Grants 2010

The Diabetes Research Foundation received a total of 86 grant applications. Two-year grants were primarily sought by 12 researchers, the large grant of 25 000 Euros by 39 and the smaller grants by 35 researchers.

We handed out this year’s grants, a total of 325 000 euros, in connection with the Diabetes Research Foundations union meeting in Tampere.

Two-year grant, 100 000 euros

The largest two-year grant, a total of 100 000 euros, was awarded Professor Heikki Hyöty from the University of Tampere.

Hyöty and his team study the interaction between enteroviruses and the natural immune system in the origin of type 1 diabetes. The research venture supports development of an enterovirus vaccine to prevent diabetes, which the group has focused on during the last three years. The grant includes a personal 20 000 Euro grant for M.Sc. Sami Oikarinen.

One-year grants, 25 000 euros

Professor Mika Ala-Korpela conducts research at the University of Oulu, and his research is focused on a better understanding of the birth mechanisms of type 2 diabetes. The grant was awarded for the research venture: Combining genetics and metabonomics in the characterization of molecular processes that cause type 2 diabetes: Metabolic syndrome in men.

Ph. D. Veronica Fagerholm, from the PET-center in Turku and the University of Turku, was awarded a grant for research useful in the diagnostics of diabetes and the follow-up of diabetes medication effectiveness. The research develops PET-tracers suitable for pancreatic beta cell imaging. A donation of 10 000 Euros by the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk is included in Fagerholms grant.

Professor Jorma Ilonen from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio has been working to develop type 1 diabetes prevention methods by researching Resistance regulatory T-cell suppression in type 1 diabetes.

MD Heikki Koistinen, employed at Hyks, was also awarded a large grant for his research into the mechanisms of molecular levels in pregnancy diabetes (MAMA). The research provides new information regarding insulin resistance and molecular level events in the origin of type 2 diabetes.

Docent Markku Lehto from the Folkhälsan Research Centre was awarded 25 000 Euros for research that clarifies the role of bacterial infections in the origin of diabetic kidney disease. The research venture is a part of the national FinnDiane-study, which is in possession of biological samples and clinical information from roughly five thousand Finnish people with type 1 diabetes.

Professor Timo Otonkoski, Biomedicum, the University of Helsinki, was awarded 25 000 Euros. Otonkoskis research subject is the reprogramming of human exocrine pancreatic cells to islet cells. The research aims to test whether or not human pancreatic cells can be changed into functioning beta cells. The research is of great significance to the understanding of human beta-cell mass regulation mechanisms, through which possible new treatment procedures can be developed. M. Sc. Martins Kalis was awarded 12 000 Euros as a personal grant.

Smaller grants, 4 800 – 9 600 euros

Alam Catharina, M. Sc., the University of Turku, 6 400 euros

Microbial population effects on immunity and the development of type 1 diabetes

Hamari Susanna, M. Sc., the University of Helsinki, 8 000 euros

The balance of the T-cell mediated immune system in type 1 diabetes

Helenius Katja, M. Sc., the University of Helsinki, 9 600 euros

Cdk7 kinase and epigenetics in the event of diabetic hepatosteatosis

Honkanen Jarno, M. Sc., the National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, 6 400 euros

Th17 immunity in type 1 diabetes

Huopio Hanna, MD, Kuopio University Hospital and the University of Eastern Finland, 7 600 euros

A genetic study of infancy diabetes

Ijäs Hilkka, Lic. Med., Oulu University Hospital, 4 800 euros

Pregnancy diabetes – treatment and significance to women’s later health

Järvenpää Sanna-Mari, M. Sc., the University of Oulu, 9 600 euros

PGC-1a as regulator of liver metabolism and glucose balance

Kaye Sanna, Lic. Med., the University of Helsinki, 6 400 euros

Early obesity-induced metabolism changes in healthy young identical twins.

Mäkinen Marjaana, M. Sc., Turku University Hospital and the University of Turku, 6 400 euros

Serum vitamin D and the risk of type 1 diabetes in children

Smura Teemu, M. Sc., National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, 9 600 euros

The role of pancreatic duct cells in the origin of enteroviral mediated diabetes