New Centre of Excellence Opens New Perspectives on Immune Regulation
In 2025, the Research Council of Finland awarded substantial funding to the new IMMENs Centre of Excellence, which includes two research groups from the Wihuri Research Institute. The centre investigates interactions between lymphatic endothelial cells and inflammatory cells to direct local immune responses and to develop targeted therapies.
In 2026, the new Centre of Excellence in lymphatic-mediated immune regulation (IMMENs) begins its activities, with participation from researchers at the Wihuri Research Institute. The Research Council of Finland selected it as one of its Centres of Excellence for the 2026–2033 programme period.
The Centre is led by Professor Taija Mäkinen, Director of the Wihuri Research Institute. It also includes the research group of Kari Vaahtomeri at the Wihuri Research Institute, as well as research groups from Åbo Akademi University.
IMMENs explores how the endothelial cells lining lymphatic vessels communicate with immune cells and control their functions. As part of its work, the Centre will develop new methods and tools for studying these interactions.
Our immune system protects us from infections and diseases, but dysregulated immune responses can lead to chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases. Inflammation also plays a central role in many common diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer, influencing their progression and severity.
Although systemic regulation of the immune system is increasingly well understood, the mechanisms operating locally within inflamed tissues remain insufficiently characterized. By identifying molecular mechanisms that regulate local immune responses more precisely, IMMENs may enable the development of more effective targeted therapies in the future.
Centres of Excellence Represent the International Cutting Edge
A total of 11 centres were selected for the Research Council of Finland’s Centre of Excellence Programme for 2026–2033, comprising research groups from 13 universities and research institutes.
The aim of the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programme is to raise the quality of research conducted in Finland, renew science, and enhance the societal impact of research. The selected Centres of Excellence are scientifically outstanding, highly innovative, and societally impactful research communities with strong capacity for renewal. They are either at the international forefront of their fields or advancing towards it.
