Short-term Scientific Mission at University of Eastern Finland

From August 25th to 29th, 2025, our bioinformatician, Christina Morgenstern, undertook a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) in Kuopio, Finland. The visit was hosted by the Cellular Neurobiology Lab at the A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, and supported by the COST Action BenBedPhar (CA20121).

The mission aimed to develop and apply computational techniques to identify novel biomarkers in chronic rhinosinusitis. During her stay, Christina worked closely with the team of Prof. Katja Kanninen, where she gained hands-on experience in standardized metabolomics protocols and advanced data analysis workflows. She also participated in dedicated bioinformatics sessions with Aino-Kaisa Piironen, which were instrumental in establishing a computational pipeline for analyzing nasal samples.

Although the study was a pilot with a limited sample size, it yielded promising preliminary results and successfully initiated a framework for continued collaboration. Beyond the lab, Christina enjoyed exploring the natural beauty of Kuopio - its lakes and forests providing a memorable backdrop to a productive scientific visit.

This STSM marks an important step toward long-term cooperation in respiratory biomarker research and potential future joint projects.