Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy

Country: Finland

Web: http://www.vtt.fi/

VTT is the leading multi-technological applied research organisation in Northern Europe. VTT provides high-end technology solutions and innovation services both to private and public sectors. VTT has been granted an ISO9001:2008 certificate, and our environmental system is certified in accordance with ISO14001:2004. We have almost 75 years’ experience supporting our national and international clients’ growth with top-level research and science-based results. VTT is a state-owned non-profit limited liability company and operates under the mandate of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. In 2016, VTT’s net turnover was 162.6 million € and other operational incomes were 86.4 million €, with highly educated personnel of 2128. VTT is organised in three large business areas. Solutions for natural resources and environment -business area (SONE) aims to be one of the global key players in the fields of bioeconomy and cleantech through networking with the best international partners. Our main target in SONE is to develop innovations for industrial ecosystems to support the utilization of natural resources. In the frame of industrial biotechnology we develop efficient and sustainable microbial, fungal and plant cell factories for biotech, pharma, enzyme, energy, chemical and cosmetic industries.

Plant biotechnology team at VTT is one of the globally leading actors in the field of plant biotechnology, including bioactive natural secondary compounds and their biosynthesis, cell culture technology and production systems, metabolic engineering of plants and cell cultures, metabolite profiling and functional genomics. During the recent years we have especially focused on the application potential of the antimicrobial natural compounds from medicinal and edible plants. The team was recently included in evaluation of Plant Science in Finland organized by the Academy of Finland, and received very positive evaluation and recommendations by the international review panel.

Food and process microbiology team at VTT has over 20 years’ experience in gut microbiota related research, including human and animal intervention studies, utilization of in vitro intestinal models for assessment of functional ingredient induced changes in microbiota and microbial metabolites, toxicological effects of nutritional ingredients, development of molecular techniques, and most importantly to the effect of diet (incl. probiotics and fibres) and various diseases and/or disorders on the gut microbiota. Moreover, one of team members is a chair of the EFSA FEEDAP-panel and one is a member of the Finnish Novel Foods Board.

VTT has a vast experience of various EU projects. In 2016, VTT was involved in 385 EU-funded research projects. Ranked among the leading European RTOs, VTT is committed to responsible collaboration for achieving the Europe 2020 goals by networking with Finnish and European actors in the global context.