Health from Science (TERVA) 2018–2022
TERVA seeks bold, new research initiatives that can reduce health issues related to major public health diseases. The programme highlights the importance of scientific research in solving public health challenges. TERVA involves a new type of collaboration between the Academy and foundations.
The Health from Science (TERVA) Academy Programme is aimed at encouraging researchers to seek bold, new research initiatives that can solve health issues related to major public health diseases. There are still a number of unsolved questions concerning a great many diseases that cause a major burden on quality of life, society and the economy. From the viewpoint of public health, significant breakthroughs often emerge from unexpected results that are firmly based on high-quality basic research and risk-taking.
The programme’s first call for applications in 2017 invited high-risk research designs where the risks were motivated in terms of potentially significant effects on the promotion of public health. The projects were required to involve open-minded approaches at the frontiers of knowledge. A follow-up call targeted at researchers who received funding from the first call was opened in 2020. The aim of the call was to assess the progress made in the research projects as well as the scientific quality, novelty and impact of the research plan drawn up for the new period. The research projects that were the most successful in the review were granted two years' continued funding (2021-2022).
This Academy Programme highlights the importance of scientific research in solving public health challenges. Apart from science renewal and high impact, the programme will also aim at fostering new kinds of collaborations between funding agencies and foundations that support research into diseases. The aim of the cooperation is to achieve a more extensive funding base.
The foundations involved in the programme:
- the Finnish Brain Foundation
- the Foundation for Pediatric Research
- the Finnish Medical Foundation
- the Cancer Foundation
Materials
Projects
Health from Science, follow-up call for consortia 2020
Funding period: 01.01.2021 - 31.12.2022
Project funding: Academy of Finland 3 M€ + foundations 450 000 €
Projects:
Reprogramming of macrophage phenotypes as early predictor of cardiovascular and metabolic disease development (MAP-CAD)
- Merja Heinäniemi, University of Eastern Finland
- Minna Kaikkonen-Määttä, University of Eastern Finland
- Markku Laakso, University of Eastern Finland
- Anne Roivainen, University of Turku
- Tapio Lönnberg, University of Turku
- Pekka Ruusuvuori, Tampere University
Treating dementia by blood brain barrier opening to increase glymphatic clearance (OPEN)
Collaboration with the Finnish Brain Foundation
- Vesa Kiviniemi, Oulu University Hospital
- Kari Alitalo, University of Helsinki
- Lauri Eklund, University of Oulu
- Teemu Myllylä, University of Oulu
Immunoregulation and Therapeutic Precision in Rheumatoid Arthritis (Heal-Art)
- Satu Mustjoki, University of Helsinki
- Laura Elo, University of Turku
- Riitta Lahesmaa, University of Turku
- Harri Lähdesmäki, Aalto University
- Olli Silvennoinen, Tampere University
Individualized treatments for obesity based on tissue mitochondrial biology (MitoPower4WeightLoss)
Collaboration with the Finnish Medical Foundation
- Kirsi Pietiläinen, University of Helsinki
- Jussi Pihlajamäki, University of Eastern Finland
- Eija Pirinen, University of Helsinki
- Kirsi Virtanen, Turku University Hospital
- Anne Juuti, Helsinki University Central Hospital
Rhythms in Infant Brain 2: Wearables for Computational Diagnostics and Mobile Monitoring of Treatment (RIB-2)
Collaboration with the Finnish Brain Foundation and the Foundation for Pediatric Research.
- Sampsa Vanhatalo, University of Helsinki
- Okko Räsänen, University of Tampere
- Leena Haataja, Helsinki University Hospital
- Elina Ilen, Aalto-University
Health from Science Call 2017
Funding period: 1 Jan 2018 - 31 Dec 2020
Total funding: M€ 7 (Academy of Finland) + M€ 1.95 (foundations)
Projects:
Reprogramming of macrophage phenotypes as early predictor of cardiovascular and metabolic disease development (MAP-CAD)
- Merja Heinäniemi, University of Eastern Finland
- Minna Kaikkonen-Määttä, University of Eastern Finland
- Markku Laakso, University of Eastern Finland
- Anne Roivainen, University of Turku
- Tapio Lönnberg, University of Turku
- Pekka Ruusuvuori, Tampere University
Individual variation in response to DNA-damaging anti-cancer drugs (CHEMORESPONSE), Collaboration with the Cancer Foundation
- Liisa Kauppi, University of Helsinki
- Sampsa Hautaniemi, University of Helsinki
- Mikko Niemi, University of Helsinki
- Eija Pirinen, University of Helsinki
- Sakari Hietanen, Turku University Hospital
Treating dementia by blood brain barrier opening to increase glymphatic clearance (OPEN), Collaboration with the Finnish Brain Foundation
- Vesa Kiviniemi, Oulu University Hospital
- Kari Alitalo, University of Helsinki
- Lauri Eklund, University of Oulu
- Teemu Myllylä, University of Oulu
Better health for the next generations: Prevention of metabolic diseases by protecting the male germline epigenome (PROGERM)
- Noora Kotaja, University of Turku
- Eriika Savontaus, University of Turku
- Olli Raitakari, University of Turku
- Hasse Karlsson, University of Turku
Immunoregulation and Therapeutic Precision in Rheumatoid Arthritis (Heal-Art)
- Satu Mustjoki, University of Helsinki
- Laura Elo, University of Turku
- Riitta Lahesmaa, University of Turku
- Harri Lähdesmäki, Aalto University
- Olli Silvennoinen, Tampere University
Individualized treatments for obesity based on adipose tissue mitochondrial biology (MitoPower4WeightLoss)
Collaboration with the Finnish Medical Foundation
- Kirsi Pietiläinen, University of Helsinki
- Jussi Pihlajamäki, University of Eastern Finland
- Eija Pirinen, University of Helsinki
- Kirsi Virtanen, Turku University Hospital
- Anne Juuti, Helsinki University Central Hospital
Rhythms in Infant Brain: Wearables for Computational Diagnostics and Mobile Monitoring of Treatment (RIB)
Collaboration with the Finnish Brain Foundation and the Foundation for Pediatric Research.
- Sampsa Vanhatalo, University of Helsinki
- Andre Sourander, University of Turku
- Kirsi Niinimäki, Aalto University
- Okko Räsänen, Aalto University
Steering group
Steering group (until 31 Dec 2024):
- Per Ashorn, Research Council for Biosciences Health and the Environment (chair)
- Marko Salmi, Research Council for Biosciences Health and the Environment
- Atte Oksanen, Research Council for Culture and Society
- Maria Arvio, the Finnish Brain Foundation
- Juha Hämäläinen, University of Eastern Finland
- Antti Lauerma, the Finnish Medical Foundation
- Päivi Miettinen, the Foundation for Pediatric Research
- Markus Perola, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
- Ursula Schwab, University of Eastern Finland
- Jarmo Wahlfors, the Cancer Foundation
More information
- Sara Illman, Programme Manager, tel. +358 295 335 119
- Heikki Vilen, Programme Manager, tel. +358 295 335 135
- Tiina Neuvonen, Coordinator, tel. +358 295 335 076
Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.
