The world needs researched information and thought-provoking art.
The Sakari Alhopuro Foundation promotes and supports medical research, biodiversity, entrepreneurship as well as cultural and social well-being in Finland.
The Foundation specifically supports young doctors, so that they might have the opportunity to conduct research already during their studies and immediately after graduating. Art grants are also intended mainly for artistsin the early stages of their careers.
Medical Science
The foundation supports high-quality medical research by awarding grants in accordance with annually decided focus areas. In 2026, the grants will focus on research on interactions between microbes and humans.
Nature
More research data is needed about the impacts of climate change on our planet’s future. The Foundation seeks to advance an understanding of the biodiversity of nature as a means of promoting a more sustainable use of our natural surroundings.
Art
The Foundation supports Finnish art and culture in accordance with varying criteria that are decided on annually. In 2026, the grants will be awarded to artists who address aspects of climate change, biodiversity loss or the state of Finnish nature in their work.
The foundation’s 2026 grant application period has ended
We thank all applicants for their submissions. Grant applicants will be informed about the decision by email no later than 31 May 2026. The names of the grant recipients will be published on the foundation’s website.
Sakari Alhopuro:
THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS FOUND IN HELPING OTHERS
‘What is the purpose of life? As a doctor, I have often considered that the purpose of life is found in helping others’, states Sakari Alhopuro, founder of the Foundation.
Blogs
Get to know the work of researchers and artists by reading our blog!
Behind the Art: Milla Viljamaa
Musician and composer Milla Viljamaa draws strength and inspiration from nature. Her performance series Lauluja luonnolle (Songs for Nature), created together with singer-violinist Veera Railio, is an interactive and multisensory performance entity aimed at children, combining art, natural sciences and environmental education.Behind the Art: Polina Choni
Ukrainian artist Polina Choni works with lived experience through natural materials, as they carry time within them. Her multimodal work, centred on steppe ecosystems in war-damaged territories, reflects on resilience and ecological memory.Could metformin help women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects an individual’s health and wellbeing in many ways. PCOS occurs in one out of eight women, thereby impairing their quality of life considerably, and yet, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the care and treatment of this condition. A research project has now been initiated at HUS Helsinki University Hospital to explore the possible use and optimal dosage of an antidiabetic drug, metformin, for the treatment of PCOS.Articles
Sari Essayah, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry: The catchment areas of the Archipelago Sea may be excluded from the manure exception
Talk is underway about making the controversial livestock manure exception in the Phosphorus Decree permanent. However, a change to the manure exception included in the Government Programme is now being considered which would exclude the catchment areas of the Archipelago Sea from the Decree exception. This would make it possible for the Archipelago Sea to finally be deleted from HELCOM’s Hot Spot list.Sari Multala, Minister of Climate and the Environment: Further collaboration is needed to restore the state of the Archipelago Sea
Minister Sari Multala, a former World Champion sailor who has enjoyed summers at sea throughout her life, has personally witnessed how the state of the Archipelago Sea has worsened. According to Multala, the work done to save the Baltic Sea has been productive, but further collaboration is still needed to restore the state of the Archipelago Sea, in particular.Wega Group's biorefinery will reduce the phosphorus load in the Archipelago Sea
According to official sources, approximately 460 tonnes of phosphorus enter the Archipelago Sea each year. A biorefinery planned in Southwest Finland is expected to significantly reduce agricultural phosphorus loads by separating up to 280 tonnes of phosphorus from manure and processing it into recycled fertilisers. This will significantly slow down the eutrophication of the sea.Contact information
Sakari Alhopuro Foundation
Board of Directors of the Foundation
Professor of Bacteriology
Professor Emeritus of Environmental Research
Email addresses are in the form: firstname.lastname(at)sakarialhopuronsaatio.fi