Päivi M Ojala

Päivi M Ojala serves as a Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Medicine. She actively supervises doctoral programs in Integrative Life Science and Biomedicine while leading cutting-edge cancer research initiatives.

Her research spans Cancer Biology, Virology, and Immunotherapy, with specialized focus on viral tumorigenesis, cancer metastasis mechanisms, and CAR T-cell therapy development. Key interests include lymphatic endothelial cell interactions in melanoma metastasis, Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus pathogenesis, and glycosphingolipid-targeted immunotherapies for ovarian carcinoma.

Recent publications reveal strong emphasis on translational immunotherapy, particularly CAR T-cell engineering for solid tumors. Her 2023-2025 work demonstrates expertise in GMP-compliant manufacturing, novel CAR spacer design, and targeting metastasis-promoting molecular axes like DLL4/Notch3/WNT5B.

Current projects include:

• Syöpäsäätiö-funded cancer research (2024-2025)
• Veripalvelu collaborations on CAR T-cell development (2023-2024)
• Gertrude Biomedical partnership for translational oncology

As supervisor for doctoral programmes and frequent thesis pre-examiner/opponent, she actively shapes next-generation researchers. Her 49 documented academic activities include international collaborations with Imperial College London and extensive peer review contributions.