Carsten Carlberg ([email protected])
The research of Carsten Carlberg is directed to gene regulation and epigenetics by vitamin D.
Over 245 of his publications are listed in the Science Citation Index. These have been cited more than 11,000 times leading to h-index of 58 (Web of Science/Publons). So far he finished the supervision of 13 post-doctoral fellows, 19 doctoral students (18 PhD, 1 MD) and 32 MSc students.
Carsten Carlberg published textbooks on “Mechanisms of Gene Regulation”, “Nutrigenomics”, “Human Epigenomics” and “Cancer Biology”.
Christopher Asquith ([email protected])
Chris Asquith is a Principal Investigator at the School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland (UEF). The Asquith Research Lab focuses on the design, synthesis, and evaluation of small-molecule inhibitors targeting kinases within the understudied human kinome. The lab aims to uncover novel therapeutic opportunities by exploring previously uncharacterized kinase targets and their roles in disease.
Prior to his role at UEF, Chris held a Research Assistant Professor position in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina (UNC), USA. During this time, he was part of the Illuminating the Druggable Genome (IDG) kinase program. He also worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the same department under the supervision of Prof. Gary Johnson, as well as in the School of Pharmacy under the supervision of Prof. Tim Willson within the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC). Chris completed his PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at University College London (UCL), UK, and obtained his BSc and MSc in Chemistry from the University of Southampton, UK.
Epigenomics of vitamin D
Genetic epidemiology and human genomics
Genomics-Informed Nursing
Heinäniemi lab, Systems Genomics
Johnson Lok ([email protected])
Building a Gut Microbiome Engineering Toolbox for In-Situ Therapeutic Treatments for Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (BestTreat) is a program funded by the European Commission which aims to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods for NAFLD based on gut microbiota.
Aim of my study is to investigate the association between the NAFLD progression and alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites. Correlations between metagenomics, metabolomics, imaging data and other prognostic biomarkers for NAFLD are investigated to elucidate the mechanisms behind metabolic benefits conveyed by specific functional strains of the gut microbiota to the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of NAFLD. Metagenomic and metabolomic signatures of specific gut microbiota and metabolites will be used to develop novel microbiome-based disease prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic interventions for NAFLD.
Kirsi Ketola ([email protected])
The Cancer Cell Plasticity research group investigates how prostate cancer cells adopt stem-like, neuroplastic, and neuroendocrine states to drive therapy resistance and disease progression. The group studies how cancer cells transition between cellular states in response to both therapeutic pressure and signals from the tumor microenvironment. These include immune cell–derived factors, neural and neuroendocrine-associated programs, and mechanical cues such as extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness, which actively regulate cancer cell behavior. The research integrates advanced imaging with functional genomics and epigenomics to capture dynamic changes in chromatin state and gene regulation. Genome-wide approaches (RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq) are combined with live-cell high-content imaging, drug screening, and patient-derived models, including organoids and liquid biopsies. Zebrafish metastasis models are further used to study cancer cell dissemination and plasticity in vivo.
Key intrinsic regulators of plasticity have been identified, including transcription factors such as SIX2, which drive stem-like and androgen receptor–independent states through chromatin reprogramming. Key plasticity-associated effectors such as DPYSL5 supports neuroplasticity-associated phenotypes and antiandrogen resistance. In addition, DNA repair pathways, including the Fanconi anemia pathway (FANCI), support therapy resistance. Recent work demonstrates that ECM stiffness directly regulates chromatin accessibility and androgen receptor signaling, with stiff matrices promoting aggressive transcriptional programs associated with poor clinical outcome.
The overall goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers and to develop strategies to prevent or reverse treatment resistance in advanced prostate cancer.
Find Ketola Lab pages: https://uefconnect.uef.fi/en/group/cancer-cell-plasticity-ketola-lab/
Minna Kaikkonen-Määttä ([email protected])
Minna Kaikkonen-Määttä is a Professor of Cardiovascular Genomics and Director of the Single Cell Genomics Core at University of Eastern Finland. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Cellular Biology and Physiology from the Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, France, in 2002 and Master’s degree in Molecular Biology from University of Jyväskylä, Finland, in 2005. She obtained her PhD in Molecular Medicine in 2008. She did her postdoctoral studies at University of California San Diego investigating transcriptional gene regulation and enhancer RNAs (2009-2012) before moving to University of Eastern Finland to establish her own research group. She is the vice head of A.I.Virtanen Institute, President of the Finnish Society of Atherosclerosis and member of the board of European Vascular Biology Organization, Scandinavian Society of Atherosclerosis, and Membership Engagement Committee of the American Society of Human Genetics.