Presently, Heino's research group contains about 10 researchers and graduate students. The group is working actively with questions related to the role of matrisome proteins and cell adhesion mechanisms especially in human cancer. Under Heino's supervision 20 graduate students have completed their doctoral thesis. He has also supervised several postdoctoral researchers. Alumni of his group contains 2 full professors, 4 chief physicians and researchers working in top institutes in UK, Canada and USA. Since 2011 Jyrki Heino has been a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.