Laura Kakkola profile picture

Laura
Kakkola

Laboratory Manager, Institute of Biomedicine
Docent, Institute of Biomedicine
Adjunct Professor, Bioturvapäällikkö/Biosafety Officer

Contact

+358 29 450 4555
+358 46 921 4211
Kiinamyllynkatu 10
20520
Turku

Links

ORCID

Areas of expertise

virology
immunology
infection
zoonoses
biosafety

Biography

I am a researcher with the cell biologist's background interested in intra-cellular events on infection, immunological responses (innate and adaptive), effect of host genetics in infectious diseases, and viruses' counteractions on these - including emerging pathogens, virus surveillance and diagnostics. I act as a Biosafety Officer at the Institute of Biomedicine and my responsibilities are to coordinate, supervise and educate laboratory work with infectious pathogens (viruses and bacteria). I am a Laboratory Manager in the Research Center Infections and Immunity, I teach on university courses, supervise MSc and PhD students, and conduct independent research.

Teaching

I have taken the course on Medical pedagogics. I am co-supervising MSc and PhD students, and am a member of thesis committees for PhD students. I have given lectures and taught on laboratory courses at the university level.

Research

My research interests are on virus-host interactions, how viruses interfere with immune responses, and could these events be utilized in vaccine, antiviral drug or diagnostic test development. At the moment I am working with coronaviruses, influenza viruses, filoviruses and flaviviruses.

Publications

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Influenza A(H5N8) vaccine induces humoral and cell-mediated immunity against highly pathogenic avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) viruses in at-risk individuals (2025)

Nature Microbiology
Liedes, Oona; Reinholm, Arttu; Ekström, Nina; Haveri, Anu; Solastie, Anna; Vara, Saimi; Rijnink, Willemijn F.; Bestebroer, Theo M.; Richard, Mathilde; de Vries, Rory D.; Jalkanen, Pinja; Lindh, Erika; Ikonen, Niina; Grifoni, Alba; Sette, Alessandro; Laaksonen, Terhi; Holopainen, Riikka; Kakkola, Laura; Lappalainen, Maija; Syrjänen, Ritva K.; Kolehmainen, Pekka; Julkunen, Ilkka; Nohynek, Hanna; Melin, Merit
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä )

Long-term neutralization capacity of vaccine and breakthrough infection induced SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies against omicron subvariants BA.2, XBB.1.5, and JN.1 (2025)

Vaccine
Reinholm, Arttu; Khan, Hira; Laakso, Terhi; Maljanen, Sari; Jalkanen, Pinja; Gunell, Marianne; Kallonen, Teemu; Österlund, Pamela; Ritvos, Olli; Nousiainen, Arttu; Häkkinen, Hanni K.; Pakkanen, Sari H.; Välimaa, Hanna; Kantele, Anu; Lempainen, Johanna; Julkunen, Ilkka; Kolehmainen, Pekka; Kakkola, Laura
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä )

Long-term COVID-19 vaccine- and Omicron infection-induced humoral and cell-mediated immunity (2024)

Frontiers in Immunology
Belik, Milja; Reinholm, Arttu; Kolehmainen, Pekka; Heroum, Jemna; Maljanen, Sari; Altan, Eda; Österlund, Pamela; Laine, Larissa; Ritvos, Olli; Pasternack, Arja; Naves, Rauno A.; Iakubovskaia, Alina; Barkoff, Alex-Mikael; He, Qiushui; Lempainen, Johanna; Tähtinen, Paula A.; Ivaska, Lauri; Jalkanen, Pinja; Julkunen, Ilkka; Kakkola, Laura
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä )

The comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 ‘hijackome’ knowledge base (2024)

Cell Discovery
Huuskonen, Sini; Liu, Xiaonan; Pöhner, Ina; Redchuk, Taras; Salokas, Kari; Lundberg, Rickard; Maljanen, Sari; Belik, Milja; Reinholm, Arttu; Kolehmainen, Pekka; Tuhkala, Antti; Tripathi, Garima; Laine, Pia; Belanov, Sergei; Auvinen, Petri; Vartiainen, Maria; Keskitalo, Salla; Österlund, Pamela; Laine, Larissa; Poso, Antti; Julkunen, Ilkka; Kakkola, Laura; Varjosalo, Markku
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä )
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