News

An interdisciplinary research team of the University of Tartu is actively collecting, modelling and analysing data on the spread of coronavirus. The researchers invite people to participate in a study on the prevalence of COVID-19 to create a database for mapping and modelling the spread of the virus. The research group includes computer scientists, statisticians, mathematicians and medical, genetic and social scientists of the University of Tartu.

At the beginning of April, research integrity counsellors started work at each faculty of the University of Tartu. They offer advice and support for university members who have questions about adhering to the principles of research integrity or suspect that research integrity has been violated.

A study conducted under the lead of Estonian researchers shows that men with prostatitis-like symptoms (PLS) suffer under more intercurrent diseases than men without any complaints and are characterised by various unhealthy habits and attitudes.

A Tartu laboratory brings new hope for a greener future by transforming harmful gases into eco-friendly fuels, materials and chemicals. There is too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and too much waste piling up in the world. At the same time, the need for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals is growing. These are some of the greatest challenges our planet is facing. It’s clear that we need to stop living in excess, but that’s not the only solution.

According to the most recent information, no further coronavirus cases have been found at the Raatuse dormitory in Tartu. In cooperation, the Tartu Ambulance Foundation and the Health Board assigned a general practitioner to all infected foreign students at the dormitory, who will be responsible for advising and later declaring the students free of infection again.

The current emergency situation has brought both major changes and inspiration to the University of Tartu Startup Lab’s Starter Tartu business idea development programme. Teams formed in the University of Tartu Delta Centre in February continue to develop ideas virtually, also offering solutions to alleviate the corona crisis.

With the permission of the Ethics Committee, scientists from the University of Tartu Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine analysed blood plasma samples taken at Tartu University Hospital from patients suffering from COVID-19 and confirmed the effectiveness of their method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. In the course of their study, which was carried out with the permission of the Ethics Committee, the scientists gained confirmation of the effectiveness of the method they had developed for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

According to the latest information, no further positive coronavirus tests have been detected at the Tartu Raatuse dormitory. Separate zones have been created in the dormitory for those infected, those who have had contact with the infected, and those who are well. Residents whose test results were negative and who had not had any contact with infected residents were relieved of the restriction on movement today.

The Tartu City Government, the University of Tartu, the Estonian Health Board, the Southern rescue centre, the Southern Prefecture, the Tartu emergency medical care centre, and other authorities are making a joint effort to ensure that the coronavirus would not spread further in and from the Raatuse dormitory, which has become a hotspot.

On 16 and 17 April, students suspected to have contracted the coronavirus were tested in the University of Tartu residence hall at Raatuse 22. 16 tenants were diagnosed with coronavirus. The Health Board is identifying and testing people who have been in contact with infected persons. The university cares about the health of its members and calls on everybody to follow the national guidelines and act responsibly.

Tallinn, Stenbock House, April 17, 2020 – the person in charge of the emergency situation, Mr Jüri Ratas, signed an order today to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus in the student halls of residence with 281 residents at Raatuse 22, Tartu. People living in the halls of residence must remain at their apartments until they have received the results of their COVID-19 test. On-site catering has been organised for people under restriction of movement. Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 must remain in self-isolation at Raatuse 22 residence until recovery.

Six tenants of UT residence hall confirmed to have coronavirus. In connection with this we publish the address of the Rector of the University of Tartu in both text and video. Today we have received alarming news both for the University of Tartu and the entire Estonia. Students of the University of Tartu, who are tenants of the residence hall in Raatuse street, have been infected with coronavirus.

The University of Tartu will not hold graduation ceremonies this summer because these events usually attract crowds of people and close contact is impossible to avoid. Graduates receive their diplomas in their institute/unit in the second half of June. Detailed information on the time and place will be sent to all graduates and posted on the university’s website. If necessary, you can authorise another person to collect your diploma, or have the diploma sent to you by mail.

Dear students and members of the teaching staff, On 15 April, several media channels wrote about the court case between a UT alumnus and a member of the teaching staff over an insulting comment in the confidential course feedback questionnaire. Understandably, this has shaken the trust in the feedback system and pointed to problems we want to avoid in the future. On the other hand, it is clear that the university cannot develop without substantial feedback.

All courses in which online teaching can be organised will continue in this format until the end of the semester. If coronavirus recedes, we hope we can resume classroom teaching for small groups, similarly to schools, in the second half of May. This concerns practical classes and, if necessary, exams – i.e. activities that are difficult or impossible to perform over the computer.

On Tuesday, 14 April at 13.00, a live Estonian interview was held with the UT Professor of Psychology of Religion Tõnu Lehtsaar on how to maintain mental balance in the emergency situation and adapt to the changed learning environment. The broadcast also included a recorded interview with Psychologist Kaia Kastepõld-Tõrs from the UT Counselling Centre, who commented on which problems students tend to have in the emergency situation and how to solve them. Watch the video with English subtitles:

The University of Tartu Startup Lab teams CommuniCare and A Story won several awards at Ajujaht, the biggest business ideas competition in Estonia. The best social entrepreneurship award (5000 euros) was given to CommuniCare, a team of the University of Tartu students from the School of Economics and Business Administration. In addition, CommuniCare won a special award from the city of Tartu (5000 euros) and from Saue municipality (4000 euros). In total, they won 14,000 euros for further business development.

The Centre for Ethics at the University of Tartu together with the ethics committees of Estonia's two largest hospitals, the North Estonia Medical Centre and the Tartu University Hospital, developed 12 recommendations for distribution of limited health care resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new study in Nature Communications proposes a method to extend polygenic scores, the estimate of genetic risk factors and a cornerstone of the personalised medicine revolution, to individuals with multiple ancestral origins. The study was led by Dr Davide Marnetto from the Institute of Genomics of the University of Tartu, Estonia and coordinated by Dr Luca Pagani from the same institution and from the University of Padova, Italy.

To find out about politics and inequality in prehistoric Europe, the prominent European Research Council (ERC) awarded researchers of three countries with a grant of nearly two million euros in total. To obtain new information, the researchers will use novel research methods and thereby bring together ancient life and death. The five-year research that received the grant from the European Research Council is led by John Robb, Professor of European Prehistory in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge.