Department of Virology

The Department of Virology conducts both basic and applied research, focusing on the molecular biology and immunology of several different viral and chlamydial infections, as well as the pathogenesis of diseases caused by them. The Department is also developing new diagnostic methods for identifying viral diseases, and is investigating the epidemiology of viral diseases at both the population and molecular levels.
Education

Basic education in virology is organised for students of medicine and dentistry, as well as students in the Master’s Degree Programme in Translational Medicine. The Department also organises postgraduate research education for doctoral students and specialising physicians.
Research

The main themes of virological research include

  • zoonotic viruses, particularly those transmitted by rodents and arthropods (e.g., hanta and flaviviruses), as well as their diagnostics, molecular epidemiology, evolution, disease association and pathogenesis
  • pathogenesis and innovative diagnostics of novel DNA virus diseases
  • papillomaviruses and cervical cancer
  • molecular diagnostics and pathogenesis of chlamydia infections
  • molecular interactions between viruses and their host cells, specifically in relation to cell signalling, viral evasion of host defence mechanisms and the effects of micro RNA.

Publications

 
Contact details

Head of de­part­ment

professor Kalle Saksela
kalle.saksela@helsinki.fi
PO Box 21 (Haartmaninkatu 3)
00014 University of Helsinki

Ad­dress

PO Box 21 (Haartmaninkatu 3)
00014 University of Helsinki