Nutritional, functional, and business potential of Finnish forest-based resources

Application period: 11 June – 10 August, 2026

Research project description

This research project explores how forest resources can be transformed into innovative food and health-related food ingredients, from initial identification and characterization to exploring potential application and development of new sustainable and regenerative forest-based business models. It focuses on the nutritional and functional potential of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) and bioactive compounds derived from forest biomass and by-products. The study will investigate the composition, bioactivity, and technological functionality of these resources, with particular attention to their suitability for use as food ingredients or functional components by using in vitro models that study food, microbiota and host interaction.

The project will contribute to analyse emerging challenges related to the isolation, characterization, and stabilization of bioactive compounds, their integration into food matrices as well as to investigate their potential use to support sustainable and regenerative nature-based business models. The project aims to identify key opportunities and constraints in the valorisation of forest-based NUS and bioactive ingredients and to support the development of sustainable, high-value food applications. It contributes to knowledge on bio-based innovation, resource efficiency, and informed decision-making in research and development processes within forest-based food systems focusing in ONE of the following themes that has to be selected by the doctoral researcher:

Characterization and food application of bioactive compounds isolated from forest biomass and by-products.
Nutritional and health applications of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) from Finnish forest.

Academic background and skills of the applicant

An ideal candidate holds a master’s degree in a relevant field, preferably in food science and technology, particularly with a focus on food and health. Relevant academic backgrounds also include biochemistry or chemistry, especially food chemistry; biotechnology or bioengineering; nutrition science or human nutrition, when complemented by laboratory-oriented skills; or environmental science, forestry, or bioeconomy-related disciplines, when complemented by food science-oriented expertise. A master’s degree including coursework and thesis work related to food ingredients, functional foods, bioactive compounds, human microbiota, plant-based resources, or biomass valorisation is considered particularly relevant.

The candidate is expected to have, or be motivated to develop, skills and knowledge in the chemical and nutritional characterization of forest-based foods and ingredients or biomass-derived ingredients. Experience with microbiology-related methods, such as microbial cultures, fermentation, sequencing-based methods, and/or cell cultures, is considered an advantage. Familiarity with the analysis of bioactive compounds, including basic knowledge of analytical techniques such as chromatography or metabolomics, is also desirable. Additional relevant expertise includes the assessment of bioactivity and functionality, food development and formulation, experimental design, data analysis, and bioinformatics.

The candidate should also demonstrate an interest in integrating scientific research on forest-based foods and ingredients with sustainable business model development, including perspectives on value creation, market potential, and systemic impact. The selected candidate must also fulfil the language skills requirements of the Doctoral Programme of Health Sciences.

Doctoral programme and research group

Doctoral education in the University of Eastern Finland is arranged in seven discipline specific or thematic doctoral programmes. This research project will be located in the Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences, and the submitting department is the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition.

The candidate will join two research groups Food and Health Research Group and Tourism Research Group. Food and Health Research Group at the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition has acknowledged understanding on the nutritional and health effects of foods and food components through gastro-intestinal digestion and intestinal microbiota modulation. Their gastrointestinal digestive models are part of the national FOODNUTRI research infrastructure. UEF Business School’s Tourism Business Research Group has a long experience in nature-based tourism business research and development projects.

Partners / Secondments

To be decided depending on selected project focus.

Other interdisciplinary, international and/or intersectoral collaboration

Intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration is strengthened through DP-FOBI’s three summer schools involving academic supervisors, non-academic partners, and other stakeholders, enabling hands-on interaction and knowledge exchange.

Supervisors and related research

Carlos Gómez-Gallego

Carlos Gómez-Gallego is a University Lecturer and researcher in the Forest and Bioeconomy (FOBI) research community. His main activities are conducted at the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition at UEF. He completed two licentiate degrees one in Biology and another in Food Science and Technology, and a MSc in Nutrition and Health. This was followed by the completion of a Ph.D. from the University of Murcia where he investigated the effect of infant formula processing in the content of polyamines and bioactive peptides and their impact on intestinal microbiota and immune system development during lactation.

He has supervised several doctoral and postdoctoral researchers on projects related with food, microbiota and host interactions. In 2021 he was appointed with the Title of Docent by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland in the field of Functional Foods, Nutrition and Microbiota. Carlos’s research and interest are primarily focused in to advance the understanding of the impact of diet, food, and bioactive compounds in human microbiota and their association with human health. Other research interest includes investigating new sources of food and food ingredients, including probiotics, prebiotics, and other bioactive compounds, as well as their potentially associated nutrition and health claims.

Henna Konu

Henna Konu is a Professor and researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, working in interdisciplinary research settings related to the forest-based bioeconomy, sustainability, and nature-based value creation. Her research focuses on how forest-derived resources, ecosystem services, and bio-based innovations can be transformed into sustainable, regenerative, and market-ready products, services, and business models. Dr. Konu holds an MSc in Geography and a Doctorate in Economics and Business Administration from UEF. She previously worked as a Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), where she contributed to national and international projects on forest-based bioeconomy development, including non-wood forest products, value chains, and regional bioeconomy strategies.

Dr. Konu has strong doctoral supervision and training experience. She is a member of the UEF Business School Doctoral Programme steering group, supervises postdoctoral researchers, and has supervised multiple doctoral candidates to completion as principal and co‑supervisor. Her supervision emphasizes interdisciplinary research, scientific rigor, and societal impact, particularly at the interface of natural sciences and business research.

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Johansen, K. & Konu, H. (2025). Designing Transformative Nature-Based Wellbeing Tourism Experiences: A Case Study from the Finnish Lakeland Region. Tourism Recreation Research, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2024.2443983

Konu, H., Leino, P., & Tyrväinen, L. (2024). Tourism Firms’ Attitudes and Willingness to Contribute to Payments for Ecosystem Services in Tourism. Tourism Recreation Research, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2024.2312349

Konu, H. (2015). Developing a forest-based wellbeing tourism product together with customers – an ethnographic approach. Tourism Management, 49(0), 1–16. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.02.006

Konu, H. (2015). Developing nature-based tourism products with customers by utilizing the Delphi method. Tourism Management Perspectives, 14 (April 2015), 42–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.03.003

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