Department of Pathology

Pathology is the study of diseases. The discipline provides basic education in pathology to students of medicine and dentistry. Pathology is the largest of the clinical-theoretical disciplines and as a specialisation, it is diverse and continually evolving (e.g., molecular pathology and digital diagnostics). The laboratory of pathology in Meilahti, the largest in Finland, provides the most advanced histological and cytological diagnostic services.
Studies

The Department of Pathology provides basic education and integrated clinical instruction in the following courses:

  • Pathology
  • Organ Pathology
  • Healthy and Diseased Tissue
  • Pathologic Basis of Disease

The Department of Pathology organises the following advanced course (targeted at third-, fourth- and fifth-year medical students and students of psychology):

  • Pathobiology and Diagnostics of Brain Diseases

Advanced research projects can be carried out in the research groups active at the department, and students can reach out directly to the relevant group leaders.

The department provides specialist training in pathology, most of which takes place at the Meilahti pathology laboratory.
Research

As a research field, pathology focuses on investigating the causes and mechanisms of diseases and developing new morphological and molecular diagnostics. At Haartmaninkatu 3, the Department of Pathology actively conducts research in oncological pathology and neuropathology.

The Haartmaninkatu 3 building also houses the pathology laboratory of the HUS Diagnostic Center, one of Europe’s largest diagnostic pathology laboratories. Collaboration with the laboratory provides an optimal setting for translational research where the goal is to convert basic research in pathology into novel diagnostic methods.

The primary research themes of the Department of Pathology include

  • Neoplastic diseases
  • Diseases of the nervous system
  • Cardiovascular diseases
Contact details

Head of de­part­ment

professor Ari Ristimäki
ari.ristimaki@helsinki.fi
PO Box 21 (Haartmaninkatu 3)
00014 University of Helsinki

Ad­dress

PO Box 21 (Haartmaninkatu 3)
00014 University of Helsinki