The Per Brahe Prize 2023 is awarded to Silvia Gramolelli
The Åbo Akademi University Foundation has awarded Associate Professor Silvia Gramolelli at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Åbo Akademi University the 2023 Per Brahe Prize. The prize sum is EUR 12,000 and it is annually awarded to a promising researcher who has actively advanced his or her research career and whose continued close connection to Åbo Akademi University is considered especially valuable. The prize is awarded at the Åbo Akademi University Foundation’s Delegation autumn meeting on 23 November.
Silvia Gramolelli’s research focuses on the relationship between Epstein Barr virus infection and gastric cancer. Gramolelli is highly experienced in working with viruses and virus-mediated transduction of cells. Gastric cancer poses a significant global health challenge and Gramolelli’s research is centered on addressing the complexity of this disease.
– I am deeply honored to receive the prestigious Per Brahe Prize recognizing the significance of my research. Gastric cancer, claiming almost a million lives annually, presents a formidable challenge due to its resistance to current treatments, explains Gramolelli.
Gramolelli studies gastric cancer using patient-derived stomach cells grown in the lab utilizing an innovative physiologically relevant approach which holds promises for a better understanding of cancer and for finding better therapies.
The inclusive environment at Åbo Akademi University fosters meaningful scientific exploration
In the faculty’s nomination, dean Patrik Henelius underlines that Silvia Gramolelli’s research career has been particularly successful. She is an expert in infection biology and virology and is particularly interested in how viral infections affect cellular functions. The research theme complements Åbo Akademi University’s activities within the Research Council of Finland funded flagship InFlames, as well as within the university’s strategic profile area Solutions for Health.
Silvia Gramolelli received her PhD in infection biology from Hannover Medical School and has previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher funded by the Research Council of Finland at the University of Helsinki. In 2021, she moved to Turku and started her research at Åbo Akademi University. The following year she was appointed Associate Professor in viral infection cell biology. Gramolelli recently received Academy Research Fellow funding from the Research Council of Finland.
– I am grateful for the supportive and inclusive environment at Åbo Akademi University. This kind of environment fosters meaningful scientific exploration. My sense of inclusivity has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the progress of my research, and I am proud to contribute to a community that values collaboration and diversity, says Gramolelli.
Additional information
Viral Ongenesis Research Lab
Silvia Gramolelli
Foto: Henok Karvonen, University of Turku and Turku Bioscience Centre
