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New Biosphere Laboratory secures 1.4 million euros of Academy of Finland funding

The Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee established within the Academy of Finland has decided to grant funding to 19 research infrastructure projects to be carried out in different parts of Finland. The funding supports the upgrading or construction of local research infrastructures and puts emphasis on targets related to the green and digital transition. At the University of Eastern Finland, funding was granted to three projects.

Led by Professor Eeva-Stiina Tuittila, the BioLab consortium’s Biosphere Laboratory brings together research on the carbon cycle and plant stress of northern ecosystems. Its aim is to promote the bioeconomy, which is especially important in Eastern Finland, and to support the adaptation of agriculture and forestry to climate change. The project, carried out jointly by the University of Eastern Finland and the Geological Survey of Finland, was granted 1.44 million euros of funding.

Led by Professor of Tissue and Cell Biology Mikko Hiltunen, the project brings the services of the Genome Center up to date by strengthening its sequencing capacity, automating sample workflow, broadening and streamlining services, and developing marketing strategy. The renewal of the Genome Center’s services will promote regional development through increased innovation potential and collaborations with, e.g., Kuopio University Hospital (KUH), the Biobank of Eastern Finland, and local businesses. The project was granted 676,368 euros of funding.

Led by Professor Markku Kuittinen, the Printable Luminescent Materials infrastructure project, PRILUMAT, seeks to replace existing, out-of-the-date pieces of equipment and to get new research started on the 3D printing of tailored luminescent materials. The research will aim at various novel applications in lighting, luminescent solar concentrators, waveguide-based sensing, and switching in optical data transfer. The project was granted 583,487 euros of funding.

The decisions of the FIRI2022: Call for Local Research Infrastructures were announced on 13 December 2022. The funding was granted based on Finland’s national Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). The plan forms part of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland, which supports growth that is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable. The funding granted comes to a total of 25 million euros. The call for applications attracted a total of 103 applications.

 “The funded local and regional research infrastructure projects are of a very high quality, and they meet the needs of research, education, business and other sectors in society,” says the Chair of the Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee Riitta Maijala.

Press release: Academy of Finland