Research In Estonia

After landmark BlueHealth study, Estonian scientists gain blue infrastructure expertise - Research In Estonia

Green spaces in urban areas are definitely a hot topic, but what about blue spaces? 🤔🌊

“When people want to be in nature, what kinds of places do they want to go to? They want to go to the seaside, or to a lake, or to a river,” said Simon Bell, chair professor of landscape architecture at the Eesti Maaülikool/Estonian University of Life Sciences.

The BlueHealth study was a wide-ranging, pan-European research initiative with numerous outputs. One such output was the creation of a number of tools that can be used by policymakers and urban planners to inform their decisions regarding blue infrastructure.

Also, a very significant publication has been a book "Urban Blue Spaces" which was published by Routledge in September 2021.


Mart Külvik

After landmark BlueHealth study, Estonian scientists gain blue infrastructure expertise - Research In Estonia ban design, then the terms green space and green infrastructure are probably familiar to you. These are the parks, the trails, the woodlands that are protected and cultivated to enhance people's sense of mental and physical wellbeing. But what about lakes, rivers, streams, and seas? If anything, suc...

Nordic and Baltic VCs and universities partner to nurture science-based startups - Research In Estonia

An annual startup event Science Base Camp has become a focal point for early-stage, science-based companies to interact with investors to advance their ideas and march to the marketplace. Superangel Tehnopol Tartu Science Park University of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto Tampere University Chalmers University of Technology Aalto University University of Tartu TalTech - Tallinna Tehnikaülikool

Nordic and Baltic VCs and universities partner to nurture science-based startups - Research In Estonia An annual startup event has become a focal point for early-stage, science-based companies to interact with investors to advance their ideas and march to the marketplace.

Looking for the newest information on Estonian research and research administration that you can share with audiences?

Our recent overview "Estonian Research 2022" is now available in English as well!

The compilation consists of two parts. The first part explores the resources needed for conducting scientific research (monetary and human resources), the performance of Estonian research through publishing activity and the socio-economic impact of research on its economy. The second part consists of short articles on the current topical issues.

You can download the digital version here: https://bit.ly/36lhR0N or contact us directly for the physical copy.

Eesti Teadusagentuur

How to renew ageing electrical systems sensibly? - Research In Estonia

How to renew ageing electrical systems sensibly? 🤔

In this recent doctoral thesis, the results of Henri Manninen's work show that the proposed methodology makes it possible to significantly reduce the life cycle maintenance costs of overhead lines in transmission networks.

By using the new methodologies, it is possible to significantly reduce the duration and cost of overhead line inspections and assessment and increase the reliability of results at the same time.

, TalTech - Tallinn University of Technology

How to renew ageing electrical systems sensibly? - Research In Estonia Europe’s ageing electrical systems will result in a wave of equipment replacement over the next decade, but they should not be replaced in the costly way that has been done so far.

The perch became the ruler in the dark thanks to genetic changes - Research In Estonia

Perch is often the only fish species in dark-water lakes. 🚣‍♂️

A globally unique study led by Estonians described over 800,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms among perch in the lakes of Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Lithuania.

“This study showed us that adaption to extreme but presumably simple environments is a multifaceted and complex process,” says prof. Riho Gross, the Head of the Chair of Aquaculture at Estonian University of Life Sciences and one of the participants.

, Eesti Maaülikool/Estonian University of Life Sciences

The perch became the ruler in the dark thanks to genetic changes - Research In Estonia scientists at the Estonian University of Life Sciences (EULS), together with researchers from Sweden and Finland, sequenced the genomes of over 30 perch to get a better understanding of the molecular background of adapting to extreme environments. The study revealed that living in dark lakes has cau...

Prestigious ERC grant helps identify the impact of land-use change on plant species and soil fertility - Research In Estonia

Congratulations to Associate Professor Marina Semchenko from the University of Tartu 👏

“With my research I want to deliver evidence-based knowledge, which will help to make wiser choices in habitat restoration. Better understanding of how plants regulate soil biota could also be useful, for example, in crop breeding and improving soil health,” said Semchenko.

Prestigious ERC grant helps identify the impact of land-use change on plant species and soil fertility - Research In Estonia Associate Professor of Plant Ecology of the University of Tartu Marina Semchenko has won a prestigious grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to study the effect of land-use change on the interactions between plants and soil organisms.

Insights into the past of an almost eradicated childhood infection - Research In Estonia

Researchers reconstructed the oldest known DNA Hib genome 👀🧬

Meriam Guellil and other researchers from University of Tartu and University of Cambridge reconstructed the oldest known and first ancient DNA Hib genome from a young Anglo-Saxon child, from 6th-century England, who probably died from a plague co-infection.

“The skeleton of the young boy showed signs of disease consistent with bacterial septic arthritis, a progressive destruction of joints, probably caused by a prolonged and untreated Hib infection, which could have led to physical impairment and in the case of an additional meningeal infection also neurological impairment,” said Guellil.

, TÜ genoomika instituut

Insights into the past of an almost eradicated childhood infection - Research In Estonia Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) was the main cause of bacterial meningitis in children and a major cause of worldwide infant mortality before the introduction of a vaccine in the 1980s.

Digital Twin – a bridge between real and virtual worlds - Research In Estonia

Who's a digital twin? 👭

The short answer is - a digital representation of a real physical entity.

Creating and maintaining a digital representation of the real physical entity and supporting device performance using different simulation and optimization tools are critical goals of many research works.

A case study by Prof. Anton Rassõlkin and others from TalTech - Tallinn University of Technology helps to understand why Digital Twins are needed.

Digital Twin – a bridge between real and virtual worlds - Research In Estonia The concept of Digital Twin is creating and maintaining a digital representation of the real physical entity and supporting its performance utilizing simulation and optimization tools, which are fed with the real data obtained from the physical equipment.

Power electronics research advances solar building technology - Research In Estonia

There's a dire need for new power electronic solutions that can be low-cost, compact, and work with different photovoltaic technologies. 📡

Senior researcher Andrii Chub from TalTech - Tallinn University of Technology offers a solution that meets all the mentioned expectations.

It sounds impossible, but it's not! The prototype already exists 👇

Power electronics research advances solar building technology - Research In Estonia ls and devices and equally fast reduction of their prices show a tremendous opportunity to integrate photovoltaic energy generation into buildings, writes Andrii Chub, a Senior Researcher at Tallinn University of Technology. However, often there is a missing link between a solar panel and the electr...

Estonian scientists to produce tons of bioplastic from wood - Research In Estonia

Turning wood into bioplastic 🌲♻️

As it usually takes hours to turn cellulose into bioplastic, researchers from TalTech - Tallinn University of Technology led by Professor Andres Krumme figured out how to do it in minutes!

“We will show Estonian entrepreneurs that bioplastic can be industrially produced. Hopefully, this will encourage them to set up their own production facilities in Estonia," says Prof. Krumme.


Eesti Teadusagentuur, Keskkonnaministeerium, TalTech Polümeeride ja tekstiilitehnoloogia labor

Estonian scientists to produce tons of bioplastic from wood - Research In Estonia The large-scale production of wood-based, fully recyclable plastic might soon become a possibility in Estonia.

New algorithm makes overtaking smoother and faster for self-driving cars - Research In Estonia

Overtaking is one of the hardest manoeuvres for human drivers. 🏎

Researchers from TalTech - Tallinn University of Technology now developed a new algorithm that makes the overtaking movement of the self-driving car smoother, faster and safer.

TalTech Inseneriteaduskond/School of Engineering

New algorithm makes overtaking smoother and faster for self-driving cars - Research In Estonia Although overtaking has been one of the most complex manoeuvres for self-driving cars, in which man still outperforms the machine, the research team of Tallinn University of Technology led by Raivo Sell has developed a new algorithm that will bring about a significant change.

Main - Juri Lotman 100

Today is the centenary of the birth of Juri Lotman (born February 28, 1922) - renowned semiotician, literary scholar and cultural historian.

The centenary is celebrated with an international congress culminating today at the University of Tartu. The ceremony is attended by the rector of the University of Tartu, Toomas Asser and the President of Estonia, Alar Karis.

Juri Lotman 100

Main - Juri Lotman 100 Congress “Juri Lotman's semiosphere”The main event of Lotman's centenary is the international congress held in Tallinn and Tartu, 25–28 February 2022.

Do our lives flash before our eyes when we die? A new study thinks so

Life flashing before your eyes 👀

It may actually happen when we die. Prof. Raul Vicente from the University of Tartu being the 1st author of the study, unintentionally recorded brain activity of a dying 87 year-old man provides an insight into what happens to our brain when we die.

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Ageing Neuroscience.

Do our lives flash before our eyes when we die? A new study thinks so The brain activity of an 87 year-old man was accidentally recorded by scientists as he died providing a unique insight into what happens when we pass away.

Happy Independence Day, dear Estonia! 🎉🇪🇪


📸 Martin Mark

Doctoral thesis: In the future, treatment of wounds may be facilitated by nanotechnology - Research In Estonia

The future is around the corner 👀

Nano- and microfiber wound dressings that release antibiotics directly onto the wound - Liis Preem from the University of Tartu developed and tested different wound dressings as part of her doctoral thesis.

The most important thing about the electrospun antibacterial wound dressing is that it can release a sufficient amount of the drug over a longer period of time. “I am absolutely convinced that at some point in the not too distant future, dressings like this will be available in pharmacies,” she says.

Doctoral thesis: In the future, treatment of wounds may be facilitated by nanotechnology - Research In Estonia Poorly healing wounds are a hidden epidemic that is rarely talked about. In more severe cases, they are treated with oral antibiotics, which can cause systemic side effects. This doctoral thesis from the University of Tartu looks at new solutions, i.e. nano- and microfiber wound dressings that relea...

Migrevention, clinical and academic partners, work to advance digital headache clinic - Research In Estonia

The first fully digital headache clinic in the world! 👀👏

It's a great example of how to connect research and business.
“I realized that we had the opportunity to offer a digital headache clinic that had not been offered via the conventional headache platform that has been used for years,” says Katrina Laks, the CEO of Migrevention and a researcher at TalTech - Tallinn University of Technology.

Some of the work is done in cooperation with Tartu University Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology and St. Olavs hospital.

Mark Braschinsky, Triinu Niiberg-Pikksööt

https://researchinestonia.eu/2022/02/18/migrevention-clinical-and-academic-partners-work-to-advance-digital-headache-clinic/

Migrevention, clinical and academic partners, work to advance digital headache clinic - Research In Estonia Migrevention, a Tallinn-based startup, is developing a series of applications for assisting migraine patients, in what it has dubbed the first fully digital headache clinic in the world, and has plans to eventually register the offering as a medical device with European regulatory authorities, a mov...

Small country with a great potential for microbiome studies - Research In Estonia

Researchers from the University of Tartu have established the Estonian Microbiome cohort. 🧬

"We have used this data to extend the understanding of microbiome-host interactions, including the effect of long term antibiotic usage,” said Kertu Liis Krigul, one of the first authors of the paper.

"Estonians are among the lowest consumers of antibiotics in Europe, suggesting an even stronger effect in other populations,” said Oliver Aasmets, the first author of the paper.

The cohort is part of the Estonian Biobank and includes a stool, oral and plasma samples from 2,509 participants and is supplemented with multi-omic measurements, questionnaires covering participants’ dietary preferences, living environment, various lifestyle choices, and regular linkages to national electronic health records.

The study was published in Nature Communications.


TÜ genoomika instituut

Small country with a great potential for microbiome studies - Research In Estonia Estonian Microbiome Project, using electronic health data from more than 2500 biobank participants finds long-term antibiotic usage, independent from recent administration, has an impact on the microbiome, partly explaining the common bacterial signatures overlapping between diseases.