The Turku Immunology Centre is a joint centre of the Faculty of Medicine and Turku Bioscience Centre of the University of Turku and the wellbeing services county of Southwest Finland (Varha). The Immunology Centre was established in 2021.

The University of Turku carries out high-quality basic and translational immunological research, whereas Varha, on the other hand, has strong clinical immunological research in the fields of neuroimmunology, rheumatology, dermatology, allergology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, paediatrics, and cancer. In addition, immunological diagnostic research is performed at the Laboratory Division of Turku University Hospital and Turku PET Centre.

The Turku Immunology Centre brings together everyone whose work and interest are in immunology. Closer collaboration between researchers and clinicians in the field of immunology at the University of Turku and Varhaenables the discovery and utilisation of significant new scientific findings.

Activities of the Centre are carried out by the immunological research competence cluster, InFLAMES Research Flagship, during the flagship’s funding period. The flagship is funded by the Academy of Finland’s Flagship Programme. The director of the Turku Immunology Centre is Academician Sirpa Jalkanen, who is also the director of InFLAMES.

Executive Team of the Turku Immunology Centre

Academician Sirpa Jalkanen, University of Turku, MediCity, Chair

Professor Marko Salmi, University of Turku, Institute of Biomedicine 

Professor Juhani Knuuti, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre 

Professor Riitta Lahesmaa, University of Turku, Turku Bioscience Centre  

Professor Laura Airas, University of Turku / Turku University Hospital 

Molecular Immunology Board

The Molecular Immunology Board brings together clinicians and immunologists to discuss challenging inflammatory disease patient cases in Turku University Central Hospital in regular meetings every month.

Members of the Molecular Immunology Board

University of Turku

Professor Marko Salmi, University of Turku, Institute of Biomedicine 

Academician Sirpa Jalkanen, University of Turku, MediCity

Professor Riitta Lahesmaa, University of Turku, Turku Bioscience Centre  

The wellbeing services county of Southwest Finland *also affiliated at the University of Turku

Johanna Lempainen, paediatrics

Heikki Lukkarinen, paediatrics

Leena Kainulainen, immune deficiencies in children and adults

Minna Marttila-Vaara, immune deficiencies in adults

Laura Pirilä, rheumatic diseases in adults

Minna-Maija Grönlund, rheumatic diseases in children

Laura Airas, adult neurology

Tuire Lähdesmäki, paediatric neurology

Kimmo Salminen, adult gastroenterology

Marko Kalliomäki, pediatric gastroenterology

Bell Elenius, pediatric allergology

Jussi Liippo, skin diseases and allergology

Johannes Savolainen, allergology

Arno Hänninen, laboratory immunology

Sirkku Jyrkkiö, oncology

Pirjo Nuutila, endocrinology