A male scientist wearing a white lab coat, blue gloves, and glasses is working in a laboratory under a protective hood. He is handling test tubes and containers with liquid samples, with laboratory equipment and reflections visible on the glass surface.

About Us

Folkhälsan Research Center is an internationally recognized institution specializing in biomedical and health science research, with dedicated programs in genetics and public health.

Our research

The projects within the Public Health Research Program focus upon major public health problems. These include projects focusing upon health and disease from a life course perspective as well as projects on health promotion and in social gerontology. Furthermore, risk factors for overweight and obesity are studied in a cohort of healthy teenagers.

Research in the Genetics Research Program involves projects on several rare genetic disorders and on genetic and lifestyle risk factors in diabetes and diabetic complications.

The goal of our research is to discover how genes, lifestyle habits, and other factors can influence diseases, health, and well-being. This information can be used to prevent and treat diseases, as well as to promote health and well-being.

Situated within Biomedicum Helsinki at the University of Helsinki's medical campus and Folkhälsan's main building, the center employs approximately 200 researchers and experts. In 2024, the center's funding was EUR 9.78 M, with external financing accounting for 44%.

A group of four people is engaged in a discussion around a table in a modern meeting room, with a woman wearing a red headscarf gesturing while speaking. The other participants, including a man in glasses and a woman with long brown hair, are attentively listening, with laptops, coffee mugs, and scientific artwork on the walls in the background.

Read more about our activities in 2024

In our annual report, you will find highlight articles, complete lists of publications, and key figures for the year 2024.

Find out more

The Board of the Research Center is responsible for coordinating the overall activities within the Center.

Board Members:
Tom Böhling (Chair)
Christel Gripenberg-Lerche (Vice Chair)
Kristian Wahlbeck
Anna Hellerstedt

Secretary: Michael von Boguslawski
Presenter: Anna-Elina Lehesjoki

Presence right:
Johan Eriksson
Siv Sandberg

The Operational Board of the Center supports the Director of the Center in coordinating the research programs and in promoting their collaboration.

Board Members:
Anna-Elina-Lehesjoki (Chair)
Michael von Boguslawski
Outi Elomaa
Tuija Mikkola
Markku Lehto
Eva Roos
Niina Sandholm
Marco Savarese
Heli Viljakainen
Jaana Welin-Haapamäki (Secretary)

Presence right:
Heidi Furu

Folkhälsan Research Center is part of Samfundet Folkhälsan i svenska Finland rf. The Research Center is financed partly by Samfundet Folkhälsan's own funds and support from the Folkhälsan Research Foundation, and partly by external grants.

Director: Anna-Elina Lehesjoki
Administrative Manager: Michael von Boguslawski
Compliance Expert, Research Integrity Adviser: Outi Elomaa
Science Communicator: Heidi FuruExecutive Assistant: Jaana Welin-Haapamäki
Planner: Carina Brandstetter

Nina Forss and Sebastian Oey from Samfundet Folkhälsan's finance department are responsible for the financial administration of the Research Center.

Director: Markku Lehto
Laboratory Manager: Ann-Liz Träskelin

The Center has close collaboration with the University of Helsinki, which is based on a mutual cooperation agreement since 1996. Many of the Group Leaders in the Center are professors at the University of Helsinki.

Six research groups are affiliated with the Research Programs of the Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki for the period 2019–2026:

groups led by Professor Mäkitie, Adjunct Professor Sandholm, and Adjunct Professor Tuomi within the Clinical and Molecular Metabolism Research Program, and
groups led by Professor Kere and Adjunct Professor Kallijärvi within the Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, and
the group led by Saavalainen within the Translational Immunology Program.

You can find the presentation here

Ossian Schauman, one of the founders and the first chairman of Folkhälsan, and his wife Betsy left in their will almost their entire property to "establish and maintain a Swedish institute for theoretical and applied genetic research". The Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics was founded in 1962. The first two decades it operated in close cooperation with the Medical Research Institute Minerva, later also with the Department of Medical Genetics of the University of Helsinki.

In 1990s Folkhälsan decided to broaden its research activities to encompass also public health related research. The Folkhälsan Research Center was founded in 1994, and in 1997 the Center moved to its own premises in the Folkhälsan Senior House at Mannerheimintie 97.

Since 2001 genetics research and the administration of the Research Center are located in Biomedicum Helsinki. The public health research groups work in Folkhälsan's main building on Topeliuksenkatu 20.

Contact us

Anna-Elina Lehesjoki

Director, Group Leader

+358 50 505 8894

Jaana Welin-Haapamäki

Executive Assistant

+358 50 539 5194