The Research Council of Finland has granted a total of 3 million euros of funding to the University of Eastern Finland for nine research and development projects. The Research Council of Finland made the decisions on funding on 5 December 2025.
The 2025 call to strengthen R&D activities and cooperation in wellbeing services counties is aimed at reforming R&D activities in the social welfare and healthcare service system. R&D aims not only at increasing productivity in the health and social services sector, but also at improving the quality of care. The University of Eastern Finland received funding for three projects:
- OPTIMISE – Optimising Performance Through Integrated Management and Information Solutions in Social and Health Ecosystems, Professor Ulla-Mari Kinnunen, 149,709 euros. Further information about the project on website.
- Primary Health Care Research, Development, Innovation and Education and Health Hub: Building Academic Health Center and Promoting Real-Word Effectiveness in Eastern Finland Collaborative Area, Associate Professor Sonja Soininen, 296,091 euros. Further information about the project on website.
- DigiKuulo – A precision medicine digital ecosystem for hearing and related brain health, Professor Alina Solomon, 239,989 euros. Further information about the project on website.
The RCF’s funding for clinical research is aimed at strengthening clinical research and generating new research knowledge to support social welfare and healthcare, disease treatment, diagnostics, prevention, or business activity. In a call for clinical research, University of Eastern Finland received three fundings for two projects:
- Characterizing the impact of sex hormones on immune system development and the sex-specific immune landscape in pediatric leukemia, Professor Merja Heinäniemi, 484,906 euros. Further information about the project on website.
- Improving diagnostics and healthcare: Bridging preclinical findings to clinical utility using idiopathic normal pressure hydro-cephalus as a window to the events of early Alzheimer's disease, Professor Tarja Mikko Hiltunen, 299,687 euros. Further information about the project on website.
- Improving diagnostics and healthcare: Bridging preclinical findings to clinical utility using idiopathic normal pressure hydro-cephalus as a window to the events of early Alzheimer's disease, Professor Tarja Malm, 300,091 euros. Further information about the project on website.
In the 2025 call for research into forest biomass in Finland, the RCF granted a total of 6.6 million euros in funding for seven joint projects involving several parties. The projects develop innovative and sustainable solutions for the versatile utilisation of forest biomass. The University of Eastern Finland received funding for three projects:
- High-value products from forest resources: a cascade pathway to biochar and biopigments for climate and soil, University Lecturer Suvi Kuittinen, 278,535 euros. Further information about the project on website.
- Enhanced Wood Tracing Systems for Sustainable Forestry and Improved Wood Utilization, Professor Mikko Vastaranta, 251,445 euros. Further information about the project on website.
- Unexplored potential of diverse plant metabolites to enhance sustainable bioeconomy and carbon sinks from forest biomasses, Senior Researcher Virpi Virjamo, 231,362 euros. Further information about the project on website.
The 2025 call for applications for funding for research into sustainable energy solutions of the future was a joint call between the Research Council of Finland and Business Finland. The University of Eastern Finland received funding for one project:
- Circular Battery Futures: Recyclable Bio-Based Binders for a Sustainable Lithium-Ion Battery Lifecycle, Associate Professor Haidong Liu, 491,917 euros. Further information about the project on website.
Source: The Research Council of Finland