People

Leena Latonen, Ph.D., Docent in Cancer Biology, Group leader
Research Director in Translational Biomedicine
Vice Head of Institute, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland

Research group members:
Enkhzaya Batnasan, M.D.,Ph.D. postdoctoral fellow
Erika Aikio, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Sonja Koivukoski, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Minttu Kärkkäinen, M.Sc., Ph.D. student
Hanqing Xia, M.D., Ph.D. student
Siiri Sirviö, Researcher
Melina Tulonen, Researcher
Maria Haapakoski, Researcher
Nathaniel Tetteh, M.Sc. thesis student
Kirsikka Wirtanen, M.Sc. thesis student
Jenni Ruokolainen, M.D. trainee
Salla Takkinen, M.D. trainee
Deniz Yildirim, Erasmus+ M.D. trainee
Johanna Kinnunen, Laboratory coordinator

Additional Ph.D. students in joint supervision (main supervisor, university):
Masi Valkonen (Assoc.Prof. Pekka Ruusuvuori, University of Turku)
Umair Khan (Assoc.Prof. Pekka Ruusuvuori, University of Turku)
Hesam Hakimnejad (Assoc.Prof. Pekka Ruusuvuori, University of Turku)
Niloufar Rahimizadeh (Immudocs Doctoral education pilot; Assoc.Prof. Pekka Ruusuvuori, University of Turku)
Mina Sattari (Prof. Tapio Visakorpi, University of Tampere)
Roosa Kaarijärvi (Academy Researcher Kirsi Ketola, University of Eastern Finland)

Graduated Ph.D. students:
Sini Eerola, 2022 (Tampere University, main supervisor Prof. Tapio Visakorpi)
Mira Valkonen, 2022 (Tampere University, main supervisor Assoc.Prof. Pekka Ruusuvuori)
Annika Kohvakka, 2024 (Tampere University, main supervisor Prof. Tapio Visakorpi)

Alumni:
Ankur Gadgil, Visiting EMBO fellow, spring 2021 (A. Mickiewicz University, Poland)
Mauro Scaravilli, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow 2019-2022
Annika Kohvakka, Ph.D., postdoctoral scientist, 2024-2025
Nithin Sadeesh, M.Sc. researcher 2021-2022
Aya Bouazza, M.Sc. researcher 2019-2020
Former M.Sc./M.D. thesis students:
Rueangsit Inthong, Heshani Jayasuriya Arachchige Dona, Elina Kallio, Pinja Mertano, Nikolas Nurmesviita, Miia Romo, Petra Taka-Eilola
Former exchange students:
Alijah Glajch, ERASMUS trainee, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn
Zejun Jiang, ERASMUS trainee, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Hendrik Schmieder, ERASMUS trainee, Universität Hohenheim – Stuttgart