Grants 2011
This year the Diabetes Research Foundation received grant applications from 70 researchers, which were 16 researchers less than in 2010. Seven researchers applied primarily for the two-year grant, 36 applied for the large grant and 27 researchers applied for the smaller grant. The large grant in particular was sought for several innovative research ventures.
The Diabetes Research Foundations board of directors awarded 374 000 euros to 19 researchers based on the scientific committees proposal.
The two-year grant of 50 000 euros/year
Eriksson Johan, professor, the University of Helsinki and Folkhälsan research centre
Prevention of gestational diabetes with lifestyle intervention (RADIEL)
Gestational diabetes is a sign of a mothers increased diabetes risk: as many as 10% of people with gestational diabetes are found to have type 2 diabetes soon after giving birth, and during a ten year follow-up period the risk of falling ill is up to 70%. Gestational diabetes in itself causes serious health risks for both the mother and the child. Children of mothers with gestational diabetes are found to have increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes later on in life.
Through lifestyle intervention it is possible to delay or even prevent the outbreak of type 2 diabetes. Traditionally, however, the prevention of diabetes has become the focus only when the first signs of the disease have been evident. It would be idyllic to focus on the risk factors already when the risks have been identified, even though the person has not yet fallen ill. These types of prevention programs have not yet been carried out among pregnant women, or women planning pregnancy. By preventing a mother’s gestational diabetes we can probably also affect the health of future generations.
The purpose of the RADIEL –venture is to create a follow-up and treatment chain model, which is relatively easily transferred into a municipal service and an activity for the service providers. The venture strives toward concrete co-operation involving people from the municipality, but also brings into focus the responsibility of the person running the risk of falling ill.
One-year grants, 12 500-25 000 euros
Hänninen Arno, MD, the University of Turku, 25 000 euros
Intestinal and innate immune mechanisms in autoimmune type 1 diabetes: role of nutritional factors and gut micro biota
The research aims to clarify the effects of two central environmental factors, microbes and diet, on the intestinal immune system from a diabetic point of view. The hypothesis is, that the events caused by these environmental factors in the intestinal immune system lead to diabetes outbreak related immune responses in the pancreatic islets or lymph nodes. The research will be conducted using NOD-mice, tissue samples and cell cultures.
Kajantie Eero, docent, national Institute for Health and Welfare, 25 000 euros
Preterm birth and early life programming of glucose metabolism
The research group has previously determined that even healthy preterm infants have decreased glucose tolerance as adults. 5-10% of the population is born slightly preterm, but little is known about their adult age health. This research venture aims to clarify the effects of slight preterm birth on adult age glucose metabolism and metabolic syndrome contributors. The researchers study whether or not these possible effects can be explained by the reason for preterm birth, diseases in the early stages or adult age, life style, exercise and physical fitness in particular. The purpose of the venture is to clarify if preterm births are a previously unrecognized type 2 diabetes risk group.
Lagström Hanna, docent, the University of Turku, 12 500 euros
Prospective longitudinal study of childhood risk factors in the development of obesity – the STEPDS Study
Obesity is a known risk factor of type 2 diabetes. At the moment there are no effective procedures to prevent or treat obesity. Parental obesity increases the risk of child obesity through environmental and hereditary factors. If the risk factors were recognized early, it would be possible to intervene in deviant weight development early on. With the help of this research venture we can get all-inclusive information about childhood growth, regarding obesity development and prevention in particular. The research focuses on the child and its family, as well as the conditions of the child’s growth.
Niinikoski Harri, docent, the University of Turku, 12 500 euros
The effect of life style counselling given during the first 20 years of life on prevalence of MBO and T2D
Atherosclerosis, obesity, type 2 diabetes and many others of our national diseases are in part caused by hereditary factors, but also many environmental factors regulate the development of changes beginning in early childhood. The previously realized type 2 diabetes prevention study in Finland (the DPS-study) showed the significance of life style changes in prevention of diabetes among adults.
The STRIP-study, an intervention project that started in Turku in 1990 concerning coronary heart disease risk factors in children, has clarified whether or not we can affect the development of cardio vascular disease risk factors through long-term life style counselling based on information gained from individual guidance and various branches of science.
By utilizing information gained from the STRIP-study we can now study how the life style of children and adolescents are connected to the pile-up of diabetes risk factors, for example metabolic syndrome. This research venture sheds new light on the prevention of type 2 diabetes with the help of life style management starting from early childhood.
Pietiläinen Kirsi, docent, Helsinki University Hospital and Biomedicum, 25 000 euros
Novel mechanisms behind obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common secondary disease connected to obesity. Both obesity and type 2 diabetes are caused by complicated interactions between hereditary and environmental factors that are difficult to tell apart under normal research circumstances. In Finland there is a massive amount of research material concerning young adult twins, and they offer an excellent possibility to separately clarify the effects of life style and genetics in the appearance and degree of difficulty of obesity.
The research group has previously shown that 25-year old obese identical twins had three times the amount of fat in their liver than their 10-25kg lighter counterparts, and they also showed clear insulin deficiency. The cell energy consumption in the fat tissue of obese people had lessened and the fat tissue had gathered inflammatory cells. This in turn caused a disturbance in glucose and insulin metabolism.
This research venture aims to clarify the epigenetic regulation of these events. Epigenetic factors are regulatory factors that affect genetic activity without altering the DNA base sequence, and are inherited from one cell generation to another. Epigenetic changes are for example caused by life style and other environmental factors. With obesity there are no known epigenetic changes, but it is probable that part of metabolic diseases in connection with obesity, including type 2 diabetes, are the result of epigenetic regulation.
Roivainen Merja, docent, National Institute for Health and Welfare, 25 000 euros
Molecular mediators of enterovirus induced pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and death
Enteroviral infections are one of the most important factors concerning exposure to adolescent diabetes. The goal of this research is to identify mechanisms with which enteroviruses cause the destruction of pancreatic beta cells and/or weaken cell activity and may therefore further the outbreak of the disease. The goal is to identify the causes of viral beta cell destruction in the human primary pancreatic cells on a molecular level, as well as on intracellular and intercellular network levels. The aim is also to compare these changes to the ones the virus causes in the pancreatic beta cell model in mice.
The research is part of a study concerning the clarification of type 1 diabetes birth mechanisms and origins, which may find new perspectives on how to prevent the disease as well as new methods of identifying viral type 1 diabetes and the viruses that cause it.
Savontaus Eriika, docent, the University of Turku, 25 000 euros
Neuropeptide Y in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome
Neuropeptide Y is a common neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous system that is known to be connected with appetite, energy balance and blood circulation regulation, and that has increased with chronic stress. The human neuropeptide Y –gene has been found to contain a mutation that increases the amount of neuropeptide Y and is connected to glucose and fat metabolism disorders.
The research group has previously developed a transgenic mouse that overly embodies neuropeptide Y in its nervous system. The study aims to utilize this mouse model in clarifying how neuropeptide Y causes the harmful changes in glucose and fat metabolism. The hypothesis is, that neuropeptide Y directly affects fat tissue and if this is hindered we can prevent obesity and the development of metabolic changes in connection with it.
Uusitalo-Järvinen Hannele, MD, the University of Tampere, 20 000 euros
Stabilization of vascularization in diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is the most important disease that causes blindness among persons of working age in western countries. Loss of sight is caused by changes in the small retinal blood vessels that lead to bleeding, swelling of the retina and retinal anoxia as well as occurrence of pathological blood vessel growth – and finally fibrotic complications.
Because the blood vessels increased permeability is a central factor in loss of sight caused by diabetic retinopathy, stabilization of the retinal vascular system could possibly be a new treatment method. It has recently been shown that a protein called R-RAS plays a central role in the maturity of the blood vessels. This research venture studies the manifestation and activity of R-RAS in a normal retinal vascular system, an experimental anoxic retinopathy and diabetic retinopathy. In addition to this, tests will also be performed to determine whether or not the R-RAS protein can be utilized to stabilize the retinal vascular system from a treatment perspective.
Virtanen Jyrki, Ph.D., the University of Eastern Finland, 25 000 euros
The effect of vitamin D supplementation on glucoce metabolism in metabolic syndrome (VitDMet)
It has been said that the lack of vitamin D is connected to several common national diseases, for instance cardio vascular diseases and diabetes. In Finland the lack of vitamin D is common particularly during the winter. Disturbances in glucose metabolism are also common in Finland. Roughly 40% of middle-aged men and about one third of middle-aged women have type 2 diabetes, decreased glucose tolerance or some other kind of glucose metabolism disturbance.
The research aims to clarify the effect of a daily double-dose of vitamin D on glucose metabolism in persons over the age of 60, who show signs of vitamin D deficiency and in addition to a high weight index display at least two symptoms of metabolic syndrome. The subjects are randomly placed into three groups. 1) a vitamin D dosage of 40 µg/day, 2) a vitamin D dosage of 80 µg/day or 3) a dose of placebo.
The study will last from September 2011 until March 2012, during which time sunlight does not give cause to noticeable amounts of vitamin D on the skin. Glucose metabolism is studied through repeated two hour glucose tolerance tests. In addition to this, the study will clarify the appearance of vitamin D dependant genes in fat tissue and monocytes.
The smaller grants, 7 600 – 10 000 euros
Ahola Aila, m.Sc., the University of Helsinki and Folkhälsan Research Centre, Biomedicum, 8 000 euros
Psychological determinants and self-care in patients with type 1 diabetes
Cederberg Henna, Lic. Med., MRes, the University of Oulu, 9 500 euros
Association of exercise and gene variants with changes in insulin resistance-related cardiovascular risk factors among young men
Hannonen Riitta, Lic.A., Kymenlaakso Central Hospital, 7 600 Euros
Psycho-social development in children with early-onset type 1 diabetes
Lehtoranta Lara, Lic. Med., the University of Turku and Turku University Central Hospital, 8 000 Euros
Fetal Circulation in Diabetic Pregnancy
Mikkola Kirsi, M.Sc., the University of Turku and Turku PET-centre, 9 600 euros
Pancreatic islet specificity of a2-adrenergic D2 dopaminergic and M3-muscarinergic receptor ligands
Mursu Jaakko, Ph.D., the University of Eastern Finland, 9 500 Euros
The role of dietary carbohydrates in chronic diseases, postdoctoral research
Pekkala Satu, Ph. D., the University of Jyväskylä, 7 600 Euros
Role of microbiota in obesity and metabolic syndrome
Soronen Jarkko, M. Sc., the University of Helsinki and the National Institute for Health and Welfare, 9 600 euros
Novel molecular mechanisms in the development of type 2 diabetes
Uusitalo Liisa, Ph. D., the National Institute for Health and Welfare, 10 000 euros
Significance of vitamin D, vitamin E and carotenoids in the development of type 1 diabetes: a birth cohort study among children with genetic susceptibility to diabetes