Research project: FORK- Fraud-Free Food and Regulatory Know-How, funded by the Academy of Finland and UEF 2019-2023
How can consumers be sure that they eat what they think they eat? The FORK project responds to the trends of power consumerism, personalized nutrition services and digitalization of food commerce by developing better regulation for a modified food chain.
International partner: Fighting Food Frauds regarding Foods with Intentionally Added Pharmaceutical Products, funded by the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation, 2019-2022. The FFF-project aims to identify patterns of food fraud and seek solutions by examining experiences of other jurisdictions. Economically motivated food adulteration adding pharmaceuticals in foods as Chinese traditional medicine is a growing issue in food manufacturing largely contributing to food safety problems in China.
Book project: K Lindroos, L Montagnani and K Klafkowska Wasniowska: Freedom and Responsibility of Online Platforms, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019-2021.European values include upholding free movement in the single market, while ensuring responsibility and accountability in the digital single market. All regulators face the same dilemma: how to strike a balance between these values structuring the role of platforms in preserving fundamental values.
Book project: K Lindroos, L Tammenlehto: Moderni immateriaalioikeus ja alustatalouden innovaatiot, Talentum Publishing 2019-2020.
My current research concentrates on costs, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of health and social services provided for old people, economics of ageing, and the markets for health and social care and pharmaceuticals.
Tatu got his PhD in Pharmacy from University of Helsinki in 2016. He works on drug delivery to challenging target sites, for example posterior segment of the eye, tumors and central nervous system. Tatu has diverse international research background through working in Santen Pharmaceuticals in Japan as well as Kyoto University and Tokyo University of Pharmacy & Life Sciences. The current focus of his research is the utilization of nanoparticle drug delivery systems for targeted treatment of diseases with biomacromolecules. With the help of his international network of collaborators, the work continues to progress the field towards better medications. Tatu received in 2025 a Title of Docent in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology in UEF.
Professor Lehto received his M.Sc. in 1993, Lic.Phil. in 1996, and Ph.D. in 1999 from the Department of Physics at the University of Turku, Finland. From 2004 to 2008, he led a research group at the same institution. Since 2008, he has served as a full professor of materials physics at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). In addition to his academic roles, he worked as a Senior Scientist in the Discovery Group at Focus Inhalation Ltd. during 2002–2003. He is also the co-founder and Chairman of the Board of 3AWater Oy.
His research focuses on the development of silicon-based nanostructured materials for three key applications: (i) multifunctional drug delivery systems, (ii) anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, and (iii) adsorbents for metal ions, particularly in dilute aqueous solutions. He has a strong background in the physicochemical characterization of inorganic nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals, and disordered materials. He leads the Pharmaceutical Physics Research Group, comprising approximately 20 researchers in the Department of Technical Physics at UEF.
Professor Lehto has authored over 230 peer-reviewed publications. His work has been cited more than 8,000 times, with an h-index of 49 (Web of Science).
