Elina Salminen

(DPhil Biochemistry, BBSRC Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership, 2021)

Hi! I’m Elina, a DPhil student in the BBSRC Interdisciplinary Bioscience programme. I conduct my research in the Department of Biochemistry, in the laboratory of Professor Paul Elliott. I study the molecular mechanisms of A20, a protein that regulates inflammation. Importantly, A20 controls inflammatory signals within cells, helping to prevent excessive immune responses and autoinflammation. I use methods of structural biology to understand the function of A20 at the atomic level. Ultimately, this will help us better understand the mechanisms underlying A20-linked inflammatory diseases and inflammation more generally, as well as aid the discovery of drugs that target A20.

I come from Finland, where I studied Biomedical Technology for my undergraduate and MSc degrees at Tampere University, specialising in molecular biology. I’m interested in structural biology and in understanding how life works at the molecular and atomic level, and how this understanding can lead to biotechnological innovations that benefit society and the environment. During my time at Tampere University, I also conducted research in the laboratory of Professor Vesa Hytönen.

See you around the college!