Raisio plc's Research Foundation awarded 2025 postgraduate scholarships
Press release, December 5, 2024
At its meeting held on November 25, 2024, the Board of Directors of Raisio plc Research Foundation (Foundation) has decided to award a total of EUR 152 500 in post graduate research grants for 2025.
The research grant of the Research Foundation is intended as a salary grant for a doctoral researcher. A doctoral researcher whose PhD topic has been awarded with a research grant of the Foundation has the opportunity to receive a salary grant for a maximum of four years, provided that the doctoral studies proceed according to plans. The maximal duration of a dissertation supported by grants of the Foundation is four years. The date of obtaining the right to pursue doctoral studies from the university marks the start of the four year period. Extension postgraduate grants are decided annually on the basis of a separate application.
Based on the grant application process held in October 2024, 18 new grant applications and six extension grant applications were submitted within the deadline to the Foundation. The total amount of funding requested was EUR 595 250.
Raisio plc Research Foundation supports scientific research on a public utility basis that is related to the development and utilization of foods, food and feed ingredients made primarily from domestic crops. Research related to the manufacturing processes and product safety of food, food ingredients and feed ingredients are also within the scope of the foundation’s activities.
In recent years, the Foundation has executed its activity by awarding personal salary grants for postgraduate studies aiming at a doctoral degree. In addition, the Foundation awards recognition scholarships to well executed master’s theses.
The grants awarded for 2025 are as follows:
Nazia Deoghare, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, (Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki)
PhD research title: Application of legumes for the development of zero-waste, carbon-neutral solutions for the brewing Industry
The objective of the research of the dissertation is to investigate the potential use of legumes as an alternative to barely in the brewing process. This could lead to new types of nutritious beverages with reduced environmental impact.
Sara Ferreira Rocha, Food Sciences, Department of life technologies, Faculty of Technology, University of Turku
PhD research title: Metabolomics investigation of gut microbiota-mediated metabolite conversion of plant-based foods and spatial analysis in intestinal and brain tissues
The research aims to study whether products formed during microbial fermentation can be absorbed to be detected in the intestinal and eventually in the brain tissue, using a state-of-the-art untargeted LC-MS method and combining in-vitro fermentation studies with data from a pig feeding trial.
Helle Grönfors, Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki
Title of the doctoral thesis: Unlocking the technological potential of oats through understanding macromolecular interactions for improved food structure
This research aims to study the structure-function relationship of oat macromolecules, focusing on the factors that lead to optimal food structures. Oat bread and extruded meat analogs will be used as model foods for this study. Additionally, this research aims to understand how the food structure influences digestibility.
Petri Lassila, Department of Physics, Electronics Research Laboratory, University of Helsinki
Title of the PhD work: Development of Spatially Confined Multiphasic Oleogels
The dissertation aims to develop novel solid fats, for the sustainable development of our society. In the work, a technology utilizing ultrasonic standing waves will be used to generate tailorable micrometer level structures in semi-solid lipids.
Enni Mannila, Food Sciences, Department of Life Technologies, Faculty of Technology, University of Turku
Title of the PhD work: Oats in a low-gluten diet – metabolic and microbiomic responses in metabolically challenges volunteers
The PhD work studies effects of long-term oat consumption on blood count and metabolic products in the blood circulation, perceived gut well-being, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and inflammation markers.
Anton Örn, Laboratory for Molecular Science and Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University
Dissertation title: Synthesis of rare sugars through site-selective epimerization
The thesis work aims to develop a cost-effective production method for rare sugars that is based on the site-selective catalytic epimerization of readily available sugars. The goal can be achieved by studying the materials and mechanisms of the required multiphase catalytic systems in detail.
Further information:
Ingmar Wester, Representative of the Research Foundation, tel. +358 50 601 32.
Raisio plc
At Raisio, we make food from the heart, with the aim of bringing health to ourselves and the Earth. We keep creating better plant-based and heart-healthy products so that eating healthily and within the Earth’s ecological capacity can be a pleasure. Our strong brands, such as Benecol®, Härkis® and Elovena®, turn our ambitions into reality. Through our responsibility work, we make the hard choices for consumers, so that they can choose Raisio products with confidence. We have around 350 healthy food colleagues in seven countries and export to more than 40 markets around the world. Raisio's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. In 2023, the Group’s comparable net sales for continuing operations were EUR 219.5 million and the comparable EBIT was EUR 22.7 million. www.raisio.com