Jaakko Pohjoismäki is an expert in cellular and molecular biology as well as in genetics, and he employs methods familiar from biomedicine to study biodiversity phenomena.
”DNA-based methods will be the main way to generate species data in the future.”
Professor of Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics Jaakko Pohjoismäki has his background in biomedicine. He is especially well versed in the function of human cells and tissues, as well as in mouse models. Originally from Tampere, Pohjoismäki completed his Master’s degree in biology at the former University of Joensuu, and his doctoral degree at the Faculty of Medicine in Tampere, specialising in molecular biology.
“My doctoral dissertation focused on mitochondrial DNA maintenance mechanisms in different human tissues,” Pohjoismäki says.
His first postdoc position was in forensic medicine in Tampere, where he continued to work with mitochondria of the human heart. His second postdoc was spent working with genetically modified mice at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Germany.
“In 2012, a fortunate career opportunity as a senior researcher in genetics opened up at the Joensuu Campus of the University of Eastern Finland, and I’m still on that path. Wild animals and the diversity of species have always been a vocation for me, and this can also be seen in my hobbies,” he says.
“At the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, I have been able to combine my professional and personal interests by introducing methods familiar from biomedicine to the study of biodiversity phenomena.”
Mitochondrial biology remains a key area of expertise for Pohjoismäki, and it is also an area where most of his research ambitions lie.
“This is because studying molecular mechanisms inside cells is both difficult and rewarding. Doing this type of research is also expensive, and it progresses very slowly.”
Methods of molecular biology show their full potential only if the species genome is known
Pohjoismäki’s research group is focused on exploring the very fundamental mechanisms of mitochondrial biology – mainly out of curiosity to understand how cells work.
“Of course, discoveries in mitochondrial biology also enhance our understanding of certain diseases in humans,” he says.
Genetics go side by side with molecular biology. They both use the same tools, as the mechanisms behind heritable traits are ultimately molecular biology in nature.
“Having worked with laboratory animals, I was, of course, familiar with traditional genetics. However, when working with wild animals, the most important area of genetics is measuring and understanding genetic variation. For me, this has meant quite a major renewal of research,” Pohjoismäki says.
“As luck would have it, our native hares, the brown hare and the mountain hare, have become key research animals for me on this front. Their hybridisation represents a very interesting natural research design that allows us to study biological differences, speciation mechanisms and adaptation to the environment of the two species.”
While the study of creatures of nature has been largely descriptive, Pohjoismäki’s goal is to make it increasingly experimental by using methods of cellular and molecular biology.
“Already now, we have been able to explain differences in the metabolism of the two species at the level of gene function, which in turn has opened up new perspectives to certain old theories of evolutionary biology.”
Pohjoismäki points out that methods of molecular biology show their full potential only if the genome of the species being studied is known.
“This connection has also inspired me to study genomics, i.e., the content of entire genomes. In recent years, the development of genome sequencing techniques has opened up a vast number of new opportunities, and we are eagerly trying to benefit from them right now.”
“For our research needs, for example, we have compiled very high-quality reference genomes of a Finnish brown hare, and of a mountain hare. The brown hare genome is already available in open access, and the mountain hare genome will be published soon.”
As a third line of research, Pohjoismäki is very enthusiastic about the possibilities of current DNA sequencing methods in investigating and inventorying species diversity. Due to limited resources and natural attrition, expertise in species identification is declining, while at the same time biodiversity loss is accelerating.
“I believe DNA-based methods will be the main way to generate species data in the future. Not only will this enhance our understanding of biodiversity, but it will also benefit the conservation of species,” he says.
The methods of molecular biology and genetics have come to stay in almost all fields of biology.
Jaakko Pohjoismäki
Professor
The new methods offer a wide range of entirely new opportunities to understand living organisms, the populations they form and evolution as a phenomenon.
“They also make the study of nature fascinating, interdisciplinary and challenging. In order to set meaningful research questions, researchers need to have a broad understanding of the mechanisms of nature and organisms,” Pohjoismäki says.
The mastery of basics and laboratory work are being heavily invested in in the academic subject biology. Students and researchers must also be able to use and understand computational methods that are used to analyse large sets of data.
“The biggest educational challenge is that the fields are taking giant leaps forward and the gap between the general upper secondary education syllabus and the skills required in research work is constantly growing. We must make it a priority to ensure sufficient resources both in education and research to support the development of the next generation of researchers.”
“I have a wide range of hobbies related to nature, and nature and its species are a great source of energy for me. Finnish nature and its animals are something I’m very familiar with, from the Åland Islands to Kilpisjärvi, and from Nuorgam to Joutseno. My hobbies with Finnish Spitz breeds and traditional hunting cultures add their own flavour to things,” Jaakko Pohjoismäki says.
Jaakko Pohjoismäki
Professor of Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Eastern Finland, 1 February 2024–
2013 Title of Docent in Molecular Genetics, University of Eastern Finland
2008 PhD, Molecular Biology, University of Tampere
Key roles
2022– Research Director, Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Eastern Finland
2012–2022 Senior Researcher, University of Eastern Finland
2010–2012 Postdoctoral Fellow, Max-Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Germany
2008–2010 Postdoctoral Researcher, Professor Pekka Karhunen’s research group, University of Tampere
Print-quality photos of Jaakko Pohjoismäki: Photo1 and Photo2
