Wide-ranging research on child health and well-being in Tampere
University of Tampere founds Tampere Center for Child Health Research
The University of Tampere founded Tampere Center for Child Health Research to continue and expand the activities of the former Pediatric Research Center. The aim of the center is to do diverse international research on child health, development and well-being. The focus will be on research related to the occurrence, phenotypes, morbidity and prevention of illnesses, as well as on health promotion and the cure and rehabilitation of the pediatric patients.
The research conducted at the Center is wide-ranging in terms of its aims, methods and significance. New research areas include the mental health and overall well-being of children as well as malnutrition and other such global issues that affect child health.
- The child mortality rate is still very high globally. Over seven million children under five years of age die every year, says Per Ashorn, Professor of International Health at the University of Tampere.
- In Finland child mortality is rare but children’s infections, chronic illnesses and mental health problems are more frequent.
Kaija Holli, Rector of the University of Tampere, made the decision of founding the new Center in September. Per Ashorn started as the Director of the Center in mid-October. Ashorn believes that the work at the Center will improve child health and well-being significantly in Finland and worldwide.
International and cross-disciplinary research
The new research center is cross-disciplinary and international. The center actively recruits international researchers and students and supports staff cooperation with research institutes abroad.
- We perceive the new unit as a hub for a global research network rather than a local research center in the traditional sense, Ashorn says.
A large share of the research conducted at the Center makes use of several different research settings and methods. The research is often done in cooperation with researchers in other fields than medicine. The aim of the cooperation is to produce concrete applications based on new information.
The cross-disciplinary approach is also evident in the range of research methods used. The methods vary from traditional cellular and molecular testing conducted in laboratories to video and interaction research, clinical research with patient data, epidemiological research and many different kinds of qualitative research. The research projects also emphasise health service systems and health economics perspectives.
The Tampere Center for Child Health Research will start with 50-60 full-time researchers and postgraduate students and about 20 part-time undergraduate or postgraduate students. The Center is located on the Kauppi campus.
The Center has a management team chaired by the Director of the Center. An international scientific advisory board will be appointed later.
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The opening ceremony of the Tampere Center for Child Health Research will take place on Tuesday 27 November in the large lecture hall in M building of the Tampere University Hospital, address Teiskontie 35. The ceremony is open to all.
