Patrick Rinke serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University, Finland. His research bridges theoretical physics, materials science, and computational methodologies with a strong focus on machine learning applications. His computational work spans electronic structure theory, materials design, and atmospheric chemistry. Rinke's research integrates Bayesian optimization, active learning, and high-throughput computational screening to accelerate materials discovery, particularly in hybrid perovskites, catalysts, and biomaterials. Recent work demonstrates machine learning's transformative potential in predicting molecular properties, optimizing materials functionality, and solving complex physical chemistry problems. His scientific contributions have been recognized with multiple awards: Thesis Prize from the Institute of Physics (2003) DFG Research Scholarship (2007-2009) Outstanding Postdoctoral Achievement Award (2009) Outstanding Referee of Physical Review Letters (2014) August-Wilhelm Scheer Visiting Professorship (2017)
Senior Lecturer Outi Salo-Ahen is affiliated with Åbo Akademi University's Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering , Department of Pharmacy. Her research focuses on computational pharmacology, drug design, and pharmaceutical chemistry, particularly targeting chemokine receptors (CCR5/CXCR4) and transient receptor potential channels (TRPA1) for therapeutic applications. Doctor of Pharmacy (2006, University of Kuopio/UEF) MSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (2001, UEF) BSc in Pharmacy (1999, UEF) University Pedagogy Modules 1-5 (2012-2015) Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through education and pharmaceutical innovation . Recent research trends include: Antimicrobial resistance solutions TRPA1 channel modulation Nanotechnology-enabled drug delivery Multi-target HIV-1 inhibitors 3D printing of biocompatible materials Computational analysis of nucleic acid frameworks She actively supervises doctoral projects, serves on assessment panels, and leads collaborations like Nordic Pharmaceutical Translation and Innovation. Her 60+ publications demonstrate expertise in molecular modeling and drug discovery.
Henrikki Tenkanen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Built Environment at Aalto University, specializing in Geoinformatics. His research focuses on geospatial analysis, urban planning, transportation accessibility, and open data applications for sustainable development. His primary research interests include Geospatial Analysis , Urban Planning , Transportation Accessibility , and Population Dynamics . Tenkanen's work integrates mobile phone data, social media, and open geospatial sources to understand urban environments, accessibility patterns, and carbon emissions. His research contributes significantly to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable cities and communities. Tenkanen's recent publications demonstrate strong trends in high-resolution spatial analysis of urban environments, with particular emphasis on transport equity , carbon emissions mapping , and rural population representation . His work combines advanced geocomputing techniques with practical urban planning applications, often developing open-source tools to enhance reproducibility and accessibility of geospatial research. As an active member of the academic community, Tenkanen serves as a peer reviewer for journals including Big Data & Society and Environment and Planning B, and participates in conference committees such as the International Conference on Location Based Services. His research has garnered significant attention, with multiple publications featured in news outlets and academic platforms. Tenkanen leads several major research projects including Geo-R2LLM (developing geographic large language models), Geoportti (open geospatial infrastructure), MAPICO (mapping commute-related carbon emissions), and LIH: Location Innovation Hub. His work bridges academic research with practical applications for urban planning and sustainable mobility.
Professor Markku Kulmala (University of Helsinki) is a leading expert in atmospheric and environmental physics. As Academician of Finland and double ERC Advanced Grant holder, he leads the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) and ACCC Flagship. With ~1200 publications and a WoS H-index of 124, his work focuses on atmospheric aerosols, climate interactions, and air quality. Academy of Finland grants (2004-2009, 2011-2015) ERC Advanced Grant (2×) ISI Highly Cited Researcher His research team has published 4 groundbreaking studies in Nature and Science , including: Aerosol formation mechanisms Aerosol-cloud-climate interactions Atmosphere-land surface relationships Climate-air quality feedbacks With over 20 PhD/Master's students supervised, recent work includes Arctic aerosol studies ( Elementa 2025), Beijing air quality analysis ( Nature Communications 2025), and climate modeling applications. He has received multiple international awards including the Fuchs Memorial Award and honors from Stockholm and Tartu universities.
Ondrej Krejci is a researcher in the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University, specializing in computational and theoretical approaches to surface science, scanning probe microscopy, and materials discovery. His work bridges advanced simulation techniques with experimental validation. Research interests include: Density Functional Theory (DFT) Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) simulations Molecular adsorption on surfaces X-ray spectroscopy simulations Condensed matter physics Atomic and molecular physics Recent publications highlight trends in machine learning for catalyst discovery, probe-particle model innovations, and on-surface synthesis of novel carbon allotropes and frameworks. Collaborative work spans computational modeling, experimental validation, and instrumentation development.
Miia Mäkelä is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems at Aalto University, specializing in fungal enzyme systems and plant biomass conversion. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of fungal carbon metabolism, particularly in Aspergillus species and white-rot fungi like Dichomitus squalens. Her research interests span fungal carbon metabolism, enzyme technology for biorefinery applications, lignin degradation pathways, and fungal genomics. Dr. Mäkelä's work bridges fundamental fungal physiology with biotechnological applications, particularly in developing efficient enzyme systems for plant biomass conversion. She investigates how fungi adapt their enzyme production to different carbon sources, with emphasis on carbohydrate-active enzymes involved in lignocellulose degradation. Analysis of Dr. Mäkelä's recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a strong focus on fungal metabolism of plant biomass components, particularly sugar transporters, reductases, and dehydrogenases in Aspergillus species. Her work combines genomic, transcriptomic, and biochemical approaches to understand fungal adaptation to different carbon sources, with applications in biorefinery processes. A significant portion of her research explores the complex regulatory networks controlling plant biomass degradation in fungi. Dr. Mäkelä has established extensive collaborations, particularly with Ronald P. de Vries and other international researchers in fungal biotechnology. Her work appears in high-impact journals across microbiology, biotechnology, and biochemistry. Her research group maintains strong focus on both fundamental fungal physiology and practical applications in biorefinery processes. Current work includes enzyme discovery through genomic approaches, metabolic engineering of fungal cell factories, and development of efficient systems for lignocellulose conversion.
Pekka Peljo is an Associate Professor at Aalto University's Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, leading the Physical Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Physics (PhysElectrochemPhys) research group since September 2018. His work focuses on charge transfer mechanisms at solid-liquid interfaces and within solid materials, with a strong emphasis on developing advanced batteries for large-scale energy storage. Education: Master's degree in Engineering and Technology from Helsinki University of Technology His research bridges Electrochemistry and Energy Storage , particularly in Redox Flow Batteries and Hydrogen Production via hydrocarbon electrolysis. Current projects include computational modeling of redox potentials, experimental flow battery designs, and scalable synthesis of cellulose nanocrystals for electrochemical applications. Selected trends from his 75+ publications include Electron Transfer at interfaces, Operando Battery Monitoring , and Sustainable Energy solutions. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for climate action and affordable clean energy. Scientific contributions are recognized through grants from the Academy of Finland, EU Horizon Europe, and strategic funding for projects like CompBat (2020-2023) and H2fromHE (2024-2028). He has presented at international conferences (e.g., ELCAT, Spain, 2011) and hosted collaborations with institutions like EPFL. As Principal Investigator, Peljo leads projects such as PREDICTOR (2024-2028) for high-throughput screening of battery materials and Bi3BoostFlowBat (2025-2026). His group also investigates Hydrogen Production from natural gas and Vitamin B6-based Electrolytes for aqueous batteries.
Fabio Priante is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Chemistry and Materials Science , Aalto University , specializing in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) , Molecular Dynamics (MD) , and Machine Learning . His research focuses on nanoscale surface interactions, particularly in lignocellulosics , chitin interfaces , and ice-water systems . Active in UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to renewable materials and surface science. Key collaborations with RCF Academy Project , HACMAT , and LIBER Sammalkorpi II . Research Trends include: Structure determination of biomolecules on 2D nanomaterials (2025). AFM and MD simulations for hydration layer analysis (2024). Application of machine learning to AFM imaging (2024). Adsorption dynamics of lignocellulosic molecules (2023). Historical work on graphene and MoS2 exfoliation (2017-2021). His work appears in Small , ACS Nano , and Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation , with datasets hosted on Zenodo .
Alex Edwin Bunker is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki. He also holds the Title of Docent in the Department of Chemistry and serves as a University Researcher in the Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences Drug Research Program. Bunker is the Principal Investigator of the Pharmaceutical Biophysics group and supervises doctoral students in the Doctoral Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, the Doctoral Programme in Materials Research and Nanosciences, and the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research. Dr. Bunker shares leadership of the Pharmaceutical Biophysics group with Dr. Tapani Viitala. Their research combines computational methodologies with experimental approaches to develop a mechanistic understanding of interactions between lipid membranes, proteins, and polymers. They study the behavior of these elements in the bloodstream and work on designing safe and efficient drug delivery systems that interact effectively with biological membranes and cells. This collaborative approach leverages the experimental expertise of Dr. Viitala and the computational expertise of Dr. Bunker, creating synergistic insights into bionanovector systems. His research spans multiple disciplines including Pharmacy, Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Nano-technology. Key research areas include molecular dynamics simulations, drug delivery systems, polymer science, and computational biophysics. Dr. Bunker's work often focuses on applying advanced computational techniques to solve pharmaceutical challenges, particularly in understanding how different materials interact at the molecular level for drug delivery applications. Recent publications demonstrate a trend toward integrating machine learning with traditional molecular dynamics simulations to enhance predictive capabilities in drug delivery system design. Dr. Bunker has received the Innoopeli Prize in 2022, recognizing significant contributions to innovation in pharmaceutical research. This prestigious award was shared with a team of researchers for collaborative work that likely relates to his expertise in drug delivery and pharmaceutical biophysics. In terms of academic service, Dr. Bunker has been actively involved in peer review of manuscripts, with 27 instances of manuscript review documented. He has organized and participated in numerous conferences, workshops, and seminars (20 instances), delivered public talks (14 instances), and made academic visits to other institutions (8 instances). His supervisory roles include serving on doctoral thesis committees, acting as an opponent for doctoral dissertations, pre-examining theses, and directly supervising doctoral and Master's students. Dr. Bunker leads the Pharmaceutical Biophysics group, which operates at the intersection of computational and experimental pharmaceutical research. The group's work is highly collaborative, involving partnerships across multiple institutions and disciplines. Their research has practical applications in developing more effective drug delivery systems, with potential impact on pharmaceutical development and therapeutic efficacy.
Tapio Ala-Nissilä is Professor of Physics at Aalto University School of Science, Finland, where he heads the Multiscale Statistical and Quantum Physics (MSP) group. He simultaneously serves as Head of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Professor of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics at Loughborough University, UK, and as Adjunct Professor of Physics at Brown University, USA. His research spans statistical physics, quantum mechanics, and soft matter systems with emphasis on computational approaches. Key interests include complex fluids, nanofluids, polymer translocation, quantum thermodynamics, and open quantum systems. He extensively employs molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo methods, and density functional theory to study nanoscale phenomena in biological, material, and quantum contexts. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal strong interdisciplinary trends across quantum materials, biophysics, and environmental engineering. Work focuses on thermal properties of 2D materials like graphene, protein dynamics in viral systems, novel surface phenomena in liquid-repellent materials, and advanced computational methods for many-body quantum systems. He directs the Multiscale Statistical and Quantum Physics group at Aalto University investigating fundamental quantum and statistical phenomena, and leads the Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical Modelling at Loughborough University fostering cross-departmental collaboration in applied mathematics.
Miguel Caro serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Materials at Aalto University, where his research integrates computational methods with materials science to address complex challenges in atomic-scale modeling and catalytic processes. His primary research domains encompass: Materials Science Computational Chemistry Machine Learning Catalysis Nanomaterials Electrochemistry Amorphous Materials Specializing in the development of machine learning interatomic potentials, Caro focuses on modeling hydrocarbon systems, carbon-based nanomaterials, and electrocatalytic phenomena. His work bridges theoretical simulations with experimental validation, particularly in hydrogen evolution reactions, CO 2 reduction, and thermal transport properties of disordered materials. Recent publications (2023–2025) reveal a cohesive research trajectory centered on machine learning-driven materials discovery. Key contributions include unifying frameworks for carbon material descriptions, anomalous catalytic effects in bimetallic nanoclusters, and advanced methodologies for modeling amorphous systems. His approach consistently combines computational innovation with practical applications in energy conversion and sustainable chemistry. Caro actively contributes to the DAS Group at Aalto University, which pioneers data-driven strategies for materials characterization and design. This collaborative environment supports his interdisciplinary investigations spanning quantum mechanics, machine learning, and experimental materials science. No information regarding student supervision, grant funding, or scientific awards is available in the source material.
Rina Ibragimova is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Aalto University, affiliated with the DAS Group in the Chemistry and Materials domain. Her research focuses on computational materials science, particularly the development and application of machine learning interatomic potentials for modeling hydrocarbons and MXenes. Her work spans surface functionalization, defect analysis, and electronic properties of 2D materials. Recent publications highlight collaborations with leading researchers in the field, emphasizing experiment-driven atomistic modeling and theoretical studies of MXene stability and structure. Key trends in her research include combining spectroscopic data (XPS) with machine learning for precise structure inference, investigating pH-dependent functionalization in MXenes, and exploring electron beam effects on 2D materials. Her publications appear in high-impact journals like ACS Nano , Nature Communications , and Physical Review B .
Andrei Costin serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, where he actively contributes to the Secure Communications Engineering and Signal Processing (SCSP) research group. The SCSP group specializes in signal processing and communication systems, developing innovative methods for network and resource management with security as a foundational principle. His research spans critical cybersecurity frontiers including Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and Extended Reality (XR) ecosystems, where he investigates privacy vulnerabilities, monetization frameworks, and attack vectors for emerging Internet-of-Brains (IoB) systems. Additional focus areas encompass IoT malware evolution, firmware security reproducibility, vulnerability prediction using AI (e.g., ChatGPT for CVE analysis), and cryptographic hardening of critical infrastructure like aviation ADS-B systems and maritime AIS networks. His work bridges neuroscience, communication engineering, and software security to address next-generation threats. Dr. Costin's 2024 publications reveal a cohesive research trajectory toward interdisciplinary security solutions, particularly emphasizing cryptographic implementations (ECDSA) for resource-constrained environments including distress beacons and XR-BCI interfaces. A significant portion of his work addresses practical industrial challenges through SBOM implementation in DevSecOps pipelines and vector database applications for threat intelligence, demonstrating strong industry-research alignment. Scientific Awards: No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials Advising and Grants: While specific student supervision or grant details weren't disclosed, his collaborative publication pattern (10+ co-authored papers in 2024) indicates active research team leadership. His work with COSPAS-SARSAT and aviation/maritime security protocols suggests potential industry partnerships with critical infrastructure stakeholders. Laboratories and Teams: Secure Communications Engineering and Signal Processing (SCSP) Research Group: Focuses on wireless/wired communication security, developing signal processing methodologies for secure network resource management with applications in critical infrastructure protection
Esa Räsänen is a Professor in Physics, specializing in quantum systems and biomedical signal analysis. His research focuses on quantum dots, nonlinear dynamics, and heart rate variability analysis, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals. He has published 158 articles and engaged in 103 academic activities, including journal reviewing and conference presentations. Collaborations span multiple countries, with notable work on artificial graphene and cardiac electrophysiology. His activities include peer review for journals like Physical Review B and conference talks on topics such as branched flow and quantum scars. Research interests bridge quantum physics and cardiovascular medicine, with a focus on theoretical models and clinical applications. Recent work includes studies on anomalous diffusion, bouncing-ball quantum scars, and heart failure detection using ECG data. He contributes to interdisciplinary projects, such as the MI-ECG cohort study on post-myocardial infarction monitoring. His academic engagement includes roles as a reviewer, conference speaker, and opponent in doctoral examinations. Notable activities include contributions to the Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation and collaborations in water quality research. Despite extensive output, no specific grants or awards are explicitly detailed in the provided text.
Erkka Frankberg is an Academy Research Fellow specializing in Materials Science and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on ceramic additive manufacturing, amorphous oxide plasticity, and advanced materials processing. He has contributed to over 27 peer-reviewed publications since 2012, with notable work on vat photopolymerization, supercritical CO₂ extraction for ceramic prints, and computational studies of amorphous oxide behavior. Education includes a Master of Science (Technology) in Materials Technology (Rock Engineering, 2013) and Lower-Degree Level Tertiary Education in Technology (2011). He is a co-founder and executive committee member of the Young Ceramists Network since 2016. Awards include the Young Researcher award (2021), the 2012 Best Diploma Work Recognition, and recognition as Finnish representative in a student speech contest (2015). His research explores cutting-edge topics like room-temperature plasticity in amorphous Al₂O₃ and SiO₂, novel ceramic binder systems, and biomedical applications of 3D-printed scaffolds. He has presented at international conferences, including invited lectures on glass plasticity and participated in media engagements such as radio shows discussing materials innovation.
