18.6.2025
Research Council of Finland funds research in green plastics and biomaterials for medical applications with over 2 million euros
The Research Council of Finland’s Scientific Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering has provided funding for new academy research fellowships and new academic projects. Several researchers at Åbo Akademi University will receive substantial support.
Wander Perez Sena from the Industrial Chemistry and Reaction Engineering Laboratory of Åbo Akademi University will receive as much as EUR 1,056,190 as an academic research fellow to develop and scale up sustainable practices for producing green plastics from forest biomass and carbon dioxide, as a step towards fossil-free materials and a more circular economy. Read more about the funding decision here.
“We want to explore how CO2 and bio-based materials, such as terpenes and bio-oils from the Finnish pulp and paper industry, can be used to create building blocks for important plastics such as polyurethanes and polycarbonates. These plastics are present in many everyday products, such as foam mattresses, insulation, eyewear and phone cases. Today, they are still made mainly from fossil raw materials. Our goal is to show that a fully renewable and sustainable alternative both functions in practice and can meet the real needs of society,” says Wander Perez Sena.
“I am very grateful for this opportunity to develop in my career together with the great Industrial Chemistry and Reaction Engineering team of Åbo Akademi University, and even more for the chance to improve today’s technologies and contribute to solutions that will make a difference in people’s everyday lives,” says Perez Sena.
Furthermore, Yunru Yu from Pharmacy is granted EUR 607,946 as an academic research fellow to develop new biomaterials which can help injured nerves heal by controlling the growth of nerve cells and reducing inflammation. Read more about the funding decision here.
Similarly, Xiaoju Wang from Pharmacy will also receive academic project funding of EUR 599,830 for research in the development of biodegradable polymers that can be used as new and effective nanomaterials against bacterial infections. Read more about the funding decision here.
The Research Council of Finland’s (RCF) Academy Research Fellowship funding is intended for early-career researchers on a fast career track. “[They] are conducting scientifically high-quality and high-impact research that contributes to scientific renewal,” the RCF states in its press release.
With the Academic Project Funding, the RCF aims for researchers to attain a high scientific standard of work at an international level. “The funding supports scientific renewal and strengthens future research skills,” states the RCF.