In the modern society, universities have an important role as catalysts for social well-being and the economy. At the same time, digital technologies and information change the ways how research is conducted. Open and available information and technology invites universities to rethink their societal role and create new ways for open collaboration.
Aalto-1 has successfully cleared the difficulties it has faced in orbit. The largest amount of research data has been provided by the RADMON radiation monitor carried by the satellite.
Despite the fact that the shared history of cats and humans is quite long, there has been very little research on cats. Professor of European and World History at the University of Turku Taina Syrjämaa has tackled this issue and, in her research, she sheds light on cats’ lives in Finland in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Although the times have changed since then, the relationship between cat and human is also greatly characterised by continuity and similarity. Already in the 19th century, cats were often considered family members.
Several international top conferences will be organised in Turku in the next few years. In collaboration with the City of Turku, the University of Turku will be hosting scientific conferences in different topics, such as plant biology and entrepreneurship.
T helper 17 (Th17) cells belong to a group of T cells with essential functions in autoimmune diseases and inflammation. Regulatory T cells (iTregs) are T cells with a suppressive function to maintain self-tolerance and prevent autoimmune responses. Researchers from Turku Centre for Biotechnology and Aalto University together utilised the advanced technology called label-free quantitative proteomics to identify the proteomes of Th17 and iTreg cells.
The new multidisciplinary research project of the University of Turku, which focuses on the utilisation of big data in territorial policy development, is part of the ESPON research programme. The project is coordinated by the Centre for Collaborative Research of the School of Economics.
The importance of the human brown adipose tissue (BAT) has become clearer during the past ten years. Using functional imaging, positron emission tomography, PET, it was possible to show that adult humans have functional BAT. Coldness is one of the most effective activators of the BAT metabolic function but, in rodents, eating has also been shown to activate BAT. The debate on whether eating has the same effect on humans has lasted for decades. Now, the researchers at Turku PET Centre have proven that having a meal increases oxygen consumption in human BAT to the same extent as coldness.
For the first time, an international team of astronomers have directly imaged the formation and expansion of a fast-moving jet of material ejected when the powerful gravity of a supermassive black hole ripped apart a star that wandered too close to the massive monster.
Transferred to the Department of Future Technologies of the University of Turku, Phonetics and its Learning, Age & Bilingualism (LAB) laboratory have launched two significant international laboratory collaborations in California in the United States.
The small electrodes attached to the head transmit information on brain activity.
How could refugee scientists renew Finnish higher education? Experts from the Finnish National Agency for Education, higher education institutes, and companies discussed the topic in a seminar open for everyone at the University of Turku on Thursday 7 June.
Erkki Sutinen from the Department of Future Technologies hosted the seminar.