Minerva Foundation

Minerva Foundation

The Minerva Foundation supports and promotes Finnish research in the field of natural sciences, especially medicine. The major activity is maintenance of the Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research at the Biomedicum Helsinki research center.

News and Forthcoming Events

6/2020 - Funding decisions

SELMA AND MAJA-LISA SELANDER'S FUND FOR RESEARCH IN ODONTOLOGY 2020

From Selma and Maja-Lisa Selander’s fund 16 grants were awarded 2020, in all 119 500 EUR.

SELANDER 2020

MINERVA SCIENTIFIC REPORT 2019 - 60th Anniversary

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4/2020 - Säätiöiden Covid-19 apurahapäätökset

Säätiöiden Covid-19 pooli on tehnyt päätöksensä rahoitettavista hankkeista, joista luettelo ohessa. Poolissa olivat mukana Vainion säätiö, Paulon säätiö, Suomen Lääketieteen säätiö ja Minervasäätiö.

Hakemuksia tuli peräti 180 kappaletta, joka on suuri määrä, kun otetaan huomioon lyhyt hakuaika. Hakemukset olivat erittäin hyviä, joten valinta oli vaikeaa. Painotimme korkean tieteellisen tason lisäksi menossa olevia tai nopeasti aloitettavia hankkeita, joiden tuloksia toivon mukaan voidaan myös hyödyntää nopeasti. Iso osa hankkeista sopii hyvin säätiöiden normaaleihin apurahahakuihin esimerkiksi ensi syksynä.

Kiitos kaikille hakijoille ja myötätuulta hankkeisiinne!

Vapalahti Olli Exploring parameters associated with COVID-19 severity and monitoring spread: clinical sample and data bank. 100 000 EUR (Vainion säätiö)

Paavilainen Ville Identification and production of diagnostic and therapeutic COVID-19 antibodies. 50 000 EUR (Vainion säätiö)

Tammela Päivi Drug repurposing for SARS-CoV-2 with an open high throughput drug screening platform. 100 000 EUR (Vainion säätiö

Carpen Olli COVID-19 – infektion kulkuun vaikuttavien tekijöiden ennustaminen HUSin kattavan tietoaineiston ja biopankin avulla. 100 000 EUR (Vainion säätiö)

Kuure Satu Cyclosporin A as a Covid-19 treatment. 50 000 EUR (Vainion säätiö)

Ripatti Samuli GeneRISK COVID-19 tutkimusprojektin tutkimussuunnitelma. 50 000 EUR (Vainion säätiö)

Sourander Andre Lasten koronavirusepidemiaan liittyvä ahdistuneisuus: kognitiivis-behavioraalisiin menetelmiin perustuvan internet-pohjaisen lyhytintervention tutkimus. 50 000 EUR (Vainion säätiö)

Vaara Suvi COVID-19 tehohoidossa. 100 000 EUR (Paulon säätiö)

Kantele Anu Convalescent plasma therapy in treatment of COVID-19 infection. 100 000 EU (Suomen Lääketieteen säätiö)

Pietiäinen Vilja Multiplexed and miniaturized immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for SARS-CoV2 immunity measurement with AI-assisted image-analysis. 100 000 EUR (Minervasäätiö)

11/2019

MINERVA FOUNDATION’S BROR-AXEL LAMBERG PRIZE IN ENDOCRINOLOGY 2019

The 2019 Bror-Axel Lamberg Prize in Endocrinology was awarded to Professor of Medical Endocrinology Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. The prize is 10.000€ and this was the second time the prize was awarded.

The award ceremony took place on Wednesday, 31 October 2019, on the 71th Annual Meeting of the Finnish Endocrine Society. The director of the of the Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Professor Vesa Olkkonen, delivered the prize.

Professor Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen

The Prize Jurys reasons for the award: “Feldt-Rasmussen has made numerous contributions to endocrinology and thyroidology. Impressively, she is the author or co-author of 429 articles, 373 of them original studies, her main field being thyroidology. Her work relates to virtually every aspect of thyroid disorders and their management. In particular, she has made crucial contributions addressing the measurement of thyroglobulin and the interactions of thyroglobulin antibodies with thyroglobulin measurements. She is one of the most distinguished experts in this field.”

The Minerva Foundation’s Bror-Axel Lamberg Prize in Endocrinology is a 10.000€ prize awarded every other year in the Annual Meeting of the Finnish Endocrine Society. It is awarded to a Scandinavian scientist for innovative, high-quality research in the field of endocrinology. The Finnish Endocrine Society nominates three candidates for the prize from whom the Minerva Foundation selects the winner. The first prize, year 2017, was honored to a Professor of Physiology Jorma Toppari at the University of Turku.

September 23, 2019 - Medix Prize Award Ceremony and Prize Lectures

Biomedicum Helsinki 1, Lecture Hall 2, at 13:15 - 14:30.

MEDIX PRIZE OF THE MINERVA FOUNDATION 2019

MEDIX PRIZES FOR RESEARCH INTO PROSTATE CANCER AND CHILDHOOD-ONSET CARDIOMYOPATHIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OULU AND HELSINKI

The Minerva Foundation’s Medix Prize has been awarded to two research groups.

The research group of Professor Gong-Hong Wei at the University of Oulu, collaborating with the group of genetic predisposition to cancer led by Professor Johanna Schleutker at University of Turku, was recognised for the discovery of the genetic mechanism of aggressive prostate cancer. The research group of Academy Professor Anu Wartiovaara at the University of Helsinki, working in cooperation with the group of paediatric cardiologists headed by Tiina Ojala at Helsinki Children’s Hospital, was awarded for its research into the genetic basis of severe childhood-onset cardiomyopathies. Both prizes are €20,000.

The Minerva Foundation’s Medix Prize is a major annual award for internationally recognised medical research in Finland. The Minerva Foundation celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, and therefore it awarded two prizes instead of the customary one. The award categories were biomedical basic research and research into clinical medicine.

Picture: Professor Gong-Hong Wei’s research group studied the genomics and genetic systems of aggressive prostate cancer. Members of the research group from left at the rear: BSc Arto Alatalo, MSc Jihan Xia, MSc Binjie Luo, PhD Xiayun Yang, MSc Qin Zhang, Professor Gong-Hong Wei, Adjunct Professor Aki Manninen. At the front from left: MSc Nikolaos Giannareas, PhD Karim Ullah, MSc Sara Cruz.

Professor Wei’s research group was recognised for its work in biomedical basic research. The group has discovered a novel molecular-level mechanism to explain why some men are more susceptible to the aggressive form of prostate cancer. The research offers new insights into the risk stratification of aggressive prostate cancer and clinical treatment.

Picture: The research group headed by Academy Professor Anu Wartiovaara studied the genetic background of severe childhood-onset cardiomyopathies. Members of the research group, from left: Docent, Specialist in Paediatric Cardiology Tiina Ojala; MD, PhD, Academy Professor, Chief Medical Officer Anu Wartiovaara; MSc, doctoral student Catalina Vasilescu; MD, Specialist in Paediatric Cardiology Anita Hiippala; Docent, Paediatric Cardiology Chief of Department Jaana Pihkala; MD, PhD, Professor, Head of Tertiary Paediatrics Eero Jokinen; MD PhD Eino Palin.

Academy Professor Wartiovaara’s research group was recognised for its research in clinical medicine. The group has studied the genetic mechanisms of severe childhood-onset cardiomyopathies. The results of its research can be significantly utilised in the making of treatment decisions and the development of therapeutic strategies.

The Medix prize, awarded by the University of Helsinki, was awarded for the 32nd time. The prize is donated to the University of Helsinki by the Minerva Foundation. The Minerva Foundation maintains the Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research at Biomedicum Helsinki.

The prize is awarded annually for excellent Finnish scientific research published as one article during the previous year. The research is to be in the fields of biomedicine or clinical medicine and performed fully or in its essential parts in Finland. The awardee is selected by a committee consisting of representatives from the universities of Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Eastern Finland and Oulu, who are appointed for three years.

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Invitation:
The research groups receive the Medix prizes and give a lecture on 23 September 2019 at 1.15 p.m. Address: Luentosali 2, Biomedicum, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, Finland

Further information on the Medix Prize and the Minerva Foundation:
Professor Vesa Olkkonen, +358 (0)50 411 2297, vesa.olkkonen(at)helsinki.fi
http://minervafoundation.fi

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6/2019 - Funding decisions

SELMA AND MAJA-LISA SELANDER'S FUND FOR RESEARCH IN ODONTOLOGY

From Selma and Maja-Lisa Selander’s fund 14 grants were awarded 2019, in all 95.000 euros.

GRANTS 2019

3/2019 - Minerva Scientific Report

MINERVA SCIENTIFIC REPORT 2018

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