The French Institutes of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have selected the winners of the French Institute Nordic Award, with this year’s theme being Digital Health

Since 2020, the French Institutes of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have annually awarded a prize to five young researchers. The French Institute Nordic Award (FINA) promotes scientific cooperation on a mutual theme of interest to the five countries and France. This year, the theme is Digital Health.

From September 23 to 29, 2024, the laureates are invited to participate in a week-long scientific trip to Caen and Paris. During this trip, they will be introduced to promising research and development initiatives within France’s strategy to accelerate Digital Health by 2030. This program will enable these young researchers from Nordic countries to exchange ideas and potentially initiate collaborations with a variety of French stakeholders, including universities and research centers, hospitals, health authorities, and national coordination initiatives.

We are pleased to announce the four laureates of 2024:

Elise Klæbo Vonstad is a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Her research focuses on innovative technology solutions for rehabilitation and elderly care, utilizing machine learning and advanced motion capture techniques to enhance e-health solutions. Her PhD project investigated how machine learning could improve exergames (exercise games) for the elderly, particularly in balance training, with the aim of enhancing accessibility and effectiveness for older adults. Exergaming shows promise in promoting physical activity and health among aging populations, though current technology has its limitations.

Saija Simola is a doctoral candidate in computer science at Aalto University in Finland. She earned her Master’s degree in Science and Technology from Aalto University in 2014. Following this, she worked as a software engineer, developing e-health services for the public sector, until she began her PhD in 2022 at Aalto University., Her current research focuses on comparing digital health portals for patients across several Nordic countries.

Georgi Džaparidze is a gynecologist and pathologist at Tallinn Central Hospital. He obtained his medical degree and completed his residencies in pathology, and obstetrics, and gynecology at the University of Tartu, earning a PhD in digital pathology and adenocarcinoma in 2021. Dr. Džaparidze co-founded Estonia’s first digital pathology department and co-authored several open-source AI tools for histological analysis. He mentors students, lectures at various institutions, and leads projects integrating digital pathology into clinical practice.

Maarit Wirkkala is a doctoral candidate researching digital health and aspects of care quality and occupational health at the University of Gävle in Sweden. Her research project examines digital care chains in healthcare, focusing on care consumption, care quality, work environment, and well-being.

We congratulate all the laureates and eagerly await the results of this French-Nordic collaboration!