Salla Maarit Koskela

My research is focused on carbohydrate-active enzymes, especially lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), and their utilization for environmentally friendly production of nanocelluloses and cellulose-based materials. My long-term inspiration are the wood-decomposing fungi and the activities and synergism of fungal enzymes and proteins, which I believe have a huge potential in modification of lignocellulose towards various applications including sustainable materials.

I have obtained a PHD degree in 2022 at KTH Royal Instute of Technology, Sweden, where I gained skills in nanocellulose production and fabrication of cellulose-based materials. I have obtained a master's degree in biotechnology in 2017 at University of Helsinki, Finland, where I focused on fungal biotechnology, enzyme production and characterization, and bioreactor fermentation. Prior starting at KTH, I was a research trainee at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, where I produced biomaterial proteins in Pichia pastoris and Trichoderma reesei.

In addition to research, I frequently supervise M.Sc. and B.Sc. projects in the field of biotechnology. In 2018, I took part in the Stockholm's iGEM team as an advisor for the team, supervising the students on production of recombinant laccases inP. pastoris.

Publications

1.      Wang S., Li L., Zha L., Koskela S., Berglund L., Zhou Q. (2023) Wood xerogel for fabrication of high-performance transparent wood. Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38481-x 

2.      Koskela S., Wang S., Li L., Zha L., Berglund L., Zhou Q. (2023) An oxidative enzyme boosting mechanical and optical performance of densified wood films. Small https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202205056

Cover page: An oxidative enzyme boosting mechanical and optical performance of densified wood (Small 17/2023) https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202370110

3.     Koskela S., Zha L., Wang S., Yan M., Zhou Q. (2022) Hemicellulose content affects the properties of cellulose nanofibrils produced from softwood pulp fibres by LPMO. Green Chemistry https://doi.org/10.1039/D2GC02237K

4.     Wang S., Chen H., Li K., Koskela S., Berglund L., Zhou Q. (2021) Strong, transparent, and thermochromic composite hydrogel from wood derived highly mesoporous cellulose network and PNIPAM. Composites Part A  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2021.106757

5.      Li K., Wang S., Koskela S., Zhou Q. (2021) Surface functionalization of spruce-derived cellulose scaffold for glycoprotein separation. Advanced Materials Interfaces DOI:10.1002/admi.202100787

Cover page: Surface Functionalization of Spruce-Derived Cellulose Scaffold for Glycoprotein Separation (Adv. Mater. Interfaces 19/2021) DOI:10.1002/admi.202170106

6.     Koskela S., Wang S., Fowler P., Tan F., Zhou Q. (2021) Structure and self-assembly of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase-oxidized cellulose nanocrystals. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c02407

7.     Koskela S., Wang S., Xu D., Yang X., Li K., Berglund L., McKee L., Bulone V., Zhou Q. (2019) Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) mediated production of ultra-fine cellulose nanofibres from delignified softwood fibres. Green Chemistry DOI:10.1039/C9GC02808K

8.     Mäkelä M., Dilokpimol A., Koskela S., Kuuskeri J., de Vries R., Hildén K. (2018) Characterization of a feruloyl esterase from Aspergillus terreus facilitates the division of fungal enzymes from Carbohydrate Esterase family 1 of the carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy) database. Microbial Biotechnology DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13273

9.        Fang W., Nonappa N., Vitikainen M., Mohammadi P., Koskela S., Soikkeli M., Westerholm-Parvinen A., Landowski C., Penttilä M., Linder M., Laaksonen P. (2018). Coacervation of resilin fusion proteins containing terminal functionalities. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.07.048

10.        Fang W., Paananen A., Vitikainen M.,Koskela S., Westerholm-Parvinen A., Joensuu J., Landowski C., Penttilä M., Linder M., Laaksonen P. (2017) Elastic and pH responsive hybrid interfaces created with engineered resilin and nanocellulose. Biomacromolecules DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b00294

Patents

1.       McKee L., Hao M., Zhou Q., Koskela S. (2021) "Novel carbohydrate binding polypeptides" Application No.:21208133.5 under review at European Patent Office

Activities

• Journal of Polymer Science (Reviewer) 2023
• PhD course "Plant Cell Walls" (Lecturer) Jan 12th 2023, University of Helsinki, Finland
• Undergraduate course in biological engineering (Invited resource speaker) Jul 21th 2022, Mapúa University, Philippines
• TAPPI Nano international conference on nanotechnology for renewable materials (Speaker) Jun 8-11th 2020, Helsinki, Finland (event cancelled due to covid-19)
• Green China, 1st International Green and Sustainable Chemistry Conference (Speaker) Oct 17-19th 2019, Beijing, China
• Stockholm Cell Wall Meeting III (Speaker), Sep 18th 2019, Stockholm, Sweden
• 257th ACS National Meeting and Expo (Poster) Mar 31st - 4th Apr 2019, Orlando, USA
• 29th Fungal Genetics Conference (Poster) Mar 14-19th 2017, Pasific Grove, USA