InFocus / Biological Communication Goes Viral: Information Transfer Across Cells and Organisms
Prof. Seppo Vainio from Oulu University is going to be at InFocus on June 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM. The event will take place in person.
*Participants are required to complete the registration form.
Location: Istanbul Medipol University, North Campus / Technology Transfer Office Meeting Room.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PJRL36832zDRV9eh6
Registration: https://sabita.medipol.edu.tr/index.php/2024/12/25/infocus-form/
Biological Communication Goes Viral: Information Transfer Across Cells and Organisms
Discoveries have revealed that programming biological information is not confined within cells only but is also exchanged in part through nano- and microscale extracellular vesicles (EVs), as has been shown for viruses, proteins, and metabolites. EVs may represent molecular carriers that traverse information between tissues, organisms, and environments. These communication networks influence, for example, developmental processes, adaptation, immunity, behavior, and disease progression, although the underlying mechanisms are still being described in detail.
In this talk, Prof. Vainio will explore an emerging view of biology in which living systems function as interconnected communication networks rather than isolated entities. Drawing on examples from developmental biology, regenerative medicine, microbiome research, and environmental signaling, Prof. Vainio will discuss how biological messages may involve not only individual organisms but also populations and ecosystems. Particular attention will be given to the implications of these findings for non-invasive diagnostics, wearable biosensors, and personalized preventive medicine through molecular profiling of sweat-derived vesicles. Prof. Vainio will argue that understanding how biological communication “goes viral” may transform current conceptions of health, evolution, and the interconnected nature of life itself.
