Forum for Nordic Dermato-Venereology Nr 1, 2018 | Page 17

Erna Snellman – Academic Research at the Department of Dermatology and Allergology at Tampere University Hospital and University
of Tampere
thology resident Noora Neitaanmäki, MD, PhD from our group
published her doctoral dissertation considering photodynamic
therapy (PDT) and hyperspectral imaging (14). Doctoral
students Mari Salmivuori, MD, (15) and Janne Räsänen, MD,
continue their research in the field of PDT. Doctoral student
Maria Lagerstedt, MD, has finalized her doctoral studies on
lichen sclerosus and vulvar carcinoma and will defend her
thesis in February 2018 (16). Other ongoing studies in our
clinic are assessing skin cancers treated in our region, Drs
Leea Ylitalo, MD, PhD, and Dr Niina Korhonen, MD, PhD,
being responsible for the project. Post-doctoral researcher Toni
Karppinen, MD, PhD, has recently launched his own research
group within photodermatology.
Atopy and Allergy Research
Research into allergy and atopic diseases has been active in
Tampere due to our distinguished Associate Professor Kristiina
Turjanmaa, who retired some years ago. The present senior
scientist is Dr Taina Hasan, MD, PhD, who has specific ex-
pertise in contact allergy and photosensitivity. The present
Atopic Disease Research Group studies, for example, the as-
sociation between exposure to microbes in childhood and the
development of atopic sensitization and atopic disease. The
research group has access to the clinical data and biological
samples of 3 prospective birth-cohort studies: the Diabetes
Prediction and Prevention (DIPP), the DiabImmune, and
The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young
(TEDDY) studies. Evaluation of microbe exposure is based on
serology and detection of specific microbes by direct PCR, and
on stool microbiome/virome analyses. Dr Laura Korhonen,
MD, from our department is finalizing her PhD work, and Dr
Tiina Palmu has recently started her PhD project under the
supervision of docent Maria Lönnrot, MD, PhD.
Conclusions
Our research community is at its best in research into DH,
wound care, photodermatology, PDT, skin cancers and atopic
diseases. We welcome visitors from the other Nordic countries,
who can contact the group leaders to find out more about
our research.
References
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Forum for Nord Derm Ven 2018, Vol. 23, No. 1
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