Rate My Professor Petro Julkunen

Petro Julkunen is the Professor of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Eastern Finland, serving as Head of the Department of Technical Physics within the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology. He is also Chief Physicist at the Diagnostic Imaging Center, Kuopio University Hospital. Julkunen obtained his Master of Science in Technology from Tampere University of Technology in 2004, specializing in biomedical engineering, followed by a PhD from the University of Kuopio in 2008. His doctoral dissertation, titled "Relationships between Structure, Composition and Function of Articular Cartilage," explored key aspects of musculoskeletal biomechanics. Earlier in his career, he held positions as Professor of Neuromuscular Biomechanics and Imaging since 2016, Medical Physicist from 2009, and Docent in Medical Physics, particularly neurophysiology physics, from 2009, all affiliated with the University of Eastern Finland.

Julkunen's research centers on medical physics and biomedical engineering, with a focus on non-invasive neuromodulation techniques such as neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and TMS-EEG integration for assessing brain and neuromuscular function. He leads the Neuromuscular Research group in the Biophysics Research Group, investigating motor cortex excitability, neural plasticity, knee osteoarthritis pathology including pain biomarkers in plasma and extracellular vesicles, and clinical applications in conditions like chronic pain, schizophrenia, and normal pressure hydrocephalus. His translational efforts include prototyping devices for clinical use and advancing medical physicist training. Notable publications include "Clinical utility and prospective of TMS–EEG: Updated review from an international expert group" (2026), "Plasma fatty acids reflect pain, disability, and psychological well-being in knee osteoarthritis in a longitudinal study with joint replacement surgery" (2026), "MEPFeatX—automated feature extraction of motor-evoked potentials in transcranial magnetic stimulation" (2025), "Bridging the gap to clinical use: A systematic review on TMS–EEG test-retest reliability" (2025), and "EFOMP policy statement no 20: The role of medical physicists and medical physics experts in physiological measurement and related therapies" (2025). Julkunen contributes to the field through leadership roles, including Chair of the University of Eastern Finland Radiation Safety Committee, Vice-Chair of the National Council of Medical Physicist Training in Finland, member of the Advisory Board for Radiation Safety at the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, and panel member in the National Publication Forum.