August 13, 2026
A water technology grant gave Postdoctoral Researcher Voitto Känkänen the opportunity to put his research idea into practice. The project, launched with the support of the grant, demonstrated that harmful PFAS compounds can be removed from water using an environmentally friendly approach. At the same time, it highlighted the crucial role that early-stage funding plays in enabling new scientific initiatives.
Versatility. It is a word that comes up repeatedly when speaking with Postdoctoral Researcher Voitto Känkänen. “Physics is physics and chemistry is chemistry, regardless of the application. An engineering degree opens the door to many different career paths,” he says. Känkänen has certainly explored a wide range of them. His next position will take him to Tampere University, where he will work on the development of cancer therapeutics. Before that, however, he is enjoying parental leave and taking the opportunity to discuss his research in water technology.
His journey began with a strong interest in the natural sciences. After upper secondary school, Känkänen enrolled in Materials Science and Engineering at Tampere University of Technology. “It felt like a natural choice, even though I did not yet know what I wanted to do in the future. It allowed me to continue studying physics and chemistry, while also offering a degree with broad career prospects.” He later specialized in polymer materials and materials chemistry.
According to Känkänen, his path into research has largely been shaped by practical work experience. The same was true for his doctoral studies. “My research has always emerged from real-world needs. My doctoral dissertation, which focused on pharmaceutical research, was a commissioned research project. The idea originated while I was working in the pharmaceutical industry.” Känkänen earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Helsinki in January 2025.
Känkänen became involved in water technology research through a project at Aalto University. “They had a project focused on developing microbubbles for medical applications. Microbubbles can be used as contrast agents to enhance ultrasound imaging.”
In the Aalto University project, the microbubbles were stabilized using a surface-active fungal protein that helped keep them extremely small. Känkänen began to wonder whether the same technology could be applied to water treatment. Could small air bubbles be used to remove hydrophobic contaminants, such as harmful PFAS compounds, more efficiently from water?
In August 2025, Känkänen applied for a water technology research grant through a joint funding call organized by the KAUTE Foundation and the Erkki Paasikivi Foundation. Following a successful application, the research work began. One year later, the project has already produced promising results.
“It appears that the fungal protein improves purification efficiency somewhat compared to the reference materials we tested. Most importantly, the fungal protein is completely biodegradable and non-toxic. Its use therefore places a much lower burden on the environment.”
Although his journey now continues in Tampere, Känkänen intends to return to water technology research in the future. “This is such an important field, and there are plenty of research questions left to explore. Water treatment plants are under constant pressure to improve their processes, and it would be fascinating to investigate how effective fungal proteins could be in the removal of microplastics or pharmaceutical residues.”
Känkänen speaks highly of the water technology grant programme. “One particularly important feature of this call is that it also allows applicants to apply for funding for research materials.” Material costs alone can be substantial in this type of research. Adequate facilities are equally important, as day-to-day research involves extensive laboratory work.
“Research of this kind is almost impossible to carry out without funding. The application process itself was very smooth.” According to Känkänen, grants play a critical role in launching pioneering research projects. “Many research ideas simply cannot get started without grant funding. Without preliminary evidence, it is difficult to convince a larger funding body, such as the Research Council of Finland, to support a topic that has not been studied before.”
To the best of Känkänen’s knowledge, he was the first researcher to investigate the use of these particular fungal proteins for the removal of PFAS contaminants. His project is a good example of how modern research is conducted. Although the funding is awarded to an individual researcher, the work itself is highly collaborative. “This grant is also a networking grant. Aalto University provided access to a broad range of expertise. I had the opportunity to work with both Robin Ras and Raed Al-Juboori. I also received analytical support from Jyrki Viidanoja at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).”
Currently on parental leave, Känkänen finds water technology research deeply meaningful. “It is clear that water technology research is important. The condition of our natural waters is essential for the future of all of us.”