Kirsi A Virtanen
Professor in Metabolic Research
University of Turku
Biografi
Kirsi A. Virtanen is a professor and physician at the University of Turku whose research focuses on human metabolism, adipose tissue biology, and metabolic health. Her work investigates how tissues including brown fat, white fat, and skeletal muscle use and store energy under different physiological and disease conditions.
A central theme in her research is understanding the role of brown fat in energy expenditure and metabolic regulation. Using advanced imaging techniques, particularly PET scanning, she studies how tissues take up nutrients and respond to environmental and metabolic signals. Her work has contributed to understanding how brown adipose tissue influences energy balance, insulin sensitivity, and cardiometabolic health.
By combining clinical studies with physiological approaches, Virtanen’s research aims to uncover mechanisms regulating metabolism and identify new strategies for preventing and treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related metabolic disorders.
