Urgent need for ethics in global governance and international affairs

aila pirinen — 2013-01-11T09:28:26+02:00

While the rate of globalisation has accelerated and our actions are increasingly interconnected at the global scale, there is, to date, no credible ethics of global governance, or even a credible ethics of international politics as traditionally conceived. A new research project, headed by Professor Jan Klabbers, is to fill that gap, by concentrating on the possibility of devising a virtue ethics applicable to individuals – and hence to actors more broadly – operating within the international realm, whether as leaders of international organisations, policy advisers, managers of global corporations, heads of state or government, or in any other capacity.

Academy currently involved in several international calls

Vesa Varpula — 2013-01-11T14:47:08+02:00

The Academy of Finland is currently involved in a number of international calls for funding. The following five calls are now open

Funding for Finnish-US research collaboration in learning and education

Vesa Varpula — 2013-01-11T15:06:13+02:00

In September 2012, the Academy of Finland together with Tekes and the US National Science Foundation (NSF) launched a joint call for funding within the NSF’s SAVI programme (Science Across Virtual Institutes on Innovations in Learning and Education). The first Finnish-US research projects that have received funding will now start.

Funding available for research collaboration between Africa, Europe and Finland

Vesa Varpula — 2013-01-07T15:40:31+02:00

The ERAfrica call for funding European and African research collaboration will open in January 2013. The call has three separate themes: Interfacing Challenges, Renewable Energy and New Ideas.

Nearly EUR 2 million to climate change research in developing countries

Riitta Tirronen — 2012-12-19T16:01:06+02:00

The Academy of Finland and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs have decided to fund research projects investigating the impacts of climate change in developing countries with nearly EUR 2 million. The projects selected within the targeted call implemented in spring 2012 will be integrated as part of the Academy’s Research Programme on Climate Change (FICCA). Half of the funding comes from the Ministry’s funds for development research and the other half from the Academy. The research projects will carry out active collaboration with researchers and research institutes in developing countries.

EUR 2 million to Finnish-Chinese research in comparative law

Vesa Varpula — 2012-12-20T08:42:03+02:00

The Academy of Finland has decided to fund Finnish-Chinese research in comparative law with a total of some EUR 2 million. The funding is granted to six projects, including one consortium with two projects. The aim is to promote high-level, long-term and systematic Finnish-Chinese research collaboration in comparative law. Another aim is to establish and strengthen research networks between Finland and China.

Call: Joint Programming in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Vesa Varpula — 2012-12-14T10:42:35+02:00

The European Commission has launched a pilot initiative for the Joint Programming project in neurodegenerative diseases (incl. Alzheimer’s disease), Joint Programming on Neurodegenerative Diseases (JPND). In December 2012, JPND has launched a call for funding under the theme European research projects for the identification of genetic, epigenetic and environmental risk and protective factors for Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Genetic link discovered between intrauterine growth and diseases in adulthood

aila pirinen — 2012-12-04T10:27:55+02:00

Scientists have identified four new genetic regions that influence birth weight. Growth-regulating genes begin to take effect at a very early stage. The results of a major international research project shed important light on the mechanisms that affect intrauterine growth. Eventually these results may lead to a better understanding of how to manage growth problems during pregnancy. The Academy of Finland has contributed to financing the Finnish component of the study, which has now been published in Nature Genetics online.

EUR 38 million in support for top research to protect the Baltic Sea

Anita Westerback — 2012-11-12T13:47:22+02:00

A competitive call for proposals targeted at research in support of the management of a viable Baltic Sea ecosystem, totalling EUR 31 million, and to innovative technological solutions, totalling EUR 7 million, was announced today by BONUS, the Joint Baltic Sea Research and Development Programme.

EUR 8 million in Academy funding to research within Strategic Centres

aila pirinen — 2012-11-12T14:19:31+02:00

The Academy of Finland has decided on the funding for research within the Strategic Centres for Science, Technology and Innovation. The funding totals 8 million euros. The funding is granted to six research consortia and eight research projects. The call, which was open in April 2012, attracted a total of 106 applications: 28 were from consortia and 41 from individual projects.

Anna-Liisa Laine and Mari Sandell receive 2012 Academy of Finland Awards

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2012-11-08T10:25:31+02:00

The Academy of Finland recognised two distinguished researchers in Helsinki on Friday 9 November 2012. The Academy of Finland Awards were presented to Academy Research Fellow, Docent Anna-Liisa Laine from the University of Helsinki, and Academy Research Fellow, Docent Mari Sandell from the University of Turku.

CoE applicants to second application stage selected

Anita Westerback — 2012-11-06T15:40:53+02:00

The Board of the Academy of Finland has selected the research teams that will proceed to the second stage of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) call. In all 34 research teams are asked to submit their full applications. These detailed applications shall be submitted to the Academy by 21 January 2013. The Academy Board will decide in June 2013 on the teams to be included in the CoE programme 2014–2017.

Professor Jan Klabbers named Martti Ahtisaari Academy Professor

aila pirinen — 2012-11-08T09:05:44+02:00

The Academy of Finland has appointed Jan Klabbers as the first Martti Ahtisaari Academy Professor. Klabbers is Professor of International Law at the University of Helsinki. The Academy-funded five-year Martti Ahtisaari Academy Professorship in peace research and international conflict management research was open for application earlier this year and attracted a total of 15 candidates.

Evaluation: Stronger support needed for future fields of physics

aila pirinen — 2012-10-23T10:21:08+03:00

The quality of Finnish physics research is quite high and the research covers most major international trends. However, future funding support should especially be targeted at promoting the pursuit of emerging fields. These are some of the conclusions drawn by an international panel of experts appointed by the Academy of Finland to evaluate physics research in Finland.

Voice prostheses can help patients regain their lost voice

aila pirinen — 2012-10-24T15:03:23+03:00

Help is on the way for people who suffer from vocal cord dysfunction. Researchers are developing methods that will contribute to manufacturing voice prostheses with improved affective features. For example, for little girls who have lost their voices, the improved artificial voice devices can produce age-appropriate voices, instead of the usual voice of an adult male. These advances in artificial voice production have been made possible by results achieved in a research project led by Professor Samuli Siltanen, results that are good news indeed for the approximately 30,000 Finns with vocal cord problems. Siltanen’s project is part of the Academy of Finland’s Computational Science Research Programme (LASTU).

Evaluation: LIIKE2 produced good results and promoted researcher training

aila pirinen — 2012-10-10T10:46:17+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Programme on Business Know-how (LIIKE2) achieved good scientific results and promoted researcher training. The projects involved in the programme showed evidence of innovation in terms of their focus and interdisciplinary nature and the methods they employed were both qualitatively and quantitatively successful. These are some of the findings of a recent report by the Academy of Finland. The report presents the results of an international evaluation of the LIIKE2 research programme.

State of Finnish scientific research remains stable

Maj-Lis Tanner — 2012-10-08T08:52:34+03:00

The state of Finnish scientific research has remained relatively stable. This is one of the main findings of the report The State of Scientific Research in Finland 2012 published by the Academy of Finland. Finland’s continued success highly depends on the Finnish institutes of higher education and research institutes; they must further develop the recruitment of both students and researchers. The report pays special attention to the recruitment of postdoctoral researchers and early-career professors. According to the Academy’s analysis, successful recruitment is an efficient way of reinforcing the international element of the Finnish research system.

Increased application numbers in September call

Vesa Varpula — 2012-10-05T11:11:29+03:00

The Academy of Finland received a total of 3,150 applications within its September 2012 call. The figure is slightly higher than in 2011, when the September call attracted 3,043 applications.

Evaluation: Finland has potential to become world leader in biorefinery development

Riitta Tirronen — 2012-09-26T10:06:34+03:00

Finland has the potential to become a world leader in biorefinery development. This is thanks to high-quality expertise in the field and the availability of leading-edge researchers and multidisciplinary research teams. Finland also has abundant resources in forest-based raw materials and advanced forest industries. These are some of the findings of a recent report by the Academy of Finland. The report presents the assessment of an international expert panel that evaluated the Academy’s Research Programme on Sustainable Production and Products (KETJU).

Specifications to the Academy’s September call

Vesa Varpula — 2012-09-11T13:20:55+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s September 2012 call is open. The call for applications was published 28 June 2012.

Research from the JYFL-ACCLAB Centre of Excellence highlighted by the American Physical Society

aila pirinen — 2012-08-15T14:44:45+03:00

One of the most sought-after goals in nuclear physics is an understanding of the structure of superheavy elements in the so-called "island of stability". These nuclei contain a large number of protons, and would ordinarily be ripped apart by the strong Coulomb repulsion between them. However, quantum mechanical shell-effects act to stabilise the nuclei, meaning that they can then live long enough to be observed in the laboratory.

September call for applications now online

Leena Vähäkylä — 2012-07-19T10:51:49+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s September 2012 call for applications is now available online (in English, Finnish and Swedish). The call opens on Monday, 3 September and closes on Wednesday, 26 September. The deadlines for international calls included in the September 2012 call may differ from the Academy’s main deadlines. Please check the exact deadlines in the call for applications.

Professor Marja Makarow appointed Vice President for Research

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2012-08-10T09:56:15+03:00

The Board of the Academy of Finland has appointed Marja Makarow, PhD, Vice President for Research of the Academy of Finland. Makarow is Professor of Applied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Helsinki.

New structural information on functionalisation of gold nanoparticles

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2012-08-02T13:19:00+03:00

Nanometre-scale gold particles are currently intensively investigated for possible applications as catalysts, sensors, biolabels, drug delivery devices, biological contrast agents and as components in photonics and molecular electronics.

Researchers unfold the mechanisms underlying blood disorders

aila pirinen — 2012-07-23T10:19:03+03:00

A Finnish research team together with researchers from New York, USA, has uncovered a protein structure that regulates cell signalling and the formation of blood cells. The team’s results, published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, the most prestigious journal in the field, shed light on the mechanisms at play in haematological disorders and provide new opportunities for the design of disease-specific treatment. The work was carried out with funding from the Academy of Finland, the Cancer Society of Finland, National Institutes of Health and the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation.

New mechanism of bacterial pathogenesis discovered

aila pirinen — 2012-06-27T10:16:52+03:00

Scientists have identified a new mechanism of bacterial pathogenesis. The results of the research project, partly funded by the Academy of Finland, have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS).

Researchers develop new method for analysing cell function

aila pirinen — 2012-06-26T10:03:17+03:00

Researchers in Finland and Germany have developed an open-source software that will make it significantly easier to process bioimaging data. The software, named BioImageXD, will help in analysing cell and tissue functions. The work to develop the software has been funded by the Academy of Finland (through the FinNano Research Programme), the European Union and Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. Version 1.0 of BioImageXD has been accepted for publication in Nature Methods, the top journal in the field.

Evaluation report: Finland has done seminal research in ecology and evolutionary biology

Riitta Tirronen — 2012-06-11T10:04:35+03:00

The Finnish scientific community has made fundamental contributions to many areas of research in ecology and evolution. Many researchers across the country are internationally recognised for their achievements and this is reflected in a strong record of excellent publications in high-quality journals. There is also a strong record of graduate training. This is the conclusion presented in an evaluation report on the research fields of ecology and evolutionary biology in Finland. The evaluation was carried out by an international panel and commissioned by the Academy of Finland.

EUR 10 million to research on programmable materials

Riitta Tirronen — 2012-06-13T11:48:30+03:00

The Academy of Finland has selected the projects to be included in the Programmable Materials Research Programme (OMA). Funding is allocated to eleven research consortia and, additionally, to six international joint projects. The programme funding amounts to EUR 10 million for 2013–2017.

New Academy Research Fellows, Postdoctoral Researchers and clinical researchers in health research

Vesa Varpula — 2012-06-15T12:51:59+03:00

At its meeting on 6 June 2012, the Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Health decided to fund ten new Academy Research Fellows, 23 Postdoctoral Researchers and six clinical researchers. Within the September 2011 call, the Research Council received 74 applications for research posts as Academy Research Fellow, 121 applications for research posts as Postdoctoral Researcher and 24 applications for funding for clinical researchers.

Academy funds twelve new FiDiPro Professors

Riitta Tirronen — 2012-06-06T12:30:25+03:00

The Board of the Academy of Finland has decided to fund twelve new FiDiPro (Finland Distinguished Professor) Professors to be recruited by Finnish universities. Within the Academy’s FiDiPro call, funding worth EUR 10 million has been granted for the work of foreign top-tier researchers in Finland for a period of five years on average. The new FiDiPro Professors will be based at Aalto University, the Universities of Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Oulu, Tampere and Turku and at Tampere University of Technology.

Eight new Academy Professors

Maj-Lis Tanner — 2012-06-05T17:04:13+03:00

The Board of the Academy of Finland has selected eight new Academy Professors for the years 2013–2017. The new Academy Professors are Professors Lauri Aaltonen, Yrjö Helariutta, Jaakko Kaprio, Antti Kupiainen, Juha Merilä and Uskali Mäki from the University of Helsinki, Adjunct Professor Elina Vuola from the University of Helsinki, and Professor Kari Rissanen from the University of Jyväskylä. Their five-year term will start 1 January 2013.

AKVA projects selected

Vesa Varpula — 2012-05-11T14:48:09+03:00

The Academy of Finland has selected the projects to be included in the Research Programme on the Sustainable Governance of Aquatic Resources (AKVA). Within the AKVA programme, a total of EUR 11 million is granted to twelve research projects. The programme is highly multidisciplinary and focuses on researching aquatic resources and their use from various perspectives, including environmental research, law and culture research.

EUR 21.7 million to research posts in natural sciences and engineering

Vesa Varpula — 2012-05-10T12:53:26+03:00

At its meeting on 4 May 2012, the Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering granted a total of EUR 21.7 million for research posts as Postdoctoral Researcher and Academy Research Fellow. The funding is allocated to 48 new, three-year research posts as Postdoctoral Researcher and 20 new, five-year research posts as Academy Research Fellow. Within the Academy’s September 2011 call, the Research Council received 244 applications for research posts as Postdoctoral Researcher and 166 applications for research posts as Academy Research Fellow.

Research Council for Culture and Society selected new Academy Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Researchers

Vesa Varpula — 2012-05-16T10:57:36+03:00

At its meeting on 27 April 2012, the Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Culture and Society decided to fund 16 new Academy Research Fellows and 46 new Postdoctoral Researchers. The funding period will start 1 September 2012. The Research Council allocated a total of some EUR 6.5 million towards the salaries of the Academy Research Fellows and EUR 12.3 million towards the salaries of the Postdoctoral Researchers.

EUR 18.9 million to Academy Projects in biosciences and environment

Vesa Varpula — 2012-05-09T10:34:33+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Biosciences and Environment has decided to grant a total of some EUR 19 million to 32 applicants for Academy Project funding.

Finland and India join forces to combat infectious diseases

aila pirinen — 2012-04-19T09:46:41+03:00

Finnish and Indian researchers are jointly developing new diagnostic methods for detecting viruses that cause dengue fever, tropical parasitic diseases and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE).

EUR 13.7 million to Academy Projects in health research

Vesa Varpula — 2012-04-12T13:21:49+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Health has decided to grant some EUR 13.7 million to Academy Projects. In the September 2011 call, the Research Council received a total of 197 applications for Academy Project funding. Of the applications submitted, 33 were granted funding. The number of applications increased by almost 25 per cent compared to the year before. The average funding per project was some EUR 430,000.

Scientists solving the mystery of human consciousness

Anita Westerback — 2012-04-04T10:43:12+03:00

Awakening from anesthesia is often associated with an initial phase of delirious struggle before the full restoration of awareness and orientation to one’s surroundings. Scientists now know why this may occur: primitive consciousness emerges first.

Studies on the Swedish language and animal rights rhetorics winners in the Academy’s 2011 science competition

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2012-03-30T15:59:26+03:00

The winners of the Academy of Finland’s science competition for senior secondary students (known simply as Viksu) have been announced. The 1^st prize in Viksu’s national category went to Miro Metsämuuronen (Lappeenrannan Lyseon lukio) for his excellent entry in the field of linguistics. The entry earned high praise for its level of creativity and intrepidness: the reviewers noted it opens up a whole new perspective to irregular verb conjugation in contemporary Swedish. Winner in the international category was Laura Lamberg (Tikkurilan lukio), with an ambitious entry in the field of literature. The reviewers said the author has produced a compelling, insightful and expertly written entry. Both winners will be awarded 4,000 euros.

EUR 3.5 million to Nordic clinical medical research

Vesa Varpula — 2012-03-28T10:31:18+03:00

The Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council have granted a total of EUR 3.5 million to Finnish and Swedish researchers for bilateral clinical medical research. The projects to be funded focus on topics such as the association between Pandemrix influenza vaccination and narcolepsy and the various treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of the funding is to strengthen clinical research in Finland and Sweden with a view to maintaining the internationally competitive position and tackling the grand challenges faced by society. The Academy’s Research Council for Health and the Scientific Council for Medicine and Health at the Swedish Research Council have made the funding decisions jointly, but the funding is granted to each country’s own researchers. This is the first time that the two research funding agencies cooperate in this way within clinical medical research.

Novel plastics and textiles from waste with the use of microbes

Riitta Tirronen — 2012-03-16T09:23:12+02:00

New biotechnological and chemical methods will facilitate efficient production of chemicals, materials and fuels from renewable natural resources. The Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence (CoE) in White Biotechnology – Green Chemistry Research focuses on the research and development of microbial cells, or cell factories, for producing new useful compounds from sugars in plant biomass. These compounds can be used, for example, for manufacturing bioplastics or in medical applications.

A new method for more accurate assessment of osteoporosis

aila pirinen — 2012-03-08T10:13:45+02:00

Laser-based measurements are proving to be a promising method for the assessment of osteoporosis. The team led by Professor Jussi Timonen has developed an ultrasound technique that use laser beams for a rapid and accurate assessment of osteoporosis. The research is part of the Photonics and Modern Imaging Techniques Research Programme of the Academy of Finland and involves input by researchers from the Universities of Jyväskylä, Helsinki and Oulu.

April call for applications out now: deadline 25 April 2012

Vesa Varpula — 2012-03-09T10:37:48+02:00

The Academy of Finland’s April 2012 call for applications is now available on our website (in English, Finnish and Swedish).

Finnish researchers successful in latest ERC grant round

aila pirinen — 2012-03-14T13:32:54+02:00

The latest round of ERC Advanced Grants from the European Research Council saw three Finnish grant winners: Academy Professor Olli Ikkala from Aalto University, Professor Heli Jantunen from the University of Oulu and Professor Ilpo Vattulainen from Tampere University of Technology. In addition, Researcher Svetlana Berdyugine received funding for a research project to be carried out in Germany.

Stories about Science showcases the impact of Academy funding

aila pirinen — 2012-05-25T09:40:50+03:00

The impacts of the Academy of Finland’s long-term funding of leading-edge scientific research can be seen in the research careers of successful Finnish researchers and in the results of their research projects. Some of these success stories have now been compiled into a book published by the Academy, Stories about Science. This book of interviews with Finnish scientists tells the story of how research funded by the Academy makes an impact in different sectors of society.

Boys’ cynicism towards school increases at upper secondary school

aila pirinen — 2012-03-01T13:30:06+02:00

According to a recent study, the negative and cynical attitude of boys towards school increases dramatically as they advance in their upper secondary studies. Boys are very enthusiastic about their studies at the start of upper secondary school, but this initial enthusiasm is not sustained throughout the entire three to four years of studies. Their cynicism easily transforms into a negative attitude toward the entire society, thus increasing the risk of marginalisation. This information was gained through a longitudinal youth study that was partly funded by the Academy of Finland.

Researchers draw up scientific resilience test for Finland’s economy

Vesa Varpula — 2012-03-16T08:52:05+02:00

An international team of researchers has devised a set of seven different instruments for collecting insights about the Finnish economy’s resilience against various shock scenarios. Their project, entitled “7 Shocks and Finland”, examined resilience requirements from the perspective of policy-makers, and aimed to define concrete actions for improving national resilience. The project was undertaken by researchers at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). The Academy of Finland is the Finnish member organisation of IIASA.

Funding for climate change research in developing countries

Riitta Tirronen — 2012-03-07T15:28:59+02:00

Research on the impacts and mitigation of climate change in developing countries will be supported through development research funds from the Academy of Finland and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In April 2012, the Academy will launch a separate targeted call for development research in the field of climate change.

Novel method to make nanomaterials discovered

Leena Vähäkylä — 2012-02-24T10:31:18+02:00

Researchers at the NanoScience Center of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, and at Harvard University, US, have discovered a novel way to make nanomaterials. Using computer simulations, the researchers have been able to predict that long and narrow graphene nanoribbons can be rolled into carbon nanotubes by means of twisting. The research has received funding from the Academy of Finland.

Funding available for research in thematic areas of Strategic Centres

Vesa Varpula — 2012-02-14T15:44:47+02:00

The Academy of Finland will open a call for research funding within the thematic areas of the Strategic Centres for Science, Technology and Innovation (known in Finnish under the abbreviation of SHOK). The call involves two themes: Novel control methods and user interfaces and New chemicals, materials and production technologies in a bioeconomy based on innovative forest biomass use. The two themes will be approached from a broad perspective and, consequently, the themes have not been confined to the thematic areas of individual strategic centres or to a particular Research Council at the Academy.

Nordic sport sciences research gets excellent review, should focus on innovation

Anita Westerback — 2012-02-08T16:43:52+02:00

The overall quality of Nordic sport and exercise sciences research is excellent, but there are major differences between individual research units, countries and domains. This is the conclusion of a panel of experts that has evaluated sport sciences in the Nordic countries. Each country, the panel says, has its own strong fields, medical and health sciences being the strongest at the Nordic level when estimated by publication volume.

Martti Ahtisaari Academy Professorship in Peace Research and International Conflict Management

Vesa Varpula — 2012-01-26T12:44:25+02:00

The Academy of Finland invites applications for a full-time, five-year Martti Ahtisaari Academy Professorship in Peace Research and International Conflict Management.

New centre of excellence to explore choices of Russian modernisation

Kenneth Gustafsson — 2012-01-12T15:05:43+02:00

The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies – Choices of Russian Modernisation is one of the new Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Research selected by the Academy of Finland for 2012–2017. The centre is set to dig deep into issues concerning democracy and reform in Russia as well as explore the challenges of recent developments in Russia and how to solve them.

Immunology research gets funding boost through international collaboration

aila pirinen — 2012-01-09T09:59:43+02:00

The Academy of Finland, the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) have agreed to provide funding to joint projects between Finnish, German and Chinese researchers in the field of immunology.

EUR 7.2 million to research within Strategic Centres

Riitta Tirronen — 2011-12-22T10:15:15+02:00

The Academy of Finland funds research within the Strategic Centres for Science, Technology and Innovation with a total of EUR 7.2 million. The funding is granted to seven research consortia and two research projects. The aim is to increase the number of high-level researchers involved in the work of the centres with a view to further strengthening the scientific expertise at the centres.

Six international projects incorporated into FICCA

Riitta Tirronen — 2011-12-09T14:25:43+02:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Programme on Climate Change (FICCA, 2011‒2014) has expanded to include international joint projects. Six Finnish-Chinese and Finnish-Russian research projects have been provided funding on the basis of the joint calls between the Academy, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Russian Foundation for the Humanities (RFH). The Academy funds Finnish researchers within the joint projects with a total of EUR 3.1 million.

Obituary: Academician of Science P. Helena Mäkelä

aila pirinen — 2011-11-23T14:26:08+02:00

Finnish Academician of Science, Professor Emerita P. Helena Mäkelä has died. The Academy of Finland expresses its sincere condolences on the death of the esteemed Academician. Professor Mäkelä was awarded the honorary title of Academician in 2003, and she was then the first Finnish woman Science Academician.

Finnish-Indian projects in food biotechnology and nanomaterials given boost

Riitta Tirronen — 2011-11-18T12:40:15+02:00

Research collaboration between Finland and India will further strengthen in food biotechnology and nanomaterials research. The Academy of Finland and two Indian research funding organisations, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have decided to fund three projects in food biotechnology and six projects in nanomaterials research. The projects to be funded are researching topics such as the origins and process of microbiota development, allergenic food ingredients, bioactive glasses and solar cell applications.

EUR 3.7 million to wireless networks research

Vesa Varpula — 2011-11-14T13:36:01+02:00

The Academy of Finland, Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, and the US National Science Foundation have made the decisions concerning the joint call in the field of wireless networks research. The total funding for research projects comes to EUR 3.7 million, of which the Academy’s contribution is EUR 950,000.

Academy of Finland creates Martti Ahtisaari Academy Professorship

Vesa Varpula — 2011-11-09T11:21:59+02:00

The Academy of Finland has announced plans to establish a new Academy Professorship in peace research and international conflict management research called the Martti Ahtisaari Academy Professorship.

The Lutetia asteroid – a prehistoric relic

aila pirinen — 2011-10-28T10:23:12+03:00

New information has been published about the Lutetia asteroid that was observed in 2010 and its properties. The analysis of the data collected during the spacecraft fly-by indicates that Lutetia is a dense, intact relic dating back to the birth of our solar system. The Rosetta spacecraft, owned and operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), passed the Lutetia asteroid at close range in summer 2010.

2011 Academy of Finland Awards

Terhi Loukiainen — 2011-10-26T17:03:13+03:00

Two outstanding researchers were recognised at the Academy of Finland’s Science Gala in Helsinki on Thursday 27 October 2011.The Academy of Finland Awards were presented to Academy Research Fellow, Adjunct Professor Tapio Lokki from Aalto University School of Science, and Academy Research Fellow, Adjunct Professor Mikko Salo from the University of Helsinki. Lokki was recognised for the social impact of his work and Salo for his scientific courage.

Industrial by-products upgraded into fuel

aila pirinen — 2011-10-18T10:32:29+03:00

Researchers have achieved good results in using waste and other excess products from industry to develop new and innovative fuels for transport. Working within the Academy of Finland’s research programme Sustainable Energy (SusEn), researchers have studied the processing of both biobutanol and biogas into transport fuels.

Ten Finnish researchers receive ERC funding

aila pirinen — 2011-10-06T11:06:25+03:00

Ten young Finnish researchers have been granted substantial funding from the European Research Council (ERC) within its call for Starting Grants. The maximum amount of funding granted for a project is EUR 2 million for five years. The funding is targeted to individual researchers for setting up a research team to carry out the proposed research project. This year, Finland was more successful than in 2010, when five researchers working in Finland received ERC Starting Grant funding.

Finland and US strengthen cooperation in wireless communication

Vesa Varpula — 2011-10-06T12:38:28+03:00

Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, the Academy of Finland and the US National Science Foundation (NSF) have agreed on the foundation of a virtual institute aimed at solving mobile data transmission problems and developing competence and innovations.

September call attracted more than 3,000 applications

Vesa Varpula — 2011-10-07T11:47:30+03:00

The Academy of Finland received a total of 3,043 applications within its September 2011 call. The Academy’s key funding instruments have now been concentrated in one call, arranged this year for the first time in September. The Academy’s other main call in April mainly involves funding opportunities within the Academy’s research programmes.

NB! September call deadline extended

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2011-09-30T12:48:50+03:00

NB! September call deadline extended Due to some unforeseen technical issues with the online services, the Academy of Finland has decided to extend the deadline for its September call until Monday, 3 October 2011 at 16.15.

Finnish plant science holds a high standard

Riitta Tirronen — 2011-09-16T10:53:48+03:00

Plant science research in Finland is of a high quality and some of the research units are at the international forefront in their field. The high standard of research and the expertise of the units provide a sound basis for researcher training and create potential for further success in the future. These are among the key findings of an evaluation of Finnish plant science. The evaluation was carried out by an international panel and commissioned by the Academy of Finland.

September call for applications out now

Vesa Varpula — 2011-07-20T12:37:18+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s September 2011 call for applications has now been published on the Academy’s website. The Finnish-language version was published in early July. Applications for the September 2011 call can be drafted and submitted in the Academy’s online services from 6 September 2011 through to 30 September 2011.

Academy Projects in health research get EUR 16 million

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-22T12:27:44+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Health has granted Academy Projects a total of some 16 million euros in funding. In the October 2010 call, the Research Council received 146 applications for Academy Project funding. Forty of these were granted funding. The overall funding for Academy Projects increased somewhat on previous years, the average funding per project being some 450,000 euros.

The Academy of Finland is moving

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-20T08:19:44+03:00

The Academy of Finland will move at the beginning of September. As of 1 September 2011, our address is Hakaniemenranta 6, POB 131, FI-00531 Helsinki.

EUR 35 million to Academy Projects in natural sciences and engineering

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-21T13:45:52+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering has decided to grant some EUR 35 million to Academy Projects. In the October 2010 call, the Research Council received a total of 433 applications for Academy Project funding. Of the applications submitted, 70 were granted funding. The average funding per project was some EUR 500,000. One in ten of the funded projects received more than EUR 700,000.

Academy to review the state and quality of scientific research in Finland

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-14T13:30:22+03:00

The Academy of Finland has launched its latest review of the current state and quality of scientific research in Finland. The purpose is to identify key areas of strength and potential areas for development in various disciplines and to prepare recommendations for strategic development in those disciplines. The review will be completed in December 2012. The Academy has conducted reviews of the state and quality of scientific research regularly at three-year intervals since 1997.

Continued support for clinical research careers

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-10T11:50:53+03:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Health has decided to provide funding to eight clinical researchers, which is equivalent to 40 per cent of the 20 applications received. The funding is granted for a three-year term. The Research Council has supported clinical research careers since 2006.

Academy of Finland identifies grand challenges and priorities for research policy

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-14T13:25:05+03:00

The Board of the Academy of Finland has identified a series of six grand challenges currently faced by humankind that will be given priority focus in research policy over the next few years. These challenges are named as the Northern Climate and Environment; Sustainable Energy; Dialogue of Cultures; A Healthy Everyday Life for All; Knowledge and Know-how in the Media Society; and the Ageing Population and Individuals.

Nine new Academy Professors

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-06T16:54:54+03:00

The Board of the Academy of Finland has selected nine new Academy Professors for the period 1 January 2012–31 December 2016. The new Academy Professors are Professors Dennis Bamford (University of Helsinki), Ilkka Hanski (University of Helsinki), Olli Ikkala (Aalto University), Risto Ilmoniemi (Aalto University) Howard Jacobs (University of Tampere), Martti Koskenniemi (University of Helsinki), Olli Raitakari (University of Turku), Riitta Salmelin (Aalto University) and Juha Sihvola (University of Jyväskylä).

Academy of Finland selected 15 new Centres of Excellence in Research

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-06T16:34:29+03:00

The Board of the Academy of Finland has selected new Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Research for 2012‒2017. A total of 15 units, involving research teams from eleven universities or research institutes, were selected to the new Centre of Excellence Programme. The new CoEs will be conducting research in a wide spectrum of research fields, ranging from the interaction between cells and intercellular substance, molecular systems immunology and physiology and Russia’s modernisation to the history of the structures of Finnish society.

New Academy Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Researchers in natural sciences and engineering – focus on international engagement and multidisciplinarity

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-01T14:16:45+03:00

At its meeting on 9 May 2011, the Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering selected 19 new Academy Research Fellows and 49 Postdoctoral Researchers. The appointees will start their term in September 2011. The Research Council allocated a total of some EUR 7.4 million for the salaries of the new Academy Research Fellows and some EUR 13.7 million for the salaries of the new Postdoctoral Researchers.

Research Council for Culture and Society selected new Academy Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Researchers

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-01T12:04:01+03:00

At its meeting on 6 May 2011, the Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Culture and Society selected 16 new Academy Research Fellows and 45 Postdoctoral Researchers. The appointees will start their term in September 2011. The Research Council allocated a total of some EUR 6.3 million for the salaries of the new Academy Research Fellows and EUR 12.3 million for the salaries of the new Postdoctoral Researchers.

New Academy Research Fellows from the Research Council for Biosciences and Environment

Vesa Varpula — 2011-06-01T14:52:49+03:00

At its meeting on 28 April 2011, the Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Biosciences and Environment selected 14 new Academy Research Fellows. The appointees will start their term in September 2011. The Research Council allocated a total of some EUR 5.5 million for the salaries of the new Academy Research Fellows.

Greater differences noted between schools in the Helsinki metropolitan area than elsewhere in Finland

Anita Westerback — 2011-04-21T12:44:13+03:00

According to the PISA study, Finland still has a fairly non-selective comprehensive school system. A study conducted as part of the Academy of Finland Research Programme on the Health and Welfare of Children and Young People (SKIDI-KIDS) indicates that the PISA results are true for the majority of Finland’s municipalities, but not so in larger municipalities, with the exception of Vantaa. The differences between schools are the greatest in the cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Kauniainen, and the next largest in five other large cities. Vantaa, however, corresponds more closely to the results for the rest of Finland than to those of other large cities.

School burnout can be turned into engagement

Leena Vähäkylä — 2011-04-21T12:39:51+03:00

One fourth of all young people experience a form of school engagement on a weekly basis. Vocational students experience engagement to a greater degree than upper secondary school students; upper secondary students have a rate of about 20 per cent, while the corresponding rate for vocational students was as much as one third. Girls are more enthusiastic about school than boys. These findings were made in the study led by Professor Katariina Salmela-Aro, which is part of the Academy of Finland Research Programme on the Health and Welfare of Children and Young People (SKIDI-KIDS).

New application deadlines: April 2011 call for applications out now

aila pirinen — 2011-03-11T12:00:10+02:00

The Academy of Finland’s April call will open on 1 April 2011. The call for applications is now available on the Academy’s website in Finnish. The English- and Swedish-language versions will be published later in March. Applications can be submitted to the Academy’s online services during 1‒29 April 2011. Some international calls have different deadlines and these are indicated in the call for applications.

Studies on cancer genes and classical geometry winners in 2010 science competition for senior secondary students

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2011-04-07T09:54:42+03:00

Viksu winners 2010 announced: Studies on cancer genes and classical geometry winners in 2010 science competition for senior secondary students 7 th April, 2011 The winners of the Academy of Finland’s science competition for senior secondary students (known simply as Viksu) have been announced. The 1 st prize in Viksu’s national category went to Sakke Suomalainen (Helsingin matematiikkalukio) fo...

Academy funding continued to increase

Vesa Varpula — 2011-04-01T10:57:55+03:00

In 2010, the total value of Academy of Finland funding decisions came to EUR 324 million, up a strong 7 per cent from 2009, when the disposable funding stood at EUR 304.2 million. The value of all applications received by the Academy in 2010 was EUR 1.4 billion, compared to EUR 1.6 billion in 2009. Funding could only be granted to applications that received the highest ratings in peer reviews.

Children of women who smoked during pregnancy at increased risk of becoming smokers

aila pirinen — 2011-03-21T10:24:27+02:00

Children of women who smoked during pregnancy at increased risk of becoming smokers

New research has revealed that prenatal exposure to nicotine increases the vulnerability to nicotine self-administration in adolescent mice. The results support the hypothesis that adolescents with prenatal nicotine exposure are more likely to start smoking earlier than their peers and that they are also more susceptible to the addictive effects of nicotine, especially as a result of stress and peer pressure. The study performed with mice is part of a project researching the behavioural and molecular mechanisms of nicotine addiction. The research project was carried out under the Academy of Finland’s Research Programme on Substance Use and Addictions.

The key observation made by the Finnish and Russian researchers in the project was that adding nicotine to the drinking water of pregnant mice led to differences between the control and nicotine-exposed offspring in terms of nicotine self-administration. Treating the dams with nicotine during the prenatal period increased the frequency of self-administration in the offspring compared to the control group, even at lower doses.

The study also examined the receptor-level combined effects of opioids (morphine and morphine-related compounds) and nicotine. A receptor is a human protein to which endogenous and exogenous compounds bind. Once the receptors are activated, they trigger a number of intracellular signals. The compounds that bind to a receptor may also alter or turn off the receptor signalling. The present study was conducted using cell lines that express different subtypes of nicotinic receptors. Nicotine attaches to these receptors and activates them.

The results of the research project show that morphine and its related compounds, which normally attach to their own receptors, also bind to nicotinic receptors, causing altered nicotine responses. This provides a possible explanation for the common concurrent use of nicotine and other substances. The results may also pave the way for the development of new medication used to treat both smoking and drug addiction.

The study was conducted as a joint Finnish-Russian project between the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Helsinki, the Saint Petersburg Pavlov Medical University and Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry in Moscow. The project was a concrete example of how people, research and knowledge can transcend national and cultural boundaries. The Finnish part of the project received funding from the Academy of Finland.

New targeted drug helps smokers stub it out

aila pirinen — 2011-03-17T15:51:18+02:00

Researchers working in a research project within the Academy of Finland’s Research Programme on Substance Use and Addictions have been developing a targeted drug that could aid in smoking reduction therapy. The new drug slows down the metabolism of nicotine, which would help smokers to cut down their smoking.

Smoking initiation at a young age tied to greater risk of illicit drug use

aila pirinen — 2011-03-22T16:26:23+02:00

Young people who start smoking at an early age have a much higher risk of starting to use cannabis by the time they turn 17. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of starting to smoke include externalising problem behaviours such as impulsiveness. Smoking, in turn, is a significant risk factor for cannabis use. These results have been confirmed in a project researching smoking at an early age and externalising behaviour as predictors of drug use.

Six different pathways to adulthood

aila pirinen — 2011-03-01T12:10:24+02:00

Only in very few life phases do individuals face as many life transitions in such a short time as young adults at the age of 19‒30. The transition from adolescence to adulthood is characterised by frequent changes in status or social roles, such as leaving the parental home, starting a career, entering into working life, forming a partnership and becoming a parent.

Social optimism during studies supports school-to-work transition

aila pirinen — 2011-02-28T11:16:43+02:00

Students’ social skills and behaviour in social situations during their university studies contribute to their success in the transition to work. The social strategies adopted during university studies also have an impact on work commitment and early-career coping with working life.

Fingerprints of a gold cluster revealed

aila pirinen — 2011-02-25T15:05:09+02:00

Nanometre-scale gold particles are currently intensively investigated for possible applications in catalysis, sensing, photonics, biolabelling, drug carriers and molecular electronics. The particles are prepared in a solution from gold salts and their reactive gold cores can be stabilised with various organic ligands.

Researchers found out how brain cells control their movement to form the cerebral cortex

aila pirinen — 2011-02-25T11:07:22+02:00

A study led by Academy Research Fellow Eleanor Coffey identifies new players that "put the brakes on". They show in mice that lack the "star player" enzyme JNK1, that newborn neurons spend less time in the multipolar stage, which is when the cells prepare for subsequent expedition, possibly choosing the route to be taken.

Mediaeval Baltic Sea severely affected by oxygen depletion

aila pirinen — 2011-02-15T10:30:45+02:00

Go back a thousand years, and you would find the sea surface temperature of the Baltic Sea slightly warmer and the oxygen depletion much wider spread than it is today. These are some of the preliminary findings of the international INFLOW research project within BONUS, the joint Baltic Sea Research and Development Programme. The Academy of Finland is the Finnish funding agency participating in BONUS.

Finnish chemistry research scores high marks

aila pirinen — 2011-02-07T10:38:07+02:00

Chemistry research in Finland is of a very high standard, with some research units placed at the international cutting edge of their respective subfields of chemistry. The research conducted by the units covers all significant aspects of chemistry and caters well to the Finnish chemical industry. These are among the findings of an international panel of experts, commissioned by the Academy of Finland to evaluate the level of Finnish research in the field of chemistry. The panel’s report was published today.

Academy opens April call within thematic areas of Strategic Centres

aila pirinen — 2011-02-16T10:10:58+02:00

The Academy of Finland will open a call for researchers within the thematic areas of the Strategic Centres for Science, Technology and Innovation (known in Finnish under the abbreviation SHOK). Funding available for this call comes to EUR 5 million for 2012–2014.

NEURO accelerated careers of junior researchers

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2011-02-02T11:06:57+02:00

The Academy of Finland’s Research Programme on Neuroscience (NEURO) encouraged researchers involved in the programme to active international cooperation, stimulated mobility and established new forms of research collaboration. The programme also provided positions for doctoral- and postdoctoral-level researchers and supported the career development of junior researchers. These are among the key findings of the NEURO evaluation report.

Research infrastructures receive substantial funding

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2011-02-02T11:15:57+02:00

The Academy of Finland has provided some EUR 26 million in funding for research infrastructures. Research infrastructures constitute a pool of research tools, equipment, datasets and services that facilitate and promote research and development. The projects to be funded are large-scale facilities prioritised and regarded scientifically significant by universities and research institutes.

Academy of Finland’s five-country comparison reveals:

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2011-01-10T10:47:41+02:00

The Academy of Finland has reviewed the research- and science-policy measures carried out in the 2000s by five countries (Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland) comparable with Finland. The study shows that these countries have been successful in their research efforts because they have throughout the 2000s actively and consistently developed the preconditions and instruments for their research. Finland is one of these countries but does not play a leading role and is not a model country in this respect.

Neuroscientist, Academy Professor Riitta Hari new Academician of Science

Marjo Aaltomaa — 2011-01-12T10:12:01+02:00

Academy Professor Riitta Hari will become Academician of Science. The President of the Republic Tarja Halonen granted her the honorary title of Academician at the presidential session today, 26 November. The letter of appointment will be presented to the new Academician by the President of the Republic in Helsinki on 29 November 2010.