Multi-disciplinary research community Drug Discovery and Delivery (DrugTech) merges together experts from many pharmaceutical disciplines, medicine, chemistry and physics. DrugTech groups investigate basic science and technologies that are relevant in drug discovery and delivery. These investigations facilitate the development of new candidate drugs and delivery systems.
Drug development depends on expertise of various disciplines that are needed in the synthesis of materials, analytics, formulation and biological testing. Therefore, inter-disciplinary synergy is an important asset both in the research work and education of young drug developers in multidisciplinary environment.
DrugTech hosts many research groups with more than 100 researchers. DrugTech emphasizes drug development for ocular, CNS and cardiovascular indications.
To develop personalised AMD care is the billion-dollar question in AMD research for scientists all around the globe today.
Kai Kaarniranta
Professor
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Transporter-utilizing prodrugs are not the last hope in the drug development, they can be the first-aid, especially when you are targeting drugs into the brain.
Kristiina Huttunen
Academy Research Fellow
Arto Urtti, Professor of Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy/biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: drug delivery systems, pharmacokinetics, ocular drug research
Achievement: Coordination and participation in 12 EU-projects; GeneCellNano flagship; globally ranked within top 0.114% among researchers in the field of “Pharmacology and Pharmacy”.
Seppo Auriola, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy/pharmaceutical chemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: LC-MS analytics
Achievement: Formation of the Biocenter Kuopio LC-MS metabolomics center.
Markus Forsberg, Professor of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy/pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: neuropharmacology, brain PK/PD, novel models and treatment concepts for neuropsychiatric disorders, neurotransmitter analytics Achievement: WP leader in H2020 project, PI/responsible director in several Business Finland projects (including TUTL), several industrial collaboration projects and establishment of two spin off companies, research professorship at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
- Neuropharmacology Research Group
Paavo Honkakoski, Professor of Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy/biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: drug metabolism and drug transport, gene expression
Achievement: Co-coordinator/participant in EU-funded OCUTHER and EDCMET projects; Academy of Finland project; Nannerl O. Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professorship at University of North Carolina and Duke University.
Kristiina Huttunen, Research Director, School of Pharmacy/pharmaceutical chemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: Transporter-mediated drug delivery into the brain, prodrugs, medicinal chemistry
Achievement: Funding e.g., from 3 x Academy of Finland, 3 x Sigrid Juselius Foundation, Jane & Aatos Erkko Foundation, Several transporter-utilizing targeted prodrug applications
Janne Jänis, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Forestry (Joensuu campus)
Field: organic chemistry, mass spectrometry
Achievement: implementation of FTICR technology in native mass spectrometry in studying weak biological complex formation.
Kai Kaarniranta, Professor of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences; Chief Physician, Kuopio University Hospital
Field: ophthalmology, retinal models and disease mechanisms
Achievement: Age-related macular degeneration study models from cell cultures to clinical trials. GeneCellNano Flagship; globally ranked within top 0.430% among researchers in the field of “Ophthalmology & Optometry”.
Anu Kauppinen, Professor of Pharmaceutical Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: cell and molecular biology, immunology, disease mechanisms, drug development
Achievement: The role of inflammasomes in ocular diseases. Research Doctor and Research Fellow fundings from the Academy of Finland, as well as successfully accomplished tenure track.
Jarkko Ketolainen, Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy / pharmaceutical technology, Faculty of Health Sciences & Ossi Korhonen, Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology and Physical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy/ pharmaceutical technology, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: pharmaceutical processing and measurement technology, small and macromolecule formulation and process development (Tablets and freeze-drying), molecular modeling
Achievement: Founding member of and Coordinator in UEF for European Consortium for Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Industrial Project in the field of Continuous manufacturing (more than 10 years of expertise)
- Continuous Manufacturing of Tablets
- Amorphous Formulations
- Continuous Manufacturing of Tablets
- Freeze-Drying of Biologicals
Maija Lahtela-Kakkonen, University Researcher, School of Pharmacy/pharmaceutical chemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: molecular modelling and epigenetic drug discovery
Achievement: 2XAcademy of Finland projects, co-author in SA consortium project
Antti Poso, Professor of Drug Design, School of Pharmacy/pharmaceutical chemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: drug design and discovery, molecular modeling
Achievement: Distinguished Guest Professor at University of Tübingen, Germany and partner in two Clusters of Excellence in Germany, Head of Academy of Finland project
Jarkko Rautio, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy/pharmaceutical chemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: prodrugs, drug delivery, pharmaceutical chemistry, brain drug delivery, drug transporters
Achievement: Acquired and lead the Academy of Finland project on LAT1-targeted prodrugs and Business Finland TUTL project on commercialization of prodrug expertise.
Juha Rouvinen, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Forestry (Joensuu Campus)
Field: structural biology, protein crystallography, mass spectrometry
Achievement: determination of the first crystal structure of allergen complexed with IgE antibody, elucidation of dimeric nature of allergens which has led to the development of hypoallergen candidates for allergen specific immunotherapy
Astrid Subrizi, Academy Research Fellow, School of Pharmacy/ biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: ocular drug targeting, RNAi therapy, nanotechnology
Achievement: Acquired Instrufoundation Fellow, AoF research fellow, and Lasten syöpäsäätiö Väre funding. PI in GeneCellNano Flagship. Work package leader in NordicPOP NordForsk program. Subject editor at the European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Jouko Vepsäläinen, Professor of Chemistry, School of Pharmacy/ pharmaceutical chemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: synthesis of drug molecules, analytical chemistry by NMR methods
Achievement: Responsible chemist of several Academy of Finland, Business Finland and Northern-Savo council projects related to inorganic and organic analytical chemistry.
Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, Professor of Molecular Medicine, A.I. Virtanen Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: vascular biology, non-viral
Achievement: the 1st clinical cardiovascular gene transfer with adenoviral vector in the world, GeneCellNano flagship; globally ranked within top 0.132% among researchers in the field of “Cardiovascular Systems & Hematology”.
Peter Wipf, visiting Professor, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UEF; & Distinguished University Professor, Departments of Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, U.S.A.
Field: Medicinal chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry
Achievement: U.S. grants and Academy of Finland PROFI funding; globally ranked within top 0.066% among researchers in the field of “Organic Chemistry”.
Tetsuya Terasaki, visiting Professor, Research Director of Bioanalytics, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UEF & School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Japan
Field: Drug discovery and delivery technologies
Achievement: GeneCellNano flagship, Sigrid Juselius Foundation and Academy of Finland PROFI funding; globally ranked within top 0.587% among researchers in the field of “Pharmacology and Pharmacy”.
Timo Myöhänen, Professor of Pharmacology and Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: neurodegenerative diseases, drug development
Achievement: Leader in large Business Finland and several Academy of Finland supported projects, and grants from various Finnish Foundations.
Henri Leinonen, Research Director, Academy Research Fellow, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: ocular drug targeting and mechanisms, ophthalmology, drug development, retinal models and disease mechanisms, neuropharmacology, visual neuroscience
Achievement: Pharmacologist with an Academy of Finland funding, drug development pipeline from in vivo models to initial clinical evaluation.
Tatu Lajunen, University Resercher, School of Pharmacy / biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Health Sciences.
Field: nanoparticles, drug delivery systems, externally controlled drug release.
Achievement: Co-founder; Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology -group (University of Helsinki). PI; Phospholipid Research Center, Academy of Finland, Instrumentarium science foundation, Cancer foundation Finland ect. Participant in projects; EU Horizon, Business Finland, Academy of Finland ect. Assistant Professor; Tokyo University of Pharmacy & Life Sciences (2019-2021). Visiting Researcher; Kyoto University (2014-2015), Santen Pharmaceuticals Japan (2009-2010).
Marika Ruponen, University Lecturer, School of Pharmacy/biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: drug delivery systems and ocular drug delivery
Achievement (2018-2022): PI; Business Finland, contract research. Participant; EU Horizon (OcuTher and DED)
Kirsi Rilla, University Researcher, Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
Field: Cell biology, biological imaging, extracellular vesicles
Achievement: Academy Research Fellow funding from the Academy of Finland, PI in GeneCellNano Flagship
Professor Arto Urtti, School of Pharmacy
Professor Antti Poso, School of Pharmacy
Professor Jarkko Ketolainen, School of Pharmacy
Professor Juha Rouvinen, Department of Chemistry
Professor Kai Kaarniranta, Institute of Clinical Medicine
Academy Research Fellow Kristiina Huttunen, School of Pharmacy
Research Coordinator Karin Koivisto, School of Pharmacy
DrugTech Research Community
DrugTech is a UEF research community (RC) focusing on investigation of drug discovery and delivery technologies. The main medical indication fields of DrugTech include ophthalmology, CNS diseases and cardiovascular diseases, but they are not limited to those three.
DrugTech consists of several research groups. Identity and number of research groups headed by principal investigators will not remain constant, but will evolve during the years. This is based on nomination of new groups and evaluations by our scientific advisory board.
Selection criteria for DrugTech RC groups
With growing acknowledgment of the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and renewal of research at UEF, new research groups are invited to join the DrugTech RC. UEF staff members can apply as principal investigators to join DrugTech RC thereby establishing new groups within Drug Tech. The minimum criteria for the new principal investigators are shown below. The researchers who are not meeting the set criteria are encouraged to join an existing DrugTech research group with matching research focus. See the list of PIs.
Criteria for new DrugTech PIs
- Team size: PI + at least two full time salaried members
- Scientific competence of PI: Docent or equal competence
- Research program: documented, within DrugTech´s scope
- Publications: at least 15 publications
- Grant funding: at least 150 000 € during 3-year window
Criteria for established DrugTech PIs
- Team size: PI + at least two full time salaried members
- Scientific competence of PI: Docent or equal competence
- Research program: documented, within DrugTech´s scope
- Publications: at least 10 in three years' window
- Grant funding: at least 150 000 € during 3-year window
Application procedure:
- Rolling applications procedure for new DrugTech PI’s.
- Applications by email to Professors Arto Urtti (arto.urtti@uef.fi) and/or Antti Poso (antti.poso@uef.fi)
- Decisions are done by DrugTech management group
- Contents of informal application:
- research program summary and future plans for 5 years (total 3-4 p)
- description of the research group
- research funding track record
- CV (including research funding track record and publication list)
Assessment of the PIs/research groups
The entire composition of the RC and its groups are examined in a three-year intervals by scientific advisory board. All PIs and their research groups are evaluated by international scientific advisory board periodically. The assessments are based on the following material:
- Written self-assessment
- Bibliometric data, and other indicators of quality and impact of the research
- Interviews conducted by RC board
Within DrugTech research community we shall practice continuous peer review focusing on performance, development, and future potential of the groups. Groups may also receive peer feedback on their funding applications and articles to be submitted for publication. Additionally, development discussions will be held with the PIs to boost their performance and internal dynamics of the DrugTech RC.
