How FVF works?
Support
The Mercedes Zachariassen Foundation supports research focussing primarily on production animals.
The Helvi Knuuttila Foundation supports on a wider scale the operations of the Small Animal Clinic, the training of its staff and small animal research.
This research focuses on animal diseases, health care and welfare, and not on the use of animals as research models for human research.
Roots in the University
The Finnish Veterinary Foundation maintains strong connections with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: all the present members of the Board of Trustees are or have been employed by the Faculty. The Foundation’s first chair was Professor Ilkka Alitalo, followed by Professor Hannu Saloniemi 1998-2007, Professor Terttu Katila-Yrjänä 2008-2015, Professor Timo Soveri 2016-2021 and Prosessor Olli Peltoniemi 2022-2023.
Thanks to the skilful management of finances, the Foundation’s capital has grown considerably, thus enabling the Foundation to award an increasing number of grants.
Grants
Although students from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine have priority in the distribution of grants, researchers from elsewhere may also receive funding.
In the distribution of travel grants, applicants who will be presenting a paper at a conference have priority. Grants are awarded once a year.
The Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of the Finnish Veterinary Foundation comprises eight members. The Board also has a Representative.
Members of the Board of Trustees
Tiina Heinänen, Reasearch Nurse
Laura Hänninen, Docent, DVM
Janne Lundén, Professor, DVM
Sari Mölsä, Docent, DVM
Päivi Rajala-Schultz, Professor, DVM
Thomas Spillmann, Professor, DVM
Antti Sukura, Professor, DVM
Juhani Taponen, Professor, DVM