2012 © Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM
Former Peltonen-Palotie Group (PI open)
Academician of Science, Professor Leena Peltonen-Palotie, MD, PhD, Research Director, FIMM (1952-2010)
Rapidly expanded information of the human genome has facilitated detailed genome-wide analyses of the gensetic risk elements in common diseases, representing common health problems. Professor Leena Peltonen-Palotie's group aims to characterize genetic risk factors in cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases. Utilizing unique study samples of Finland we have, in the collaboration with experts in clinical medicine, epidemiology, statistical genetics and biocomputing, identified a multitude of genetic loci associated with hyperlipidemias, cardiovascular diseases, psychiatric diseases and multiple sclerosis. Several of these loci have also been followed up in terms of their functional, biological and clinical impact. In the case of lactose intolerance, familial combined hyperlipidemia and multiple sclerosis, we have been able to identify DNA variants associated with the disease. Many of the studies involve Finnish epidemiological cohorts and collections of disease families. The research is done in close collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Broad Institute and other human genetics laboratories across the world. Also, one of the largest International studies is the ENGAGE integrated project, funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the EU co-ordinated by Peltonen-Palotie and after her death Professor Jaakko Kaprio. Peltonen-Palotie was also coordinator in the Nordic Center of Excellence in Disease Genetics and a co-PI in the Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Complex Disease Genetrics.
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| Picture taken in January 2010. |
Selected publications:
Kettunen J, Silander K, Saarela O, Amin N, Müller M, Timpson N, Surakka I, Ripatti S, Laitinen J, Hartikainen AL, Pouta A, Lahermo P, Anttila V, Männistö S, Jula A, Virtamo J, Salomaa V, Lehtimäki T, Raitakari O, Gieger C, Wichmann EH, Van Duijn CM, Smith GD, McCarthy MI, Järvelin MR, Perola M, Peltonen L. European lactase persistence genotype shows evidence of association with increase in body mass index. Hum Mol Genet 2010 Jan 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Tomppo L, Hennah W, Lahermo P, Loukola A, Tuulio-Henriksson A, Suvisaari J, Partonen T, Ekelund J, Lönnqvist J, Peltonen L. Association between genes of Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) interactors and schizophrenia supports the role of the DISC1 pathway in the etiology of major mental illnesses. Biol Psychiatry 2009 Jun 15;65(12):1055-62. Epub 2009 Feb 28.
Myocardial Infarction Genetics Consortium, Kathiresan S, Voight BF, Purcell S, Musunuru K, Ardissino D, Mannucci PM, Anand S, Engert JC, Samani NJ, Schunkert H, Erdmann J, Reilly MP, Rader DJ, Morgan T, Spertus JA, Stoll M, Girelli D, McKeown PP, Patterson CC, Siscovick DS, O'Donnell CJ, Elosua R, Peltonen L, Salomaa V, Schwartz SM, Melander O, Altshuler D, Ardissino D, Merlini PA, Berzuini C, Bernardinelli L, Peyvandi F, Tubaro M, Celli P, Ferrario M, Fetiveau R, Marziliano N, Casari G, Galli M, Ribichini F, Rossi M, Bernardi F, Zonzin P, Piazza A, Mannucci PM, Schwartz SM, Siscovick DS, Yee J, Friedlander Y, Elosua R, Marrugat J, Lucas G, Subirana I, Sala J, Ramos R, Kathiresan S, Meigs JB, Williams G, Nathan DM, MacRae CA, O'Donnell CJ, Salomaa V, Havulinna AS, Peltonen L, Melander O, Berglund G, Voight BF, Kathiresan S, Hirschhorn JN, Asselta R, Duga S, Spreafico M, Musunuru K, Daly MJ, Purcell S, Voight BF, Purcell S, Nemesh J, Korn JM, McCarroll SA, Schwartz SM, Yee J, Kathiresan S, Lucas G, Subirana I, Elosua R, Surti A, Guiducci C, Gianniny L, Mirel D, Parkin M, Burtt N, Gabriel SB, Samani NJ, Thompson JR, Braund PS, Wright BJ, Balmforth AJ, Ball SG, Hall AS; Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, Schunkert H, Erdmann J, Linsel-Nitschke P, Lieb W, Ziegler A, König I, Hengstenberg C, Fischer M, Stark K, Grosshennig A, Preuss M, Wichmann HE, Schreiber S, Schunkert H, Samani NJ, Erdmann J, Ouwehand W, Hengstenberg C, Deloukas P, Scholz M, Cambien F, Reilly MP, Li M, Chen Z, Wilensky R, Matthai W, Qasim A, Hakonarson HH, Devaney J, Burnett MS, Pichard AD, Kent KM, Satler L, Lindsay JM, Waksman R, Epstein SE, Rader DJ, Scheffold T, Berger K, Stoll M, Huge A, Girelli D, Martinelli N, Olivieri O, Corrocher R, Morgan T, Spertus JA, McKeown P, Patterson CC, Schunkert H, Erdmann E, Linsel-Nitschke P, Lieb W, Ziegler A, König IR, Hengstenberg C, Fischer M, Stark K, Grosshennig A, Preuss M, Wichmann HE, Schreiber S, Hólm H, Thorleifsson G, Thorsteinsdottir U, Stefansson K, Engert JC, Do R, Xie C, Anand S, Kathiresan S, Ardissino D, Mannucci PM, Siscovick D, O'Donnell CJ, Samani NJ, Melander O, Elosua R, Peltonen L, Salomaa V, Schwartz SM, Altshuler D. Genome-wide association of early-onset myocardial infarction with single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants. Nat Genet. 2009 Mar;41(3):334-41. Epub 2009 Feb 8.
Aulchenko YS, Ripatti S, Lindqvist I, Boomsma D, Heid IM, Pramstaller PP, Penninx BW, Janssens AC, Wilson JF, Spector T, Martin NG, Pedersen NL, Kyvik KO, Kaprio J, Hofman A, Freimer NB, Jarvelin MR, Gyllensten U, Campbell H, Rudan I, Johansson A, Marroni F, Hayward C, Vitart V, Jonasson I, Pattaro C, Wright A, Hastie N, Pichler I, Hicks AA, Falchi M, Willemsen G, Hottenga JJ, de Geus EJ, Montgomery GW, Whitfield J, Magnusson P, Saharinen J, Perola M, Silander K, Isaacs A, Sijbrands EJ, Uitterlinden AG, Witteman JC, Oostra BA, Elliott P, Ruokonen A, Sabatti C, Gieger C, Meitinger T, Kronenberg F, Döring A, Wichmann HE, Smit JH, McCarthy MI, van Duijn CM, Peltonen L; ENGAGE Consortium. Genome-wide association of early-onset myocardial infarction with single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variants. Loci influencing lipid levels and coronary heart disease risk in 16 European population cohorts. Nat Genet. 2009 Jan;41(1):47-55. Epub 2008 Dec 7.
Sabatti C, Service SK, Hartikainen AL, Pouta A, Ripatti S, Brodsky J, Jones CG, Zaitlen NA, Varilo T, Kaakinen M, Sovio U, Ruokonen A, Laitinen J, Jakkula E, Coin L, Hoggart C, Collins A, Turunen H, Gabriel S, Elliot P, McCarthy MI, Daly MJ, Järvelin MR, Freimer NB, Peltonen L. Genome-wide association analysis of metabolic traits in a birth cohort from a founder population. Nat Genet. 2009 Jan;41(1):35-46. Epub 2008 Dec 7.