Thank you Aki for your contribution!

This week one of the Master Thesis projects was finalized. Aki Hartikainen started his project of "Design and Synthesis of Novel Brain-Targeted Proteinphoshatase 2A (PP2A) Activators" approximately 1 year ago and this week he left his final thesis under evaluation. Aki did a very great job in the lab and managed to synthesis 3 new PP2A-derivatives and the most challenging part was that we had the COVID-19 lockdown during this project. Luckily Aki just finalized the third compound's purification on the 15th of March, 2020, the day before we started the lockdown. It was a bit hectic day... But then afterward he was able to write up both, the experimental part and also the literature review and had a summer job in the Pharmacy between these write-ups. :) 

This week Aki had also his seminar presentation and maturation exam, and both went well! And the best part of this project is that a new M.Sc. student will continue to evaluate the brain-targeting properties of these compounds in December. So well streamlined, although with a long run, this may sound a bit slow project, but then again, when M.Sc. thesis we need to give time for the students to grow into the project!

Thank you Aki for your contribution to our group and particularly in this project!