Ritva Heljasvaara PhD

Dr. Ritva Heljasvaara, Ph.D. is a Senior Researcher in the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of Oulu. Heljasvaara received her Ph.D. in 1996 in molecular biology at the University of Oulu, Finland. Dr. Heljasvaara is recognized for her expertise in ECM and tumor biology and for her work on experimental mouse tumor models. Her current research focuses on understanding the functions and translational potential of the ECM components in the skin, breast, lung, and hematologic malignancies. In 2018 she and her team were awarded the ‘Orientation 100 ideas’ prize by the Finnish pharmaceutical company Orion for novel concepts for using ECM as a therapeutic target in solid cancers.

In collaboration with Professor Donald Gullberg, Dr. Heljasvaara is investigating the role of the fibroblast-specific integrin α11 in skin squamous cell carcinoma using the chemical DMBA/TPA-induced mouse skin carcinogenesis model. The key findings indicate that α11 is upregulated in skin tumor stroma and it has a supportive role in skin tumorigenesis with effects on carcinoma-associated fibroblast (CAF) differentiation, ECM organization, and tumor stiffness. In addition to research, Dr. Heljasvaara has contributed to teaching at the Department of Biomedicine in 2018.