Teemu Smura

Teemu Smura is a University Researcher in the Department of Virology at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He serves as a Supervisor for the Doctoral Programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology and collaborates with HUS Chemistry and Microbiology. His research spans virology, molecular diagnostics, and bioinformatics, with a focus on SARS-CoV-2, alphaviruses, enteroviruses, and hantaviruses.

His work in 2025 includes:

• Developing the Lazypipe3 virome analysis pipeline for virus discovery
• Studying SARS-CoV-2 bioaerosol transmission in mink models
• Optimizing RT-qPCR for Sindbis virus detection
• Characterizing novel orbiviruses from Finnish mosquitoes
• Investigating synergistic antiviral drug combinations

Smura actively contributes to genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and viral metagenomics. He participates in EU-funded projects like REFINE, focusing on permafrost thaw risks and zoonotic pathogens. His media contributions include pandemic monitoring and viral sequencing developments.