Around the same time, Pätilä met Sakari Nikinmaa, an engineer participating a Biodesign project at the Children's Hospital in Helsinki. He was looking for an interesting new project to work on. Together with Nikinmaa and the Biodesign team, they decided to go for it. They set up a research group at Aalto University. Extensive technical and antibacterial studies began.

Extensive trials found that aPDT is not enough and needs to be supported by an antibacterial blue light. Rantala carefully designed and implemented LED components to produce two different wavelengths, which allowed the team to move forward. After thousands of tests, the parameters were made to work and finally a concrete method was designed, Lumoral, with Harri Koskinen responsible for the design.

Lumoral has attracted widespread international interest. While tooth decay is the most common disease in the world, and inflammation of the supporting tissues of the teeth is the sixth most common disease in the world, the medical community struggles to find new solutions to combat these infections.

Lumoral treatment has shown potential to benefit several patient groups with difficult-to-treat conditions. The team continues its scientific endeavors with ongoing studies in academic communities around the world.