Keyword: Department of Biology

How can sensitive health data be used responsibly in scientific research or how can artificial intelligence help make breakthroughs in medical research? The ECCB2024 conference brings together current themes in computational biology and international researchers in Turku, Finland. 

Doctoral researcher Nina Cossin-Sevrin studied how stress and unfavourable living conditions affect the metabolic efficiency of birds, and what effects this has on, for example, their growth or reproduction.

Discoveries made when biology meets computational sciences are revolutionising the landscape of life sciences and healthcare. Computational biology and bioinformatics are driving this transformation, helping researchers analyse vast amounts of biological data. European Conference on Computational Biology (ECCB) is Europe’s main event in computational biology and bioinformatics this year, bringing 600–800 experts to Turku, Finland, on 16–20 September 2024.

A recent genetic discovery has revealed that the pale grey plumage of the tawny owl is linked to crucial functions that aid the bird's survival in cold environments. As global temperatures rise, dark brown plumage is likely to become more common in tawny owls living in colder areas.

SYS-LIFE postdoctoral research programme invites applications for 22 postdoctoral researcher positions at the University of Turku, Finland, for a fixed-term period of three years. The first call for applications opened on 5 December and closes on 31 January 2023.

The first Turku Imaging Day will take place in Turku on October 3rd. The day will bring together the imaging community of Turku's universities, which may be unexpectedly large. "Almost 100% of researchers in life sciences use imaging in their work," says Research Manager Pasi Kankaanpää of the Turku Faculty of Medicine.

A Doctoral Researcher Luca Pettinau examined whether the heart performance of fish in fish farms can be enhanced with swimming exercises. Regular swimming exercises with moderate exertion improved the heart performance of the fish, as well as their ability to tolerate higher temperatures. Increasing the strain on adult fish also improved the growth and survival of their offspring.

A new study shows that horses can differentiate between expressions of joy and sadness displayed by humans through facial movements or voice tones. Horses were more attracted by the facial expressions of joy than sadness and seemed more excited by the joyful voices.