Bone group

Group leader: professor Juha Tuukkanen

Background and significance

Musculoskeletal diseases are one of the major healthcare problems in Finland and osteoporosis is a problem all over the western countries. The topics of the research team are bone cell biology and developing of new innovative biomaterials. The aim is to understand the bone cells and bone tissue and use the acquired knowledge in developing new materials for bone tissue engineering and dental implants.

Future goals

Our understanding in bone biology has increased enormously during the last decade. Our momentum is to use this knowledge in open issues of bone health and bone tissue engineering.

Research funding

• Finnish Academy grant 131132 (Research grant of senior scientist, 2009-2010)
• Finnish Academy grant 130795 (Glycofunctionalized dental implants; 2009-2011)
• TEKES, MATERA ERANET (Scaffolds for tissue engineering, 2011-2014)

Research group members

Post doctoral scientists:

• Hanna Kokkonen

PhD-students:

• Riina Myllylä
• Mikko Finnilä
• Maria Persson
• Antti Koskela
• Jenni Pasuri
• Elina Kylmäoja
• Kyösti Kauppinen
• Riina Rytivaara
• Jani Luukkonen
• Juho-Antti Junno

Most important collaborators

• Prof. Petri Lehenkari, Oulun yliopisto / University of Oulu
• Prof. Matti Viluksela,  THL ja Itä-Suomen yliopisto / National Institute for Health and Welfare and University of Eastern Finland
• Prof. Mikko Ritala, Helsingin yliopisto / University of Helsinki
• Prof Helen Håkansson, Karolinska Institutet
• Prof. Claes Ohlsson, Gothenburg University and Sahlgrenska University Hospital