Canine Models of Human Diseases
We aim to understand the genetic origin of diseases. We pursue gene identification in dogs as a highly relevant model for human diseases. We have established a large Dog DNA bank with ~ 80,000 samples from over 330 different breeds. This provides a significant resource for various genetic studies.
Genetic studies using association and next generation sequencing approaches have been conducted or are running in numerous different conditions, including idiopathic epilepsy, ataxia, neurodegeneration, eye diseases, anxiety, and several developmental abnormalities. We have revealed a novel genetic loci and genes in many of the disorders and continue to validate and characterize the genes and related pathways in different models, including human patients. We have discovered several new genes for the conditions described above. This has provided new candidate genes for human conditions, improved understanding of the related disease mechanisms, and has enabled the development of new gene tests for diagnostic and breeding purposes in dogs. In addition, we are currently in a process of developing a novel metabolomic test for dogs as an additional diagnostic and research tool to support ongoing diseases studies.
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Senior Scientist
Hannes Lohi, PhD, professor, group leader
Marjo Hytönen, docent, administrative group leader
Post-Doctoral Scientists
Cesar Araujo
Meharji Arumilli
Maria Kaukonen
Milla Salonen
Visiting Scientists
Maria Kaukonen, DVM, PhD
Milla Salonen, PhD
Graduate Students
Tiina Heinonen
Salla Mikkola
Julia Niskanen
Emma Hakanen
Inka Penttinen
Undergraduate Students
Siiri Lappalainen, BSc
Sara Mikkonen, BSc
Staff
Sini Karjalainen, Laboratory Assistant
Berk BA, Ottka C, Hong Law T, Packer RMA, Wessmann A, Bathen-Nöthen A, Jokinen TS, Knebel A, Tipold A, Lohi H, Volk HA. Front Vet Sci. 2022 Oct 6;9:935430. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.935430. eCollection 2022.
Fearfulness associates with problematic behaviors and poor socialization in cats.
Mikkola S, Salonen M, Hakanen E, Lohi H. iScience. 2022 Oct 3;25(10):105265. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105265. eCollection 2022 Oct 21.
Belanger JM, Heinonen T, Famula TR, Mandigers PJJ, Leegwater PA, Hytönen MK, Lohi H, Oberbauer AM. Genes (Basel). 2022 Jun 23;13(7):1124. doi: 10.3390/genes13071124.
Serum metabolomic profiles in dogs with chronic enteropathy.
Walker HK, Boag AM, Ottka C, Lohi H, Handel I, Gow AG, Mellanby RJ. J Vet Intern Med. 2022 Sep;36(5):1752-1759. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16419. Epub 2022 Jul 26.
Ottka C, Puurunen J, Müller E, Weber C, Klein R, Lohi H. Metabolomics. 2022 Jul 20;18(8):58. doi: 10.1007/s11306-022-01917-4.
Anderson H, Davison S, Lytle KM, Honkanen L, Freyer J, Mathlin J, Kyöstilä K, Inman L, Louviere A, Chodroff Foran R, Forman OP, Lohi H, Donner J. PLoS Genet. 2022 Jun 16;18(6):e1009804. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009804. eCollection 2022 Jun.
Imbery CA, Dieterle F, Ottka C, Weber C, Schlotterbeck G, Müller E, Lohi H, Giger U. Metabolites. 2022 Apr 9;12(4):339. doi: 10.3390/metabo12040339.
Metabolomic serum abnormalities in dogs with hepatopathies.
Imbery CA, Dieterle F, Ottka C, Weber C, Schlotterbeck G, Müller E, Lohi H, Giger U. Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 29;12(1):5329. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-09056-5. PMID: 35351920
Aggressiveness, ADHD-like behaviour, and environment influence repetitive behaviour in dogs.
Sulkama S, Salonen M, Mikkola S, Hakanen E, Puurunen J, Araujo C, Lohi H. Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 24;12(1):3520. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-07443-6. PMID: 35332179
Age, breed, sex and diet influence serum metabolite profiles of 2000 pet dogs.
Puurunen J, Ottka C, Salonen M, Niskanen JE, Lohi H. R Soc Open Sci. 2022 Feb 16;9(2):211642. doi: 10.1098/rsos.211642. eCollection 2022 Feb. PMID: 35223061
Personality traits associate with behavioral problems in pet dogs.
Salonen M, Mikkola S, Hakanen E, Sulkama S, Puurunen J, Lohi H. Transl Psychiatry. 2022 Feb 23;12(1):78. doi: 10.1038/s41398-022-01841-0.
Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation
Sigrid Jusélius Foundation
Leonberger Health Foundation International
Folkhälsan Research Center
University of Helsinki
Dog and Cat Breed Clubs
Kinship Co
