Meet the Researchers: Good Health and Wellbeing

Akshaye Bhambore
"Be independent, be curious."

Name of your research project: Proximate mechanisms underlying complex cognition in Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)
Research units involved: Ecology and Genetics, Disease Networks
Partners involved: University of Sheffield (UK), Southern Medical University (China)

I am from Bengaluru, also known as the Garden City of India. I obtained a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, Chemistry, and Zoology from St. Joseph’s College and a Master's degree in Genetics at the University of Mysore. Following that, I worked as a Junior Research Fellow at the Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, on a project focused on mosquito ecology and behaviour. This experience inspired my interest in the drivers of complex behaviours in insects, leading me to apply for my current PhD project.

My research on complex cognition in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) aims to uncover the proximate mechanisms underlying their problem-solving abilities. By integrating multiple disciplines—animal behaviour, neurobiology, psychology, and imaging, I seek to understand how bees learn and solve novel problems. The expected outcome is a comprehensive understanding of how interdisciplinary approaches can elucidate complex cognitive processes.

Bumblebees are vital pollinators in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Their cognitive abilities affect their foraging efficiency, adaptability to environmental changes, and overall health. By studying how bees solve problems and make decisions, my research could inform strategies to enhance their resilience against habitat loss and climate change.

After obtaining my Ph.D., I would like to continue studying insect behaviour, particularly using non-invasive behavioural imaging methods. Additionally, I might explore industry opportunities that involve applying behavioural algorithms inspired by insect cognition to technological innovations in various fields, such as machine navigation.

Alireza Soleimanian
"Revolutionizing health with smart nanopore technology"

Name of your research project: Smart Nanopore Biosensor Device for Automatic Control and Analysis of Single Molecules from Biofluid (SmartPore)
Research unit involved: Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
Partners involved: Nottingham Trent University (UK) and Nanjing University (China)

I am from Iran. Before coming here, I was a research assistant in the Cellular and Molecular and cell culture laboratory at the University of Tabriz and in pharmaceutical chemistry laboratory, Molecular Medicine Research Center, and Biomedicine Institute at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Subsequently, after graduation in 2020, I have worked at the Central Laboratory of the University of Tabriz as a Research Assistant and Supervisor of the Cell Culture and Microbiology Laboratory for 25 months.

In this project, I am expected to design, fabricate and validate a novel single-molecule nanopore biosensor device which can separate and analyze single molecules from biofluid automatically before detection. In modern medicine, one of the major challenges for scientists in curing patients is the early detection of diseases. Addressing this requires the use of novel and highly sensitive detection techniques capable of identifying low-abundance biomarkers released under specific conditions, such as those present in various diseases. Due to their small amount, separation of them from molecule matrix in biofluid by an independent step will lead to loss before detection, which emphasizes the need of automatic separation in the same chip with the sensor, i.e. on-chip separation. This research aims to introduce an innovative method for the detection and separation of single molecules from biofluids.

After my PhD graduation, I want to continue my career as an academic researcher.

Ifra Arif
"Explore, experiment, excel"

Name of your research project: Machine Learning for Sensing and Imaging in Healthcare
Research unit involved: Optoelectronics and Measurement Techniques (OPEM)
Partners involved: Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and Ecole Polytechnique, France

I came from United Arab Emirates but originally, I am from Pakistan. I have completed my Master’s degree in Computer system Engineering (2016-2018) from Ghulam Ishaq Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Pakistan. After that I got associated with “Big data mining and Multimedia research” group in University of Sharjah where I worked on various academic-industrial projects. Before joining University of Oulu, I was working as a full-time researcher in UAE University.

My research work is dedicated to theme of human health and wellbeing to ensure healthy life using my expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning. At present I am working on improving medical and diagnostic procedures for effective disease prediction. The expected outcome is to develop a safe and efficient AI system capable of predicting and preventing diseases to promote a healthy and safe society.

The significance of my research is to promote human health and well-being at all ages. The ultimate goal is to develop an AI system that is capable of predicting and preventing diseases to promote a healthy and safe society. The main strategy will be to develop a transparent and accountable AI system, which can be audited and evaluated to identify potential biases, considering factors such as race, ethnicity, and gender. We are focusing on improving lives by working on major global health challenges, so that disease can be predicted and treated beforehand that is linked to Sustainable Development Goal.

After obtaining my Ph.D., I would like to choose academia. I would like to be involved in teaching and research to further enhance my knowledge and to do good scientific research.

Leila Hassanlou
"Advancing medical science with machine learning to empower clinicians for better outcomes"

Name of your research project: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Based Biomarkers for Detecting Early Onset of Knee Osteoarthritis Following Injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Using Machine Learning-Based Methods
Research unit involved: Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
Partners involved: Lund University (Sweden)

I am from Khoy, a city in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran. I pursued a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (Electronics) at Urmia University. My passion for image-processing applications in medicine led me to shift my focus and pursue a master’s in biomedical engineering (Bioelectric) at the University of Tabriz. During my master's, I researched Machine Learning and Deep Learning in medical image processing. After completing my master's, I continued my research in this field, focusing mainly on medical image segmentation.

The primary objective of my research project is to develop an advanced machine learning-based framework for predicting early joint changes following an ACL injury, significantly increasing the risk of osteoarthritis (OA). This will be achieved through sophisticated MRI techniques and texture analysis, focusing on early bone shape changes and their relationship to cartilage morphometrics and other knee pathologies.

Knee OA is a chronic joint disease-causing significant health challenges, including chronic pain and loss of function. Knee injuries are a strong risk factor, yet the disease's development processes are poorly understood. My research aims to gain new knowledge of OA pathogenesis and identify treatment targets, potentially preventing or delaying costly total knee joint replacements. This could enhance patient outcomes, address a critical global health challenge, and contribute to sustainable healthcare solutions.

After obtaining my Ph.D., I intend to remain in academia, driven by my passion for research and the enriching academic environment. I aim to advance diagnostic tools and methodologies for early disease detection and management.

Leon Robertz
"Stay curious, stay motivated, and don’t stay in your bubble."

Name of your research project: Developing Feasible Low-Cost Wearable Tech: Combining Ultrasound and Bioimpedance for Accurate Body Composition Analysis
Research units involved: Health Sciences and Technology
Partners involved: Polar Electro Oy (Finland)

I'm from Germany and lived in Cologne/Köln for the last 8 years. Before coming to Oulu, I finished my master’s in Human Technology in Sports and Medicine at the Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics at the German Sport University Cologne, where I worked half-time as a research assistant during my Bachelor's and Master’s. During my master’s degree, I came to Oulu for the first time for an internship at Polar Electro Oy.

The main expected outcome of this project is a low-cost reliable wearable device that combines ultrasound and bioimpedance analysis to measure body composition. With increasing urbanization smaller communities tend to face healthcare barriers such as a shortage of healthcare providers, limited access to specialists, and transportation challenges. Those challenges are even more important when considering that the general population is getting older and less mobile. Therefore, we are required to find solutions for providing reliable healthcare in areas which are negatively affected by structural changes. One solution is eHealth including telemedicine, wearable technologies, and health information technology. And this is where we with our project seek to play a role by providing a simple and reliable way of remotely measuring body composition which then can be used by e.g., specialists in planning and supervising interventions. Additionally, self-monitoring of health status by using e.g., wearable solutions can positively influence weight loss. This could reduce the socio-economic and health burden that obesity puts on individuals, the healthcare systems, and the general population on a large scale.

I cannot say for sure, yet, what I would like to do after my PhD. A couple of years ago I had no plan of obtaining a PhD at all and now I am here. I will take the opportunities as they come and play my role in creating a better tomorrow.

Liang Mao
"Be logical"

Name of your research project: loss of β4 integrin contributes to prostate carcinogenesis through nuclear softening
Research unit involved: Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
Partners involved: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US

I come from China. I have eleven years of experience working in biomedical laboratories, and my main work includes research on oncolytic adenovirus carrying suicide genes to target breast cancer, establishment of biological sample banks, tumor microenvironment, and spinal cord injury. I also have two years of experience working in oncology clinics.

The main expected outcome of my research project is to find one of the pathogeneses of prostate cancer. This will provide clues for the treatment of prostate cancer.

After obtaining my Ph.D. degree, I plan to continue the research at post-doctoral level.

Naila Qamar
"Research is seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought"

Name of your research project: Antioxidant Nanoparticles for Treatment of Arthritis with Inflammatory Component
Research units involved: Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
Partners involved: University of Calgary (Canada), University of Eastern Finland

I come from Pakistan. I have done Master of Science degree in Healthcare Biotechnology from Pakistan and then started my academic career as a lecturer at the public University of our city.

My research project aims to discover nano-therapy less toxic, safe, economical, and suitable nanoparticle-based therapy for inflammatory arthritic diseases. This study will be a step towards finding out which nanoparticle is more antioxidant in nature than the other and whether the nanoparticle-based therapeutic approach is a suitable, economical and safe option to treat inflammation and oxidative stress in RA than other supplements in future.

After getting my Doctoral degree, I am aiming to do the post-doc and continue my career as an academician.