Foundation | TYKS-säätiö

Health through research

The non-profit foundation supports, promotes and maintains research in clinical medicine and other university-level health sciences in Turku University Hospital and its area of influence.

For researchers

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Foundation

Awards work and travel scholarships annually.
Provides working facilities to 18 researchers in the vicinity of TYKS.
Grants an award of merit of € 15,000 to a distinguished researcher in medical or health sciences.
Awards of merit have been granted to Jorma Viikari, Professor of Internal Medicine (2008), Olli Simell, Professor of Paediatrics (2012), André Sourander, Professor of Paediatric Psychiatry (2020) and Olli Ruuskanen, Professor of Infectious Diseases (2022).

What is currently researched

In clinical research, the aim is always to improve the patient’s treatment.

Clinical research:

Improves disease prevention.
Develops diagnostics, or detection, of diseases.
Produces better and more effective treatments.
Reduces care costs.

Many diseases are studied in TYKS. Key topics include:

Development of allergies
Infectious diseases
Prematurity
Diabetes
Mental health
Cardiovascular diseases
Cancer treatment

Board of the TYKS Foundation

Mari Lahti
D.H.Sc., post doc, Principal Lecturer, Turku University of Applied Sciences

Johanna Lempainen
Docent, Chief of Department, Turku University Hospital

Terhi Mäki
LL.M., Head of Administration, Rausanne Oy

Olli-Pekka Saario
LL.B., Finnish honorary title of kauppaneuvos

Sanna Salanterä
Professor of Clinical Nursing, University of Turku

Jari-Pekka Tuominen
LL.M., Administrative Director, Hospital District of Southwest Finland

Mikko Pietilä, Chair
Docent, Director of Hospital District (Deputy), The well-being services county of Southwest Finland

Researcher stories

Writing a doctoral dissertation on neonatal oxygen deficiency while completing a medical degree

Niina Viitaharju, a fifth-year medical student, spun her advanced studies topic on neonatal oxygen deficiency into a doctoral dissertation project. Since 2023, she has worked for a clinical research programme on the topic in Turku. At the moment, her Lic. Med. degree and part of her dissertation work is set to be completed by spring–summer

Taru Garthwaite, PhD, received funding for a conference trip in sports medicine

Taru Garthwaite’s doctoral dissertation in clinical physiology and nuclear medicine was examined at the University of Turku in September 2024. In July 2024, she presented her research at the 29th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science in Glasgow. The TYKS Foundation enabled her participation with a travel grant.

More physical activity and mobility is needed in 24-hour care of older adults

“We in Finland have made shockingly low investments in caring for older adults. We are leaving older generations behind as we tear down our care services for older adults and make our care criteria increasingly stringent,” says Noora Narsakka, MSc (Public Health), who, in her doctoral dissertation on nursing, examines how physical activity and mobility

Artificial intelligence for developing clinical decision-making support systems

The development of modern-day health care is increasingly multidisciplinary, involving not only traditional medicine, nursing science and laboratory fields but also, for example, computing scientists and other natural scientists in joint technology projects. Akseli Reunamo graduated with a master’s degree in Biology, from Physiology and Genetics line, from the University of Turku, in 2022. At