My research group, Psychobiology, focuses on characterising how psychological phenomena and the physiology of the human body interact, and discovering new ways to modify these interactions. Our goals are to identify mechanisms for common mental health disorders such as depression, and to use this knowledge to develop and optimise treatments. We work with different populations ranging from healthy volunteers to individuals affected by mental health disorders.
Academic and Professional Degrees
- Special Competence in Medical Education, Finnish Medical Association, Finland, 2013
- Clinical Specialist in Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Finland, 2012
- Ph.D., University of Kuopio, Finland, 2009
- M.D., University of Kuopio, Finland, 2006
Major Positions and Appointments
- Head of Department, Department of Mental Health, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 2025– present
- Professor, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 2020– present
- Research professor, Akershus University Hospital, 2020– present
- Research Director, University of Helsinki, 2018–2020
- Title of Docent in Biological Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, 2017–present
- University Researcher, University of Helsinki, 2016–2017
- Professor in Psychiatry (acting), University of Eastern Finland, 2016
- Visiting academic, University of Oxford, 2014–2015
- Professor in Psychiatry (acting), University of Eastern Finland, 2013–2014
- Clinical lecturer in Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, 2010–2013
- Title of Docent in Experimental Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, 2010– present
Major Positions of Trust
- EU COST Action Management Group Member: Representative for Norway. CA22114 - Maternal Perinatal Stress and Adverse Outcomes in the Offspring: Maximising infants´ development (TREASURE). 2023–2027.
- Associate editor. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. 2019–present.
- The National Committee of Medical Research Ethics in Finland, deputy member, 2018–2022
- Ethics adviser. Horizon 2020 Innovative Training Networks project “ChildBrain: Advancing brain research in children’s developmental neurocognitive disorders" (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Innovative Training Networks (ITN), H2020-MSCA-ITN-2014). 2014–2017.
- Invited grant review panel member for international research funding calls (e.g., European Research Council. ERC Advanced Grant Call). 2013–present
Major Research Interests
- Novel modelling approaches that allow better characterisation of the complex biopsychosocial interactions underlying disease processes in mood disorders.
- Development and optimisation of treatment applications based on novel disease mechanisms identified for mood disorders.
Collaboration
- In order to achieve our goals, my group collaborates with several institutions both nationally and internationally, including the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, King’s College London, University of Bern, University of Kent, University of Tampere and University of Eastern Finland.