Cell Surface Receptors in Inflammation and Malignancies

BioCity Turku

Director: Academy Professor Sirpa Jalkanen
tel. +358 2 333 7007
fax  +358 2 333 7000
sirpa.jalkanen(at)utu.fi

Centre of Excellence Homepage

Academy Professor Sirpa Jalkanen and her group are based in the MediCity Research Laboratory at the University of Turku and the Turku Branch of the National Public Health Institute. Her research belongs to the field of immunology and deals with the mechanisms that regulate the migration of white blood cells (leukocytes) in the human body.

The harmful migration of leukocytes into the heart in myocardial infarction and into the joints in rheumatoid arthritis are examples of diseases in which leukocytes cause irreversible damage. Organ destruction can be prevented by blocking the harmful movement of leukocytes into the affected tissues. In analogy, malignant cells need to migrate to distant sites of the body to form metastases, and they seem to use similar or comparable mechanisms as leukocytes do to travel into different tissues. Jalkanen's research group has identified and characterised a novel molecule responsible for leukocyte migration into the sites of inflammation. It has also thrown light on the mechanisms that cancer cells use for metastasising.

These results can be used in the development of new types of drugs for the treatment of harmful inflammations and cancer.

The Unit has 20 researchers, of whom eight have a doctorate, and eight assisting staff.