Kuopio Neuroscience 50 Years

This week has been active for many of us. Half of the group was participating in the 50th Anniversary Symposium of Neuroscience (link) in Kuopio Music Centre 15–17 June 2026, focusing on Pathogenesis, Early Diagnosis and Modern Care of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Epilepsy and Stroke. It was nice to meet all the colleagues from the other side of the campus, but also meet new ones and hear the science that we are also involved in, from another perspective. And since such a big event and great speakers were around the corner, it was a great opportunity for us to let "the other corner know" what we are all about. Unfortunately, even these days, it is relatively common that we, "the drug developers" don't really speak the same language with the clinicians and basic researchers or neuroscientists. Therefore, these events are highly important to mix and match!

This week, Hamed also participated at the same time in Gordon Research Conference, Membrane Transporters and the Gateway to Health & Disease (link), in Lucca (Italy) and had a speech in the satellite Gordon Research Seminar, Decoding the Basis of Transmembrane Transport in Health and Disease Across the Kingdoms of Life (link). So job well done, congratulations, Hamed! I look forward to hearing what all you learned and can bring to us!

Mission or Piece of Mind

I recently found myself reading or listening to a book that I would never pick up myself from any shelf; JHT - Mission or Piece of Mind. A famous Finnish (withdrawn already) rap artist's book. I don't listen to his music, never even liked it, but the e-book library suggested this to me, and once I read the introduction, I thought, why not. And I must admit that the book was very good, and why it resonated that much was that, despite his general appearance as a rap artist, he has really given much thought to many things. Most of the insights and realizations he made can be directly translated from his world to the scientific or academic world. The topics were simple, from making mistakes and accepting them; being ambitious, but humble and patient in order to achieve something; to balancing how much hard work is required to be successful, and how many of us are willing to pay that price. I think it is only in Finnish at the moment, but if you can understand, I can highly recommend it as summer holiday reading. 

Computational and Medicinal Chemistry by the Lake 2026

This week, we had Computational and Medicinal Chemistry by the Lake 2026 -conference here in Kuopio. Nice topics, although almost all of them were out of my expertise, but it is always good to understand what your collaborators are all about. 😎 I guess, for me, the most important thing was the networking, to see old friends and make new ones! And also our new students, like Joel got the opportunity to participate in the event almost next to your home door, and a bit older ones like Mikko, but also the "old ones" Ville and Andy, got the opportunity to present their posters. The other half of the group will attend another conference in Kuopio in 2 weeks! What a wonderful June!