biomedicine Unit (HTB)

HTB LinkedIn page

 

Call for Applications in EMBL Postdoctoral Programme

EIPOD-LinC is a Postdoctoral fellowship programme supporting promising researchers from around the world who are passionate about interdisciplinary research. The programme is designed to support the increasing diversity of career paths in Europe’s research landscape providing researchers with the mentoring, training and career development support needed to become leaders in academia, industry and beyond.

The programme is embedded in EMBL’s unique interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment. Candidates work on self-designed interdisciplinary research projects in the context of EMBL’s research programme: Molecules to Ecosystems. All projects require an EMBL Host and a partner. Partners may come from EMBL or from an academic institute, industry or clinic located in an EMBL Member State, Associate Member State or Prospect Member State. Importantly, projects must allow candidates to gain new skills contributing to interdisciplinary research skill sets.

Call deadline: January 18th, 2023.

More information: https://www.embl.org/about/info/postdoctoral-programme/eipod-linc-exploring-life-in-context/eipod-linc-application/.

 

 

Director Olli Silvennoinen Nominated as Finland’s delegate in the EMBL / EMBC Council

Director of Biocenter Finland, Professor Olli Silvennoinen, has been nominated as Finland’s delegate in the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Council and the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC) Council: https://okm.fi/paatos?decisionId=0900908f807ea443.

More information about EMBL council: https://www.embl.org/about/info/embl-council/, and EMBC: https://embc.embo.org/.

 

 

Frontiers of Science autumn 2022 seminars starts October 6th

 

 

Frontiers of Science is a 25-year-old seminar series arranged by BioCity Turku, where BioCity Turku researchers invite world-leading scientists to give a talk and present their latest results from their field of research. The seminars are intended for both researchers and students and students can get ECTs from participation.

- We are happy to be able to arrange again all the Frontiers of Science seminars on-site. Lectures won’t be recorded nor broadcasted, so the only way to listen to these great talks is to come in person and meet your colleagues, says Professor Klaus Elenius, Scientific Director of BioCity Turku.

- Also we decided to move a bit away from BioCity neighborhood and since we have plenty of BioCity Turku research groups working in Aurum, we wanted to arrange the December seminar in Argentum auditorium. The December lecture is dealing with computing, data and energy production that are topics, which surely interests many of us, Elenius continues.

Take a look at the full Frontiers of Science seminar program from here: https://biocityturku.fi/autumn-2022-programme/

Student, have a face-to-face lunch with a world-leading scientist!

BioCity Turku offers a great possibility for students and early-career postdocs to create connections for future and to learn hosting skills in a friendly environment. After each seminar, the speaker will have lunch with maximum six students with no PIs around. The atmosphere during the lunch has been very casual and positive, even leading to informal invitations to join the speaker’s research group. This is an excellent opportunity for all PhD students to start building their own scientific networks. If you got interested please send an email to Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

Frontiers of Science seminars are on Thursdays at 12:00.

The seminars are arranged either in BioCity, Presidentti auditorium (October and November) or in Aurum, Argentum auditorium (December). There is no registration to the on-site events and there is coffee and sandwich served before the seminar.

If you are a student and wish to collect ECTs, please print the Seminar Diary and ask the coordinator to sign it after the seminar.

Print the Seminar Diary from here:
https://biocityturku.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/seminar-diary-autumn-2022.pdf 

Additional information

Download and add all the Frontiers of Science seminars to your calendar:
https://seafile.utu.fi/d/db29925e6f0e4becb755/

Take a look at the poster from here:
https://biocityturku.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/FoS-Autumn_A3_2022_web.pdf

More information from Frontiers of Science seminars: 
https://biocityturku.fi/biocityevents/frontiers-of-science-seminars/

Any questions? Just ask!
BioCity Turku Coordinator Maija Lespinasse, +358 40 5658 654, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

Welcome!

October 6th
Prof. Aled Clayton,
Cardiff University, UK
How do extracellular vesicles work?
Host: Janne Leivo (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)

CANCELLED: October 13th
Ana Teixeira
, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Mapping and targeting membrane protein nanodomains
Host: Cecilia Sahlgren (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)

November 3rd
Prof. Gilles van Wezel
, Leiden University, Netherlands
Ecology-inspired approaches towards antibiotic discovery in Actinobacteria
Prof. Jacques Neefjes, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands
Detoxifying anthracycline anti-cancer drugs for new treatment options of relapsed cancer patients
Host: Mikko Metsä-Ketelä (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)

November 10th
Prof. Christian Wolfrum
, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Adipocyte plasticity and its impact on metabolism
Host: Kirsi Virtanen (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)

November 17th
Prof. Johanna Myllyharju
, University of Oulu, Finland
Prolyl 4-hydroxylation – a druggable protein modification with central roles in collagen synthesis and regulation of hypoxia response
Host: Jyrki Heino (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)

December 8th
Frontiers of Science meets Aurum!
Prof. Gianfranco Pacchioni, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy
Computer driven material discovery
Host: Dmitry Murzin (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)

 

HiLIFE Webinars - open for researchers and students

The organizing teams the Biomedicum Helsinki and Viikki Monday seminars have joined forces to offer you science for lunch on Mondays! HiLIFE webinars continue the tradition of inviting outstanding, international scientists to present their work to the broad audience of the life science community during the extraordinary circumstances that restrict travel and personal contact.

Date: Mondays at 13.00 noon Helsinki time (time can vary, check the details of each webinar)
Place: Link of place can be found in the details of each talk
Twitter #hilifewebinars #bmhsem #viikkimon

https://www2.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/hilife-life-science-seminars/hilife-webinars

Professor Klaus Elenius Appointed as Scientific Director of BioCity Turku

Professor of Medical Biochemistry Klaus Elenius from the University of Turku has been selected for the position of the Scientific Director of BioCity Turku, a member Institute in Biocenter Finland. The vacancy lasts five years and started on 1 January 2022. BioCity Turku is a joint organisation of the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, supporting and coordinating bioscience research in the Turku region.


Picture: Suvi Harvisalo


For more information, see:
https://www.utu.fi/en/news/press-release/professor-klaus-elenius-appointed-as-scientific-director-of-biocity-turku

 

Instruct-ERIC Centre Finland Opening and Structural Biology Finland Conference 2021

The Structural Biology Finland Conference 2021 highlights the official opening of the Instruct-ERIC Centre Finland, show-casing the latest scientific highlights in integrated structural cell biology and demonstrating the use of key research infrastructure available in the Instruct-ERIC and FINStruct service catalogues. Participants can present posters, flash talks and give industrial exhibitions.

Instruct-ERIC Centre Finland and Structural Biology Finland (FINStruct) organize a Conference Instruct-ERIC Centre Finland Opening and Structural Biology Finland Conference 2021 on December 17, at 8.45-17:45 EET in Viikki Info Center.
The event is organized as a hybrid meeting and can be joined remotely. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the event will be organized in accordance with the guidelines and restrictions of University of Helsinki in effect at the time of the event. 

Time:                  
December 17, at 8.45-17:45 EET

Venue:                
Viikki Info Center, Oppimistori, Viikinkaari 11, Helsinki;
Information about Viikki Campus, public transportation, car parking etc.

Registration:      
Registration is required: deadline December 3rd, 2021
Please register here.
Registration is free of charge

Website:             
Event website                        

Remote access:
A link will be provided for participants who register for online event

Safety:                
Please comply with the University of Helsinki guidelines to prevent the spread of Sars-Cov2
Please attend on site only if you are completely healthy.

Organizers:    
Sarah Butcher, Director, FINStruct and Instruct-ERIC Centre Finland (University of Helsinki)
Hanna Oksanen, Coordinator, FINStruct and Instruct-ERIC Centre Finland (University of Helsinki; for contact: hanna.oksanen(at)helsinki.fi)
FINStruct and Instruct-ERIC Centre Finland core facility group leaders: Lari Lehtiö, Juha Rouvinen, Minna Poranen, Hideo Iwai, Tommi Kajander, Markku Varjosalo, Tiina Salminen, Tassos Papageorgiou (Universities of Helsinki, Oulu, Eastern Finland, Turku and Åbo Akademi University)
Sergei Gurianov (University of Helsinki)

Symposium: Life Sciences Combatting Global Challenges - The European perspective

Biocenter and Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE organize a Symposium: Life Sciences Combatting Global Challenges - The European perspective. on November 26 at 10-12.

Keynote by Prof Ewan Birney: EMBL: Europe’s international life science laboratory - from viruses to ecosystems
Director of EMBL-EBI & Deputy Director General of EMBL

 

Speakers:
Aarno Palotie,
Tiina Kupila-Rantala,
Pauli Kallio, Katja Kivinen and
Olli Silvennoinen

 See details below.

Welcome to the Symposium!


Life Sciences are central to understanding the most pressing global challenges from climate change and loss of biodiversity to pandemics and other severe health care challenges. The ongoing rapid technological and digital developments are providing tools to address these challenges in completely new ways with direct applications in environment, agriculture, health care, innovations and industry. The technology-driven revolution in Life Sciences underline the importance of modern infrastructure services. 

 

Biocenter Finland and Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE organize a Symposium Life Sciences Combatting Global Challenges - The European perspective on November 26, at 10 AM-12 PM in Viikki Infocenter. The Symposium is organized as a hybrid meeting and can be joined remotely.

 

Professor Ewan Birney, Director of EMBL-EBI and Deputy Director General of EMBL gives the Keynote Lecture on the EMBL research and infrastructure organization. The Keynote covers the new EMBL Scientific Programme and European response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Symposium includes presentations from prominent Finnish Life Science researchers and experts and a panel discussion on Life Science research and infrastructures in the European context.

 

Time:                  November 26, at 10 AM-12 PM

Venue:               Viikki Infocenter, Oppimistori;

   Viikinkaari 11, Helsinki

Arrival:               See map included with the programme. Limited parking lots available due to Raide Jokeri construction work in Viikinkaari. Few general parking lots at campus and more at nearby Prisma shopping center

   Public transportation

Registration:      Registration is required for those attending the Symposium onsite https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/LS_Combatting_Global_Challenges

Remote access: https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/67905842883, (passcode 808666)

Safety:               Please comply with the University of Helsinki guidelines to prevent the spread of Sars-Cov2

 

Click here for full programme!

Symposium: Building Bridges 2021 - Technologies advancing molecular medicine – focus on Nordic infrastructures

The Nordic EMBL Partnership warmly invites you to participate in the tenth Building Bridges symposium providing an exciting collaborative look into advanced research technologies. The Building Bridge series is aimed to highlight collaborative efforts towards, ultimately, a better understanding of the pathophysiology of disease and improved options for patient treatment and care. 

Building Bridges 2021:  Technologies advancing molecular medicine – focus on Nordic infrastructures

The Building Bridges symposia series is arranged to bridge basic, translational and clinical research and provide examples of how teams of investigators are working together to advance molecular medicine.  With the 10th Building Bridges symposium we shine the spotlight on technologies used to improve our understanding of health and disease.  In particular, we will demonstrate research advances using infrastructure available in the Nordic region, bridging research and technology development as well as bridging researchers across borders. With an opening and closing keynote from EMBL Heidelberg and EMBL Hamburg, we highlight research infrastructure at EMBL, as well.

Join the symposium and learn more about the research technology and core facility services available within the Nordic EMBL Partnership!

Organizers: The Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, a Nordforsk-funded Research Infrastructure Hub. The Nordic EMBL Partnership consists of four international research and technology centers:

  • Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE)
  • Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM)
  • The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS)
  • Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM)

Venue: Hybrid
On-site: University of Helsinki, Meilahti Campus, Biomedicum 1, Lecture Hall 2
Online via Zoom: link and passcode provided in registration confirmation
Webpage
https://bit.ly/3jkG5vl
Date and time: Wednesday, 1 December 2021 at 9:00-16:00 CET/10.00-17.00 EET

Program: 

9.00

Welcome from the organizers & setting the stage

Katja Kivinen, FIMM

 

Session I:  High resolution technologies in molecular medicine

Chairs:  Pirkko Mattila, FIMM

9.10

Opening Keynote: From genotype to phenotype with single-cell resolution
Oliver Stegle (DKFZ & EMBL Heidelberg)

9.45

Single cell analysis for precision cancer medicine
Caroline Heckman (FIMM)

10.10

Discovery of novel anti-chlamydial compounds through a multi-strategy screening approach
Barbara Sixt (MIMS)

10.35

Break, coffee & tea

11.00

Aarhus CryoEM - on the path to in situ structural biology
Thomas Boesen (DANDRITE)

11.25

Inherited causes of somatic mutagenesis and evolution in cancer
Sebastian Martin Waszak (NCMM)

11.50

Short pitches for research visits

CryoEM structures of centromeric complexes – collaboration between NCMM and cryoEM facility in Umeå (MIMS)
Ahmad Ali-Ahmad (NCMM)

Defining dietary effects on mouse gut microbiota metabolites with metabolomics
Björn Schröder (MIMS) & Anni Nieminen (FIMM)

Patient-derived slice-model as a low throughput screening method
Nanna Møller Jensen (DANDRITE)

Collaborations with Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden (CBCS): The Swedish national platform for small molecule screening
Anna Eriksson (CBCS)

Phenotypic screening of patient -derived primary cells (FIMM-NCMM collaboration)
Antti Hassinen (FIMM)

   

12.20

Lunch (light lunch provided for those attending on-site)

   

Session II:  Models, characterizations and structures

Chair:  Thomas Boesen (DANDRITE)

13.15

Diagnostic modelling in the context of cancer heterogeneity
Emmy Verschuren (FIMM) & Sarang Talwelkar (FIMM)

13.40

Unbiased characterization of cells using single-cell analysis
Johan Henriksson (MIMS)

14.05

The zebrafish as a model organism to understand and treat complex genetic disorders
Camilla Esguerra (NCMM)

14.30

Break, coffee & tea

15.00

Lipid flippase CryoEM structure case: structure-based drug development and translational collaboration with hospitals/medical doctors
Thibaud Dieudonne (DANDRITE)

15.25

Closing keynote: EMBL Imaging Centre: the technology development we need for the imaging challenges we face
Simone Mattei (EMBL Hamburg)

16.00

Closing words
Organizing committee led by Katja Kivinen

ECTS credits: 1,0 ECTS - University of Helsinki doctoral candidates who would like to earn 1,0 ECTS are required to attend the symposium and complete advance readings and follow-up quiz questions provided for each talk. Further information about the advance readings and quiz will be posted on the course webpage as soon as available.

Registration:
University of Helsinki doctoral candidates must register in SISU, course code DPBM-194
All others, please register using the e-form: https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/53957/lomake.html
Registration deadline:  21 November

Organizing Team:
Heidi Arling, FIMM, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.
Thomas Boesen, DANDRITE, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.
Katja Kivinen, FIMM, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.
Pirkko Mattila, FIMM, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.
Vilja Pietiäinen, FIMM, vilja.pietiäTämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.
Gretchen Repasky, Nordic EMBL Partnership/FIMM, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.
Nikolina Sekulic, NCMM, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.
Barbara Sixt, MIMS, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

Annual Report 2020

Biocenter Finland's Annual Report 2020 has been published. Read more here.

Best practice in pre-clinical animal research: Navigating the guidelines and principles

Preclinical studies using animal models are an integral part of biomedical research. However, their value is dependent on their scientific validity and reproducibility , which are, in turn, dependent on rigorous study design and reporting. This symposium aims to update on the guidelines developed and recommended for achieving robust research output

When: November 10, 2021; 12:30 17:00 EET (Finland)
Where: Zoom meeting.
Registration: for this meeting is required and open until 14:00 on November 8.
Please use the e form for registration https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/113272/lomake.html
Link for joining the meeting will be sent to the email of registered participant on November 9.
Organizers: Finnish Reproducibility Network and HiLIFE Comprehensive Model Organisms infrastructure platform
Further information: Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

Frontiers of Science - BioCity Turku Seminar Series

BioCity Turku arranges every semester Frontiers of Science seminar series where researchers are welcome to invite prominent international scientists to give a talk to local scientific community. The seminars are for all researchers and students and students can get ECTs from participation.

This autumn the seminar series is arranged together with InFLAMES Flagship and three of the invited speakers, Teng-Leong Chew, Janne Lehtiö and Petter Brodin, are InFLAMES visiting professors. Although all the speakers are specialists, the lectures are usually given on moderately general level for their intelligibility.

Registration is obligatory and links to register are in BioCity Turku website (https://biocityturku.fi/autumn-2021-programme/) and advertised in our news feed. Registration closes and zoom link is sent to participants one day before the event.

 

Call for Director of HiLIFE

CALL FOR DIRECTOR OF HiLIFE

HiLIFE, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, is one of the leading life science research institutes in the Nordics. It builds on existing strengths and new recruits and partnerships to create an attractive international environment where today’s grand challenges in health and environment are solved together. HiLIFE supports outstanding research and generation of innovations across the University’s campuses within partner faculties and its own units, the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM, the Institute of Biotechnology and Neuroscience Center. HiLIFE also coordinates research infrastructures in life sciences and provides research-based interdisciplinary training. HiLIFE has a staff of more than 650 diverse scientists and support personnel. The budget exceeds 60 M€ of which about 65% is external competed research funding. The University of Helsinki is an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers with a critical outlook and a creative attitude. It is one of the leading multidisciplinary research universities in Europe and ranks among the top 100 international universities in the world. Through the power of science, we contribute to a meaningful life, human wellbeing and healthy environment!

We are now seeking candidates for the position of

DIRECTOR OF HILIFE

Click for further information

Call for Scientific Director of BioCity Turku

This is a part-time position (maximum 50% full time equivalent) based at the University of Turku, Finland. The position is for five years, beginning 01.01.2022.

BioCity Turku is a joint biocentre which links the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University to support and coordinate life science and molecular medicine related research in the Turku region. The BioCity Turku community currently comprises more than 140 research groups and over one thousand researchers.

The key responsibilities of the Scientific Director of BioCity Turku are: to promote life science research and education; support development of the research environment and infrastructure; and to coordinate collaboration between researchers in bioscience and medical research. The Scientific Director acts as the chairperson of the common Executive Board of the Turku Bioscience Centre and BioCity Turku, and, in working with the Board, contributes to the strategy and development of Biocenter Finland through participating in appropriate decision making processes.

BioCity Turku https://biocityturku.fi/
Turku Bioscience Centre https://bioscience.fi/
Biocenter Finland https://www.biocenter.fi/

The successful applicant will have demonstrated high-level academic competence in the life science and/or molecular medicine research fields and is expected to continue their own relevant academic research. The role requires a deep understanding of the life science research field, particularly in respect to current, leading edge research and innovation. Excellent interpersonal skills, effective strategic planning and implementation skills, and high-quality written and verbal communication skills (in English) are considered essential to this role.

The position is one of teaching and research personnel. The salary is determined based on the collective agreement of the Finnish universities and will be based on Professors’ demand levels 8-10. The exact salary is specified when finalising the employment contract, and the salary level is determined based on the competence and knowledge of the successful applicant and the full time equivalent load (30-50% FTE). There is a trial period of six months.

For further information, please don’t hesitate to contact Vice Rector Kalle-Antti Suominen, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.. In case you need help with the application process, please turn to our HR Specialist Paula Luoma, Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

Along with your application, kindly enclose your CV, an academic portfolio, your list of publications and a motivation letter describing how you would develop BioCity Turku in future.

Instructions for your academic portfolio can be found here: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/academic-portfolio

Please submit your application using the online application system by 16.06.2021, at the latest. The link to the online application system can be found here: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us

BioCity Turku represents one of the most successful scientific fields in Finland and provides an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of life sciences in Turku and beyond. We warmly welcome you to join our multicultural community!

Structural biology workshops, courses and webinars

Instruct-ERIC where Structural Biology Finland (FINStruct) participates, provides training in structural biology through workshops and courses and webinars on regular basis, for more information see:
https://instruct-eric.eu/events/
https://instruct-eric.eu/instruct-training-events-annual 

This includes the monthly webinar series “Instruct-ERIC webinar series: structure meets function” (also recorded and available on the Instruct web site for viewing).
https://instruct-eric.eu/content/instructeric-webinar-series-structure-meets-function

Also internships are available for doctoral students and post docs from member countries including Finland
https://instruct-eric.eu/internships

 

BioCity Symposium celebrates its 30th anniversary

The annual BioCity Symposium is in August 19th–20th with the title Cancer – Breaking Bad. This series of meetings organized since 1991 has become the most important annual get-together in the fields of biosciences and molecular medicine in Turku. The symposium gathers together hundreds of participants each year and offers talks from cutting-edge international researchers.


BioCity Turku is a community of life science and molecular medicine researchers and students in Turku region. One of its main events is the yearly BioCity Symposium which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. This year the event is organized in collaboration with Finnish Cancer Institute and the aim is to arrange a hybrid event with some of the audience and invited speakers present in Turku as well as having virtual participants following the broadcasted program. However if necessary BioCity Symposium can be flipped into fully virtual event even at short notice.

This year’s program consist of nine talks from international scientists spiced up with short talks from Finnish researchers. One of the speakers is Stephen J. Elledge from Harvard Medical School who will talk about approaches to immunotherapy for tumors. Other symposium speakers include Leila Akkari from Netherland Cancer Institute researching macrophages in cancer, and Robert A. Gatenby from Moffitt Cancer Center investigating evolutionary dynamics in cancer and cancer drug resistance. Something new this year is a panel discussion with three editors representing different journals from American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Panel discussion will include short presentations from the journals (Cancer Discovery, Clinical Cancer Research and Cancer Research) and tips and discussion on submitting manuscripts and publishing articles.

Send an abstract and present your work to Symposium audience

Participants of the BioCity Symposium represent different research areas such as molecular biology, cell biology, biomedicine and clinical research from both universities and companies. A significant proportion of attendants are PhD students and post-docs. Researchers are encouraged to participate to the poster exhibition and submit a poster abstract latest 11.6.2021. Based on the submitted abstracts at least six researchers are invited to give a short talk in the symposium. If the poster sessions need to be cancelled the researchers who have sent abstracts will be informed at the beginning of August. Last day to register to the symposium is 6.8.2021 and the event is free of charge.

The BioCity Symposium is organized by BioCity Turku (https://biocityturku.fi/), an organization coordinating the research in the fields of biosciences and molecular sciences in Turku region. BioCity Turku has over one hundred research groups with more than thousand scientists and students from University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University.

Registration and poster abstract submission:
https://biocityturku.fi/biocity-symposium/registration/

For more information:
https://biocityturku.fi/biocity-symposium/

Please note that the program outline for the event might change until the very last moment. Up-to-date information is available in BioCity Turku website:
https://biocityturku.fi/

Also, don’t hesistate to contact us at Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

Olli Silvennoinen appointed as director of Biocenter Finland

Olli Silvennoinen will start his appointment on May 1. From 2019, he has worked as director of HiLIFE, Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences at the University of Helsinki.

The rectors of Biocenter Finland partner Universities have nominated professor Olli Silvennoinen as new director of Biocenter Finland.

Silvennoinen has worked as director of HiLIFE, Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences at the University of Helsinki from April 2019. Before that, Silvennoinen served as director of the Institute of Biotechnology, which operates as part of HiLIFE.

Prior HiLIFE Silvennoinen has worked as professor and director of the Institute of Medical Technology at the University of Tampere. He also spent several years of his career in the United States. Silvennoinen graduated with a doctoral degree from the University of Helsinki in 1988.

“From the seven applicants prof. Olli Silvennoinen had clearly the best qualifications, experience and vision for the future development of Biocenter Finland. The board of Biocenter Finland is very pleased that we could get such a high profile director to lead the nation-wide infrastructure for the next five years,” says professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, chair of the board of Biocenter Finland.

Olli Silvennoinen has a long history with national infrastructures

Olli Silvennoinen has experienced Biocenter Finland from different angles and positions, as member and chair of board, chair of a platform, active customer of the platforms and in administration of smaller and larger biocenter. In addition, he was one of the signees of the Biocenter Finland founding document.

“I am honored and excited to take the helm of Biocenter Finland. I could almost say that I am coming home as my history with national infrastructures dates back two decades. The relevance of Biocenter Finland coordination activities are today extremely important with demands on rapidly developing technologies, skilled personnel, resources, and obviously the relevance of cutting-edge infrastructures for research and its implementation for the benefit of the society as we have seen in very concreate terms with the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, there is much for us to do and I am looking very much forward to work together with Biocenter Finland community in these activities,” says Silvennoinen. 

Olli Silvennoinen will start his appointment on May 1.

Biocenter Finland BF is a distributed nation-wide RI supporting frontier research, innovation and industry-academia collaboration in Life Sciences, openly accessible for 17,000 researchers in universities, research institutes, biobanks, hospitals and industry. BF coordinates investments into and operations of nationally important RIs and promotes collaboration, division of responsibilities and joint investments according to a long-term plan anchored to the strategies of its host universities University of Eastern Finland, University of Helsinki, Oulu University, Tampere University, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University.

More information:

Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, professor, chair of the board of Biocenter Finland
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040 355 2075

Olli Silvennoinen, professor, director of Biocenter Finland (1 May 2021–)
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050 359 5740

New instrument available for purification of high quality samples for structural and functional studies

Biocomplex (Structural Biology platform) offers a new instrument, a new generation asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) instrument NEON Eclipse (Wyatt), that is coupled to five online detectors, for use in your research projects on large macromolecular complexes.


With this first new-generation Wyatt FFF-MALS installed in Europe, we invite all to have a look on the Biocomplex website for further information and to contact Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen. for enquiries on this wonderful separation system!

Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) is a versatile and gentle size-based separation method that is well suited for biological macromolecules and their complexes, membrane vesicles, and nanoparticles (viruses, virus-like particles etc.). It separates sample components according to size in an open channel. This leads to large separation range, from 1 to 1000 nm in radius, and gentle separation.

With the support of the Academy of Finland and the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Biocomplex unit has acquired a new generation asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) instrument NEON Eclipse (Wyatt) that is coupled to five online detectors: DAWN multi-angle light scattering detector (MALS) with 18 angles; QELS dynamic light scattering (DLS) detector; fluorescence detector; UV and Optilab® differential refractive index (dRI) detectors.

The setup can be used in analytical and semi-preparative purification mode. The accompanied software (ASTRA) allows characterization of various biophysical properties of sample components: size (radius of gyration/root mean square radius and hydrodynamic radius), shape, molar mass, particle concentration, composition of conjugates, aggregation, molecular interactions. Thus, valuable information can be collected for the study of biomolecules. Fraction collection enables off-line analysis.

See also information on our other separation technologies: preparative ultracentrifugation and monolithic chromatography for large biocomplexes (Biocomplex websites)

You can apply for fully funded access to all Biocomplex services through Instruct-ERIC (Proposal guidelines).

Biocomplex is part of the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences and HiLIFE at the University of Helsinki. Biocomplex is also part of a national research infrastructure network FINStruct that is the Structural Biology Platform of Biocenter Finland, and Instruct-ERIC that is a pan-European distributed research infrastructure in structural biology.

Inquiries: Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

Contact person: Katri Eskelin

For more Structural Biology services, see https://www.biocenter.fi/index.php/technology-platform-services/structural-biology

 

EQIPD VIRTUAL WORKSHOP - Rigor, reproducibility and data management in nonclinical research

THE AIM of this workshop is to give participants theoretical knowledge and practical insights on factors that contribute to poor research reproducibility and replicability, and how to improve the trustworthiness and quality of research. The event is intended for researchers/students in the field of life sciences.

DATE and TIME: April 21, 10:00-13:00 (Helsinki time)

PLACE: Online (link will be sent to registered e-mail).

REGISTRATION to Workshop is open until April 19th, 14:00 (Helsinki time): https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/110835/lomake.html

The participation is free of charge; however, registration is necessary (certificates of participation will be send to the registered e-mail address upon request).

PROGRAM:

10:00-10:40 Malcolm Macleod (University of Edinburgh): Why changes in research practice are needed NOW and one cannot wait until tomorrow? Discussion: What prevents the participants from changing?

10:40-11:20 Thomas Steckler (Janssen Pharmaceutica NV): The need to recognize “research conducted with sufficient rigor” Discussion: What prevents the participants from applying blinding, randomization, etc?

11:20-11:30 Break

11:30-12:10 Sami Virtanen (Orion Pharma): Rigor in data management. Discussion: Can I trace raw data from a publication?

12:10-12:50 Anton Bespalov & Valentina Vengeliene (PAASP GmbH): Rigor in collaborative research. Discussion: Do workshop participants have experience with collaborative research?

12:50-13:00 Vootele Voikar (Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE), Andreas Scherer (Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE): Do we need a Reproducibility Network in Finland?

ORGANISERS: Neuroscience Center (NC), Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine (EATRIS), Partnership for Assessment and Accreditation of Scientific Practice (PAASP), Enhancing Quality in Preclinical Data (EQIPD) consortium supported through the European Union’s Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).

Frontiers of Science - BioCity Turku Seminar series

Frontiers of Science

Spring seminars 2021

BioCity Turku will continue Frontiers of Science seminar series online as eTALKs. Registration is obligatory and links to register are in BioCity Turku website (https://biocityturku.fi/) and advertised in our news feed. Registration closes and zoom link is sent to participants one day before the event.

Please note that any audio or video recording of the seminars is strictly forbidden.

If you wish to follow BioCity Turku news feed and receive up to date information about the Frontiers of Science seminars and other events, please contact Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.

 

March 11th
online at 18:00
Dr. Vishva M. Dixit, Genentech Inc., US
Why so many ways to die?
host: Annika Meinander (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)
Registration latest March 10th at 12:00
https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/D0190FEC11DAFBE1

 

March 25th
online at 15:00
Prof. Thomas Look, Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, US
Allosteric activators of protein phosphatase 2A display broad antitumor activity
host: Jukka Westermarck (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)
Registration latest March 24th at 12:00
https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/1E693F703013AB7C

 

April 8th
online at 12:00
Prof. Didier Picard, University of Geneva, Switzerland
The molecular chaperone Hsp90: probing its functions with drugs and gene deletions
host: Outi Salo-Ahen (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)
Registration latest April 7th at 12:00
https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/D7C1FD56DD28A4A9

 

April 22nd
online at 12:00
Academician of Science Markku Kulmala, University of Helsinki, Finland
Climate, air quality and COVID
host: Eva-Mari Aro (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)
Registration latest at April 21st at 12:00
https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/C7B8A7E3598DD0EE

 

April 29th
online at 18:00
Dr. Aviv Regev, Genentech Inc., US
Cell Atlases as roadmaps to treat disease
host: Riitta Lahesmaa (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)
Registration latest at April 28th at 12:00
https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/757F3676A3638A22

 

May 6th
online at 12:00
Prof. Xavier Trepat, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain
Mechanobiology of intestinal organoids
host: Diana Toivola (Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.)
Registration latest at May 5th at 12:00
https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/4A840109CAA578BA

New EMBO Webinar Series

INVITATION TO ATTEND THE CYCLE OF WEBINARS ABOUT
PRECARITY IN ACADEMIA

The ISE Researchers' Careers Task Force has been conducting a long reflection on the organisation
of academic research in Europe, with a focus on the systemic structural changes that will be
necessary for Europe to remain an attractive place to do science, and a competitive economic and
scientific powerhouse. To facilitate a constructive discussion around these topics, ISE will be
running a series of three webinars specifically designed for policy makers, funders, universities,
international organisations, and journalists. More information about each webinar can be found at
the registration links below.

European funding: finding solutions to systematic challengesModerator: Chloe Hill (EGU). Panelists: Maria da Graça Carvalho (MEP), Mariya Ivancheva (EASA),
Wim van Saarloos (Leiden University), Rachel Coulthard-Graf (EMBL).
18 February 2021, 2pm - 3:30pm CET REGISTER HERE

Research assessment practices
Moderator: Mathew Tata (Eurodoc). Panelists: Sarika Wilson (The Guild), Stephen Curry (DORA),
Cecilia Cabello Valdés (ERAC).
4 March 2021, 2pm - 3:30pm CET REGISTER HERE

Research grant evaluation
Moderator: Renaud Jolivet (MCAA). Panelists: Frédéric Sgard (OECD), Catherine McCammon (ERC
panel member), James Morris (Science Europe), Kasper Gossink (Dutch Funding Agency - NWO).
18 March 2021, 2pm - 3:30pm CET REGISTER HERE

ABOUT ISE: The Initiative for Science in Europe (https://initiative-se.eu) is an independent platform of
16 European Learned Societies and Research Organizations operating within different disciplines and
across sectors. ISE supports all fields of research at a European level, involves researchers in the design
and implementation of European science policies, and advocates strong independent scientific advice in
European policy making.

Scientific Services Provided by EMBL

EMBL provides access to the very latest in life science technologies, infrastructure, and data resources, enabling researchers to obtain the highest quality results, often in a tailored way. A Mission in their own right, EMBL's scientific services are tightly linked to EMBL’s other Missions – research, training, technology development and transfer, as well as coordination and integration of European life sciences. These services are part of the fabric of European life sciences – constantly evolving to be at the leading edge – for the benefit of all of our member states.

See link for the services

Academy of Finland Granted Biocenter Finland a Roadmap Status for the years 2021-2024

The Academy of Finland published the list of research infrastructures to be included in the Roadmap of National Research Infrastructures 2021-2024. Biocenter Finland was granted the Roadmap status with an overall rating “Excellent”. This list included altogether 29 high-level research infrastructures.

The international evaluation panel stated:
“The unique structure and level of coordination that BF as an RI has today, serves as an example for the efficient use of resources and the increased joint impact of combined infrastructures and know-how. Internationally, BF is a well-recognized example for the support of public life science research”.

The panel acknowledged both the excellent technology platforms as well as the quality and efficiency coordination:
“While …, the biggest synergies are achieved within the 15 platforms, the fact that an overarching structure exists to address common issues and constraints by all partner universities, provides benefits at the strategic and financial level well beyond the nodes and platforms.”

The next key step for Biocenter Finland in its mission to support frontier research in Finland is to apply for instrument investment funding in the FIRI Call in Spring 2021. The decision on which instruments to apply for is based on consultation of the research community, advise of the Scientific Advisory Board and on the technology platforms’ proposals. In line with the BF policy, all new equipment and technologies will be openly accessible to all researcher in Finland as well as non-university users.

Academy of Finland grants Biocenter Finland 2,5 M€ for collaboration with the business sector and industry partners

Academy of Finland’s FIRI Calls are the major funding source for nationally important instrument investments to research infrastructures of all scientific and scholarly disciplines. The FIRI2020 Call "Research Infrastructures as Collaborative Platforms" was targeted specifically to strengthen collaboration with the business sector and industry partners.

Biocenter Finland’s proposal of 2,5 M€ was fully funded. Together with the host universities’ share (30%), the total amount available for the investments is 3,5 M€. This resource is targeted to the following Biocenter Finland Competence Centers for Research and Innovation, operating in five of the BF host universities:

  • Competence Center for Advanced Single Cell Analytics, University of Helsinki
    • HT Flow cytometer and incubator 
    • 10X Genomics Chromium Connect 
    • AI-guided autopatcher, CAMI, and manipulator platform
  • Profiling Platform for Lipid Metabolites, University of Helsinki and University of Turku
    • Ultimate sensitivity LC-MS/MS System 
    • Triple Quadrupole MS/MS detector, UHPLC-equipment, and a multisampler for automatic sample injection
  • Collaborative Industrial Platform for Proteomics, University of Helsinki, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University
    • FAIMS Pro Interface 
    • ZipChip Interface 
    • Integrative nano-sensitizer for nanoLC-MS connection 
    • NanoDroplet sample treatment Assembly 
    • Ultimate 3000 RSLCnano System 
    • Orbitrap Exploris MS upgrade