Strategy of the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

Our research focus areas are:

• cell-extracellular matrix, hypoxia response and fibrosis
• protein science, structural biology and drug discovery
• regulatory and metabolic networks and related diseases

We are internationally recognized in all areas and aim to strengthen our position further. We are especially strong in collagen research, integrative structural biology hypoxia research, cancer biology, biotechnology and preclinical disease models. We also focus on cutting edge methodological development, biological imaging, bioinformatics and development of new therapeutics. Our research is strengthened by recruitments to the fields of fibrobesity and digital health and by vivid collaborations with world’s top universities in our research focus areas. We also collaborate with local, national and international bioindustries and VTT. We promote entrepreneurship and bringing of discoveries to practice including co-operation with companies and providing premises and access to laboratories. Our field requires laboratories and heavy instrumentation.

We account for the Biochemistry BSc and MSc degree programs and the Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine doctoral degree program. Our MSc program includes an international double degree study line with Ulm University and with Ruhr University Bochum as a UNIC collaboration. We are teaching specialized compulsory and optional courses to the medical and dentistry curricula, and students of biology and other natural sciences and Faculty of Technology. Our education programs combine traditional and online learning to enhance flexibility and accessibility of learning. We have continuously received among our university the highest grades in the national BSc survey. The good selection pressure of our BSc and MSc programs and offering of courses and course entities to open university and continuous learning provide us with motivated students and promote expansion of student recruitment area nationwide. We have a vivid bidirectional international student exchange. We support and enable our students to seek for alternative skills and career options through optional minors, training and pro gradu thesis projects in other faculties or universities in Finland or abroad, as well as in bioindustry. We have a long tradition of internal pedagogic training and appreciation of good teaching to which all researchers contribute.

FBMM is a highly international and multidisciplinary unit with about 200 personnel, half of which are international representing over 30 different nationalities. We contribute to democratization of research via data and method sharing and promoting open science. We facilitate science popularization in order to promote citizen science. We aim to increase the economic and societal impact emerging from the high quality research, including via the GeneCellNano flagship and forming connections to other relevant flagships and having significant industry cooperations.

• We support integration, career development and inclusion.
• We emphasize in securing resources.
• We reinforce cooperation.
• We indicate clear goals for our staff and students and provide support and feedback in attaining them.
• We stress functional processes communication and accessibility.