Photo: Jari Mäkinen
Research Manager Emilia Nordlund is one of the recipients of the Research Council of Finland Award 2024. Nordlund has contributed to creating a completely new line of research in cellular agriculture at VTT.
Emilia Nordlund develops new processes and innovations that contribute to building a sustainable food system. New alternative protein sources, produced from plant-based raw materials or industrial by-products, or with the help of biotechnology, are an important area of research. Their functionalities and nutritional qualities can be modified, for example, with enzyme-aided technologies.
For example, Nordlund studies proteins in biotechnologically produced ingredients, such as plant and microbial cells, from a digestive perspective. She has shown that bioengineering can be used to produce entirely new ingredients for the food industry and to create novel food structures and properties.
Nordlund has a strong scientific track record in conducting research, leading a research team and managing an entire line of research. She also has strong international networks.
On winning the Award, she said: “This Award is a very prestigious recognition. The Award and the RCF’s funding is particularly important for food research. The food system is facing a huge transformation, and long-term scientific research into the impact of new food production technologies and new food products is critical as we assess their potential as part of sustainable food production and balanced nutrition.”
The other recipient of the 2024 Research Council of Finland Award is Olle Järv, Academy Research Fellow at the University of Helsinki, who uses human mobility as a tool for understanding social phenomena and processes.
Original press release published on the Research Council of Finland website.
The aim of the Research Council of Finland Awards is to give recognition and encouragement to early-career researchers who are increasing their independence in their careers and to draw attention to objectives that the RCF considers important.
The Awards are presented to RCF-funded Academy Research Fellows, Postdoctoral Researchers, Clinical Researchers or principal investigators of Academy Projects, whose scientific career is still mostly ahead of them. The winners have demonstrated exceptional scientific audacity, creativity or innovation in their work. Other award criteria include increasing public awareness of scientific research or the research career, raising public interest in science, actively contributing to public debate in society, or otherwise strengthening the role, application and impact of science and research in society.
The Awards have been presented since 2003. The 2024 Awards will be presented to the winners at the Science Forum on 20 May 2025.
