Janek Urvik

Janek Urvik is currently a Lecturer in Medical Biology at the University of Tartu, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine. He previously served as an Assistant in Human Biology at the same institution from September 2020 to January 2023. His academic career also includes work as a guide at the University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden.

Dr. Urvik earned his Doctoral Degree in 2018 from the University of Tartu, Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, with a dissertation titled "Multidimensionality of aging in a long-lived seabird" supervised by Tuul Sepp and Peeter Hõrak. He completed two Master's degrees: one in 2020 on "Investigating students' knowledge about climate change" supervised by Miia Rannikmäe, and another in 2014 on "Variation in the markers of oxidative stress in the common gull (Larus canus): associations with age and mortality" supervised by Tuul Sepp.

Dr. Urvik's research focuses on ecological and physiological aspects of aging, particularly in seabirds. His work intersects ecology, physiology, and evolutionary biology, with a special emphasis on understanding the multidimensional nature of aging processes in wild populations. He has made significant contributions to understanding how various biomarkers of aging, such as telomeres and oxidative stress markers, relate to longevity in long-lived species. His research often employs the common gull (Larus canus) as a model organism to explore questions related to life history theory, maternal investment, and the evolutionary ecology of aging.

His publication record from 2015-2022 shows a consistent focus on aging, longevity, and seabird ecology. His work spans molecular ecology, physiological measurements, and behavioral observations, demonstrating an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complex processes of aging in natural populations. A notable trend in his research is the examination of multiple biomarkers simultaneously to gain a more comprehensive understanding of aging processes, moving beyond single-marker approaches that have dominated previous research.

Dr. Urvik is involved in significant research projects including "Age-Related Changes in T Cells" (2024-2028) funded by the Estonian Research Council with 540,000 EUR, where he works under Principal Investigator Pärt Peterson. He was also part of the "Central immune tolerance" project (2019-2023) funded with 1,241,375 EUR, and the earlier "Physiological behavioral ecology" project (2009-2014) funded with 785,858 EUR. These projects demonstrate his transition from ecological and evolutionary research toward more medically-oriented immunological research in recent years.