Topic: research

On 9 October, ESTCube-2, the satellite developed by Estonian students, finally launched on board the Vega launcher of Arianespace. However, according to current information, the satellite most likely never separated from the launch pod in the nose of the rocket.

The three-minute thesis competition for University of Tartu doctoral students brought together young researchers of many disciplines.

The University of Tartu, in cooperation with the Tallinn University of Technology, have developed a strategy and action plan for developing health technologies and services for 2023–2028. By the end of the decade, the strategy aims to have at least 200 research-intensive companies with international reach operating in this field in Estonia, helping prevent and treat diseases both in Estonia and worldwide.

Experts see digitised cell line development as one of six key deep technologies for Estonia, with a breakthrough expected within the next twenty years. Estonia’s possibilities in this field are mainly linked to pharmaceutical development and personalised medicine, shows the Foresight Centre in its recent brief report “Digitised Cell Line Development: State of Play and Prospects”. The Univeristy of Tartu will offer strong research competence on these fields.

Self-assessment of competences is a tool for doctoral students to self-assess throughout their doctoral studies.

The Teaming centres of excellence in digitalised bioengineering and personalised medicine at the University of Tartu are expected to become lighthouses in the region, attracting the best scientists and bringing change to the innovation landscape nationally and internationally.

On 19 September at 14:15 Vlad-Julian Piljukov will defend his doctoral thesis „Biochemical characterization of Irc3 helicase“ for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Molecular Biology).

Hedvig Tamman focuses in her research project on the arms race between bacteria and bacterial viruses, and Uku Vainik on identifying the links between obesity-related genetic and behavioural factors

The two-way defence mechanisms of bacteria and phages, viruses of the bacteria, can offer a solution to antibiotic resistance problems. Hedvig Tamman, Associate Professor of Genetics at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, received the Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to study the microbial arms race.

Uku Vainik, Associate Professor of Behavioural Genetics at the University of Tartu, has been awarded a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to study the behavioural and genetic links to obesity and to identify possible new interventions to combat obesity.