Grants 2015
The Diabetes Research Foundations large grant was this year awarded professor Timo Otonkoski from the University of Helsinki, who is developing a new diabetes research tool, as well as professor Tapani Rönnemaa, who is doing gestational diabetes research in the Universities of Turku and Oulu. Otonkoski was awarded a two-year grant of 100 000 euros while Rönnemaa received 50 000 Euros.
We received a record amount of grant applications, in all 101, which was 11 applications more than last year and 21 applications more than in 2013. Grants were awarded a total of 22 applicants. The amount of grant funding to be distributed remained the same as last year, and consists of 450 000 Euros.
The scientific level of the applications was excellent this year as well. A majority of 63 applications were connected to type 2 diabetes research while 33 applications were connected to type 1 diabetes research. Gestational diabetes research collected 10 applications, and other types of diabetes research collected 4 applications. One application may be connected to several types of diabetes.
A majority of the applications were obtained from the University of Turku (23,8%), the Kuopio-unit of the University of Eastern-Finland (21,8%) and the University of Helsinki (20,8%).
Two-year grant, 100 000 euros
Otonkoski Timo, D.Med.Sc., professor, the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medical Sciences, the Research Program of Molecular Neurology
The grant awarded professor Otonkoskis research group also contains the following personal grant: Lithovius Väinö, B.M., 9 000 euros.
Patient-based iPS cells: The new diabetes research tool
Most genes associated with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are connected to pancreatic beta cells, in other words insulin secretion. It is unclear however, how these gene interactions lead to the disease. Monogenic forms of diabetes are rare and caused by a single gene, and they function as valuable models through which we may learn extensively.
The research aims to utilize recent developments in the field of stem cell technology and genome alteration. Cell samples from persons with monogenic diabetes will produce pluripotent iPS stem cells, that will in turn be differentiated into pancreatic islet cells.
The research group will be able to generate insulin producing cells which can be used to study disease mutation disturbances. The groups first priority is to study types of diabetes caused by STAT3 and insulin genes.
The mechanisms in these genes are vastly different; the hypothesis is that STAT3 gene mutation leads to disturbances in pancreatic beta cell differentiation, as well as autoimmunity in the entire body. The research group will also study this with the help of a new transgenic mouse model.
Insulin mutations on the other hand kill beta cells through so called ER stress. This mechanism is considered extremely important in the origin of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The research group will develop a trial model based on human pancreatic beta cells, through which new medication may be discovered. The project also includes disease mutation repair in cells, which improves the dependability of the trial model and may later on be applicable in gene therapy when connected to cell transplantation.
Two-year grant, 50 000 euros
Rönnemaa Tapani, D.Med.Sc., professor, the University of Turku/Turku University Hospital and the University of Oulu/Oulu University Hospital
The grant awarded professor Rönnemaas research group also contains the following personal grant: Paavilainen Elisa, Lic. Med., 8 000 euros
Metformin in gestational diabetes treatment – long-term metabolic effects on a 9-year old
Metformin is an old tablet form of diabetes medication that is being used in gestational diabetes treatment as well instead of insulin.
A total of 317 women in Turku and Oulu were between 2005 and 2010 randomly given either metformin or insulin as part of their gestational diabetes treatment. Metformin was found to be safe and effective even though roughly a fourth of the women in addition required insulin in order to achieve an adequate glucose balance.
Other research has shown that children of mothers with gestational diabetes are greatly prone to metabolic syndrome. However, little is known about the possible long term effects of metformin on the development of children whose mothers used it as part of their gestational diabetes treatment. This research venture aims to clarify the health of nine-year olds whose mothers were given metformin during their pregnancy, by comparing them to children of the same age with mothers who received insulin treatment during their pregnancy.
If the children of mothers who received metformin and insulin are found to be equally healthy, metformin may become the primary medication for gestational diabetes treatment and a great deal of the mothers would thus avoid insulin treatment.
One-year grants, roughly 25 000 euros
Hukkanen Janne, docent, the University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, 25 000 euros
The grant awarded docent Hukkanens research group also contains the
following working grant: Hassani Nezhad Gashti Fatemeh, MSc, 12 000 euros
Pregnane X receptor (PXR) activation as a causative factor of hepatosteatosis
Kalliokoski Teemu, D.Med.Sc., Turku PET Centre, 20 000 euros
The grant awarded D.Med.Sc. Kalliokoskis research group also contains the following personal grant: Kalliokoski Teemu, 12 300 euros
Indicating pancreatic insulitis through PET imaging modalities
Lehto Markku, docent, Folkhälsan Research Center, the University of Helsinki, 25 000 euros
The grant awarded docent Lehtos research group also contains the following personal grant: Post doc researcher to be named at a later time, 19 200 euros
Search for diagnostic and therapeutic tools for bacterial infections in patients with diabetes
Pulkkinen Mari-Anne, D.Med.Sc., HUS, Children´s Hospital and Jorvi Hospital, Oulu University Hospital, Children´s Hospital, 23 800 euros
The grant awarded D.Med.Sc. Pulkkiinens research group also contains the following personal grants: Pulkkinen Mari, 2 400 Euros and Tuomaala Anna-Kaisa, D.Med.Sc., 2 400 euros
The effects of motivational discussion and intense diabetes training on diabetes care balance among adolescents with type 1 diabetes and poor care balance
Savontaus Eriika, D.Med.Sc., the University of Turku, Pharmacology, drug development and drug treatment as well as Turku University Hospital/Clinical Pharmacology, 25 000 euros
The grant awarded D.Med.Sc. Savontaus´s research group also contains the following personal grant: Student to be named at a later time, 6 400 Euros
The significance of melanocortins in diabetes and vascular diseases connected to obesity
Tarvainen Mika, PhD, Docent, Department of Applied Physics, the University of Eastern-Finland, Kuopio, 25 000 euros
The grant awarded docent Tarvainens research group also contains the following personal grants: Lipponen Jukka, PhD, 14 400 euros and Kuoppa Pekka, M.Sc., 9 000 euros
Monitoring diabetes – Estimating glucose balance using non-invasive physiological measurements
Toivonen Raine, PhD, Faculty of Medicine/Department of Biochemistry, the University of Turku, 25 000 euros
The grant awarded PhD Toivonens research group also contains the following personal grants: Toivonen Raine, 14 000 euros and Glader Otto, B.Sc., 4 500 euros
Characterization of migratory dendritic cells of colon lamina propria and their role in breaking the peripheral tolerance leading to autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes
Vähä-Mäkilä (née Liljeroos) Mari, PhD, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital, 25 000 euros
The grant awarded PhD Vähä-Mäkiläs research group also contains the following personal grant: Vähä-Mäkilä Mari, PhD, 7 200 euros
Innate immunity as an amplifier of type 1 diabetes predicting autoimmune phenomena and beta cell damage (DIPP-PAMP)
Personal working grants, roughly 10 000 euros
Havula Essi, M.Sc., the University of Helsinki, Institute of Biotechnology and The Department of Biological and Environmental Science, 7 400 euros
Transcriptional control of dietary sugar metabolism and homeostasis by ChREBP-Mlx
Heinonen Sini, Lic.Med., the University of Helsinki, Obesity Research Unit, Diabetes and Obesity Research Program, 10 000 euros
Adipose tissue metabolism in acquired obesity
Helminen Olli, B.M., Children´s Hospital, the University of Oulu, 4 800 euros
Glucose metabolism changes in preclinical type 1 diabetes and predicting the onset
Honka Henri, Lic.Med., the National PET Centre, the University of Turku, 8 400 euros
The effects of bariatric surgery as well as intestinal hormone metabolism and vascularity on persons with type 2 diabetes
Klemetti Miira, Lic.Med., HUS, Women´s Hospital, 6 000 euros
Recent trends in type 1 diabetic pregnancies – the effects on mother and child
Lallukka Susanna, B.M.(during the research venture Lic.Med.), the University of Helsinki and Minerva Institute for Medical Research, 10 000 euros
The differences between fatty liver disease connected to, and not connected to, metabolic syndrome
Lankinen Maria, PhD, the University of Eastern-Finland/Kuopio, Department of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, 9 600 euros
Dietary effects of lipid metabolism among persons with heightened fasting blood sugar, and the connection between serum fatty acid composition, glycemia and the occurrence of type 2 diabetes
Lehtoranta Lara, Lic.Med., the University of Turku, Women´s Hospital, Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, 10 000 euros
Blood circulation in a fetus of a diabetic mother
Le Thi Thanh An, PhD, the University of Turku, Turku Centre for Biotechnology, 10 000 euros
Discovering early markers of Type 1 Diabetes: molecular patterns and virus signatures
Miettinen Maija, MNR, The National Institute for Health and Welfare, the University of Helsinki, 10 000 euros
Vitamin D and type 1 diabetes
Rönö Kristiina, Lic.Med., the University of Helsinki, Kätilöopisto Maternity Hospital, Gynecological and Maternity Clinic, 10 000 euros
The effect of lifestyle intervention on the occurrence of gestational diabetes and the exercise habits among women prone to diabetes
Saurus Pauliina, MSc, The Haartman Institute, the University of Helsinki, 10 000 euros
Regulation of podocyte apoptosis, a major mechanism of podocyte loss in diabetic nephropathy