RC-SML was established in early 2021 as a Research Centre within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology (MET) at Tampere University. From its inception, the Centre has been one of the largest in the faculty, initially consisting of 16 group leaders (PIs) and approximately 250 members.
In 2025, the Centre’s status was successfully renewed for the next five-year period. The renewed RC-SML includes 11 PIs and over 200 staff members. The Centre is led by Adjunct Professor Susanna Narkilahti, with Professor Jonathan Massera serving as Vice Leader. The RC board also includes Professor Katriina Aalto-Setälä and Professor Veikko Sariola.
The PIs have a long history of close collaboration, which forms the foundation of the Centre’s activities. By bringing together expertise in cell biology, clinical research, and engineering, RC-SML exemplifies successful multidisciplinary research aligned with Tampere University’s strategy. This excellence is further demonstrated by the prestigious Centre of Excellence (CoE) status (2018–2025), awarded by the Research Council of Finland (formerly Academy of Finland) to the Body-on-Chip Research, involving six RC-SML PIs.
Prof. Katriina Aalto-Setälä
