The Blood Service Biobank staff at your service

PhD, Biobank Director

Kimmo Pitkänen acts as a Head of Unit at the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Blood Service Biobank. He is responsible for the Biobank and has a long experience on biobanking both at research institute and hospital level as well as at national and international level.

kimmo.pitkanen@bloodservice.fi

PhD, Associate Professor

Satu Koskela has a long experience in both clinical laboratory work and R&D activities, immunogenetics being her area of expertise. She has designed research projects and built their infrastructure as well as developed new ways of using data for in silico pre-screening of targeted blood donors. As a biobank researcher, she works with other stakeholders to develop biobank samples and data for the benefit of research, blood donation and patients.

satu.koskela@bloodservice.fi

MSc, PhD Candidate

Jonna is a geneticist by training and works as a product development specialist and researcher in the Biobank. Her responsibilities include researching the genetic structure of the Blood Service Biobank and development projects related to the use of genome data. Jonna has a long experience in clinical laboratory diagnostics related to stem cell and organ transplantation in terms of immunogenetics. She has taken part in founding the Biobank and is currently finishing her PhD on the genetic structure of the blood donor biobank and its use for blood transfusion medicine related special issues from both the patients and the donors perspective.

jonna.clancy@bloodservice.fi

System Specialist

Jussi Halonen works as a system specialist in the Blood Service Biobank. His responsibilities include maintaining and developing the biobanks information systems, as well as extracting data for research projects. Jussi has extensive experience working with information systems and data resources, and his special expertise lies in regulated environments.

jussi.halonen@bloodservice.fi

MSc, Public health nurse

Mirva Ikonen works in the Blood Service Biobank in researcher services. Her responsibilities include customer relations and processing research applications. She also works in the biobanks laboratory in Blood Service Kuopio with sample collection and sample handling.

mirva.ikonen@bloodservice.fi

BSc, Biobank Specialist

Julianna Juvila works as specialist in charge of the laboratory services in the Blood Service Biobank.
Her responsibilities include sample processing and sample deliveries for research projects, as well as coordination of customized sample collections.

julianna.juvila@bloodservice.fi

MSc, Biobank Specialist

Niklas Ahlblad works as a specialist in the Blood Service Biobank. His responsibilities include development and implementation of research customer processes, as well as defining new services and service concepts.

niklas.ahlblad@bloodservice.fi

Laboratory Analyst

Leni Joutsjoki works as a laboratory analyst in the Blood Service Biobanks laboratory. She maintains the daily laboratory activities handling samples and consents. She also participates in the sample collection and sample deliveries to the customers.

leni.joutsjoki@bloodservice.fi