Dr. Samuli Rautava received his MD and PhD in
pediatrics from the University of Turku, Finland.
After completing a postdoctoral fellowship
at the Mucosal Immunology and Biology
Research Center at Harvard Medical School
and the Massachusetts General Hospital for
Children, Dr. Rautava continued his clinical
training at the University of Turku and Turku
University Hospital, earning specialist degrees
in pediatrics and neonatology. He then
completed a fellowship at the Hospital for
Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, where he
was presented with the Sick Kids Fellow of the
Year Award. Currently, Dr. Rautava works as a
Neonatologist at the Turku University Hospital
and as Adjunct Professor of Experimental
Pediatrics and Clinical Instructor in Pediatrics at
the University of Turku.
Dr. Rautava’s research efforts focus on the
short- and long-term health effects of early
microbial contact and the transfer of bacteria
from the mother to the infant during fetal
life, delivery, and early infancy. Specific
areas of interest include the causes of
spontaneous preterm birth and the impact of
early antibiotic use on infant gut microbiota
development and later health. Dr. Rautava
conducts clinical trials using probiotics
in pregnant and breastfeeding women
and preterm infants, complemented with
experimental studies in close collaboration
with experts in microbiology, immunology, and
epigenetics. He is well established in his field,
with over 40 scientific papers (H-index of 19)
and 14 international invited lectures.