2012 © Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM
PI Iiris Hovatta
Principal Investigator:
Associated Professor Iiris Hovatta, PhD
Primary Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki
Title of the FIMM-Specific Research Project:
The role of miRNAs in the regulation of anxiety
Abstract:
Our research group aims to clarify genetics and molecular factors affecting normal and pathological anxiety. We are using functional genomics approaches to identify genes that regulate anxiety. Anxiety disorders are complex diseases with both genetic and environmental susceptibility factors. In this project, we will investigate whether microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate anxiety-related behavior. miRNAs are small regulatory molecules that suppress mRNA activity. They have been isolated and characterized in all organisms and tissues, and in mammalian brain they are shown to be involved in neuronal differentiation and synaptic plasticity. Resent evidence points at the involvement of miRNA expression differences in other neuropsychiatric diseases. We will carry out both miRNA and gene expression profiling from six inbred mouse strains we have studied earlier and which differ in their innate anxiety levels. We will profile two brain regions that are known to be involved in some aspects of anxiety behavior: the hippocampus and the forebrain. This enables us to investigate miRNA expression differences between strains and between brain regions, as well as to correlate these measures with gene expression, SNP, and behavioral data. miRNA expression profiling is carried out by the miRNA-seq method which we have setup for the Illumina Genome Analyzer in collaboration with the FIMM technology center. We will identify miRNAs that have an expression pattern correlating with anxiety-like behavior across the studied strains and follow up these findings by functional studies to assess the causality of these miRNAs.
Contact information:
Iiris Hovatta, PhD, Academy Research Fellow
Docent, Group Leader
Research Program of Molecular Neurology, University of Helsinki & Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare & Department of Medical Genetics, University of Helsinki
Biomedicum Helsinki, P.O. Box 63 (Haartmaninkatu 8)
FI-00014 University of Helsinki
Tel: +358-9-191-25031
Fax: +358-9-471-71964
e-mail: iiris.hovatta(at)helsinki.fi