Tarja Malm

Tarja Malm is a Professor at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), affiliated with the A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences under the Faculty of Health Sciences. She leads the Neuroinflammation research group, focusing on understanding microglial dysfunctions in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Her work integrates molecular biology, environmental toxicology, and computational approaches to explore mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.

Key research interests include the role of extracellular vesicles, epigenetic regulation, and environmental factors (e.g., air pollution) in disease progression. She has contributed to identifying therapeutic targets, such as endocannabinoid system modulation and genetic variants like PLCγ2-P522R, which influence microglial activity. Her projects, including MINERVA and Neuro-Innovation, address translational research challenges in neurodegenerative diseases.

Recent publications highlight her work on air pollution-induced neurotoxicity, molecular mechanisms of protein aggregation, and AI-driven image analysis for neuronal structures. Despite extensive research output, no specific scientific awards are mentioned. Malm collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, including projects on microglia modeling and environmental health impacts. Her lab is part of broader initiatives like the TUBE Project, investigating ultrafine particle effects on brain health.