Finnish Biobanks Supporting Neurological Research

Webinar Thu 12th February, 2026 (Zoom) at 14-16 o’clock

The webinar will be recorded and made available to registered participants.

Finnish biobanks offer unique opportunities to advance neurological research and develop new treatments. Join us to learn how biobanks support research and what practical solutions they provide for researchers and healthcare. Talks will be recorded and shared with registered participants.

Topics covered in the webinar:

The role of biobanks in neurological research
Opportunities and services for researchers
Collaboration and future perspectives
Q&A session, opportunity to send questions before the event

Speakers:

Johanna Anttila, Personalized medicine project coordinator, FICAN
Johanna Mäkelä, Director of Research and Services, Finnish Biobanks, FINBB
Ville Leinonen, Professor of Neurosurgery
Joonas Lehikoinen, MD, PhD thesis student

Who should attend?

Researchers, healthcare professionals, students, and anyone interested in neurological research and the opportunities offered by biobanks.

Program

14.00-14.10 – Opening words

Reetta Hinttala, Professor, Oulu Brain and Mind, University of Oulu

14.10-14.20 – Development of the project on personalised medicine in Finland by centers of excellence

Johanna Anttila, Personalized medicine project coordinator, FICAN

14.20-14.45 – Overview of sample collections and step-by-step guidance on obtaining samples from biobanks for your research

Johanna Mäkelä, Director of Research and Services, Finnish Biobanks – FINBB

5 min Break

14.50-15.10 – Using biobank resources in a research project: Normal pressure hydrocephalus / Alzheimer’s disease biobank

Ville Leinonen, Professor, University of Eastern Finland

15.10-15.30 – Using biobank resources in a research project: The confounders in the association between EBV and multiple sclerosis

Joonas Lehikoinen, MD, PhD thesis student, University of Helsinki

15.30-16.00 – Q&A session

Questions can be asked both in English and Finnish, and there is also an option to submit questions in advance during the registration.