Center for Functional Materials (FUNMAT) is a research center in functional materials based at Åbo Akademi University. FUNMAT is combining the expertise in chemistry, physics, biology, paper coating and printing to develop functional materials, devices and large area manufacturing for interfacing with biological systems. The multidisciplinary research is done in close collaboration with industry and our extensive collaboration network throughout the world.

Past events

21.05.2019
We have the pleasure of inviting you to the open seminar disseminating the ÅAU CoE 2015-2018 “Functional Materials at Biological Interfaces”. The seminar will be held in Stora Auditoriet in the ASA building on Tuesday May 21st, starting at 13.00.

The seminar is open to everyone, but for coffee and refreshments we kindly ask you to sign up before Wednesday May 15th through the link: https://survey.abo.fi/lomakkeet/11526/lomake.html

Program outline:

13.00-13.30 Opening and welcome, Ronald Österbacka, chair

13.30-14.30 Scientific session: Research highlights 1

  • Ruut Kummala, “Nanocellulose in biological interfaces”
  • Marco Mennillo, “Sulfenamide containing polymers for bio-applications”
  • Markus Pesonen, “Active control of HDF cell viability using graphene oxide”

14.30-15.00 Coffee

15.00-16.30 Scientific session: Research highlights 2

  • Diosangeles de Soto Velize, “Mineral-based cell growth platforms”
  • Emil Rosqvist, “Cellular responses to surface chemistry and morphology”
  • Erik Niemelä, “Developing A Multimodal Paper-Based Screening Platform”
  • Arun Venu, “TBA”

16.30-16.45 IAB chairman Tor Bergman, overview of FunMat from the advisory board perspective.

16.45-17.00 Closing

21.10.2018
Open position: Project researcher in Computational Fluid Dynamics 1.12.2018-30.11.2020. More information and to apply, see here.
18.06.2018
MSc Oskar Sandberg defended his doctoral thesis in physics entitled Charge collection in thin-film devices based on low-mobility semiconductors: Theory, simulation, and applications to organic solar cells on Monday 18.6.2018. Professor Moritz Riede, University of Oxford, UK, served as the opponent
20.03.2018
FunMat Winter School, March 20-21. Click here for the program.

Invited speakers:
16.03.2018
MSc Simon Sandén defended his doctoral thesis in physics entitled Recombination of Injected and Photogenerated Charge Carriers in Photovoltaic Blends and Devices on Friday 16.3.2018. Professor Fengling Zhang, Linköping University, Sweden, served as external examiner.
15.02.2018
Defense of thesis: M.Sc. Vinay Kumar defended successfully his doctoral thesis Roll-to-roll Processing of Nanocellulose into Coatings on February 15. Professor Julien Bras, Grenoble Institute of Technology, France acted as opponent.
12.01.2018
Defense of thesis: M.Sc. Dimitar Valtakari defended successfully his thesis Printed and Coated Functionality on Natural Fibre Based Substrates on Friday 12 January 2018. Professor Magnus Lestelius, Karlstad University, Sweden acted as opponent.
18.12.2017
Defense of thesis: M.Sc. Joel Songok defended successfully his thesis “Surface Flow for Paper-based Microfluidic Platforms” on Monday 18 December 2017. Professor Anton Darhuber, Eindhoven Technical University, Netherlands acted as opponent.
15.12.2017
Prof. Cecilia Sahlgren has been awarded the ERC research grant for “The integration of cell signalling and mechanical forces in vascular morphology”.
11.12.2017
Prof. Jessica Rosenholm has been awarded Per Brahe Prize by the Stiftelsen för Åbo Akademi. Congratulations Jessica! Link to YLE article here and more information here.
27.10.2017
Seminar on Biotechnology and Biosensors will take place on October 27, 2017 at Auditorium Helikon, Arken, Tehtaankatu 2, 20500 TURKU. Registration due: October 16 at http://biotechnologyseminar.eventbrite.co.uk - Flyer.
27.10.2017
Defense of thesis: M.Sc. Katariina Torvinen defended her thesis “Flexible pigment-cellulose nanofibril composites for printed electronics applications” on Friday 27 October 2017. Professor Thaddeus Maloney, Aalto University, Finland acted as opponent. URN:ISBN:978-951-38-8570-0