Jussi Pärkkä, M.D., Antti Viljanen, M.D. Eveli na Arponen, M.Sc., Sarita Forsback, M.Sc. Tove Grönroos, M.Sc., Ri kka Kal iokoski, M.Sc., B.M. Iina Laitinen, M.Sc., Jarna Hannukainen, M.Sc. Satu Salomäki, M.Sc., Pauli na Virsu, M.Sc. Ronald Borra, M.D., Jan Kiss, B.M. Alexander Naum, M.D., Letizia Guiducci, M.Sc. Saila Kauhanen, M.D. Graduate students: Elina Hoppela, Miikka Honka, Hanna-Riikka Lehto
The goals of the Programme in Molecular Imaging in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research are: 1) To investigate physiology of cel ular metabolism in the
cardiovascular system and at whole body level; 2) To study pathophysiology of major cardiac and metabolic disorders such as coronary heart disease, heart failure
and diabetes using non-invasive molecular imaging techniques in animals and humans. The additional
goal 3) is to develop novel non-invasive molecular imaging probes and techniques.
The research consists of 7 specific research projects. The projects are 1) Imaging of vulnerable plaque; 2) Brain,
liver, fat and pancreas: A neuro-metabolic network
and Professor Pirjo Nuutila, M.D., Ph.D.
responsible for diabetes and obesity; 3) Regulation of skeletal muscle, connective tissue, and myocardial blood
flow and metabolism in trained and untrained men; 4)
Dynamics of the living human body under a microscope;
Turku PET Centre, P.O. Box 52, FI-20520 Turku, Finland;
5) In vivo imaging of inflammation; 6) Development of
Phone: +358-2-313 2482; Fax: +358-2-231 8191;
ultrasound MRI- and PET-CT-methods to study coronary
artery physiology and pharmacology and 7) Labeling
Professor Professor Pirjo Nuutila, Turku PET Centre,
chemistry for specific and selective PET-radiotracers.
P.O. Box 52, FI-20520 Turku, Finland; Phone: +358-2-313 1868; Fax: +358-2-231 8191;
In general the projects support each other since
they develop and utilize the same techniques and resources (Integration of methodology). For example
the modeling project wil provide a common methodological platform to the other projects, by
Senior investigators: Docent Kari Kalliokoski,
establishing a deeper quantification of intracel ular
Ph.D., Docent Patricia Iozzo, M.D., Ph.D.,
tracer pathways in the same tissues and under the
Docent Olli Raitakari, M.D., Ph.D., Prof. Jaakko
conditions of the other projects. Moreover, the projects
Hartiala, M.D., Ph.D., Docent Anne Roivainen, Ph.D.,
complement each other so that each project wil cover
one specific area of research and provide information
Prof. Juhani Airaksinen, M.D., Ph.D.
that is necessary for the success of the other projects.
Post-docs: Dr. Matti Luotolahti, M.D., Ph.D.,
The ultimate goal is to create an integrated overview
Dr. Heikki Ukkonen, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Kirsi Virtanen,
on the pathogenesis and interaction of cardiovascular
M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Mikko Kankaanpää, Ph.D.,
and metabolic diseases (Integrated disease overview).
Dr. Jukka Kemppainen, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Juha Koskenvuo, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Antti Saraste,
The cardio-metabolic research group has investigated
M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Marko Seppänen, M.D., Ph.D.,
physiology and pathophysiology in pre-clinical and clinical
metabolic diseases, such as diabetes mel itus, metabolic
syndrome, hypertension, obesity, in cardiovascular
Pre-docs: Ri kka Lautamäki, M.D.,Ti na Pöyhönen,
diseases (coronary heart disease, heart failure), influences
of life style (training) and pharmacological interventions
(e.g. PPARgamma agonists, statins). Recently, information
Turku PET Centre has been one of the pioneers
from genotyping has been combined with PET data of
in cardiometabolic imaging and researchers have
perfusion and metabolism in myocardium and muscle.
published around 400 original reports and developed
Special interest has been focused on intervention
several new methods. During the last 5 years it has
trials. In addition, imaging of inflammation, nervous
published 185 original articles. During the years
function, and neuroendocrine tumours as wel as
2000-2004, the cardio-metabolic research teams have
aspects of instrumentation, imaging physics, processing,
published 20 Ph.D. theses works and 4 licentiate theses.
reconstruction and model ing are studied. The group has
The research group has been active in early stage
introduced many new applications for non-invasive PET
training. The cardio-metabolic PET group has been a
imaging (insulin-glucose-clamp, new methods for the
Marie Curie host training site since 2000. During this
assessment of muscle blood flow, myocardial and skeletal
time five fel ows have been trainers in the Centre. The
muscle oxygen metabolism, free fatty acid metabolism
attractiveness has been based on the scientific level
in health and disease, measurements of metabolism in
of the research, stimulating training environment; a
adipose tissue and liver, localisation of hyperinsulism
structured training program, methodological courses
in infants) and methodological refinements in the
as a part of the Ph.D. program at the University of
instrumentation (new image reconstruction methods,
Turku and personal supervision provided by senior
tissue heterogeneity and fractal analysis, tracer validation
Vänttinen, M., Nuutila, P., Kuulasmaa, T., Pihlajamäki, J., Hällsten, K., Virtanen, K.A., Lauttamäki, R.,
Peltoniemi, P., Kemppainen, J., Takala, T., Viljanen, A.P., Knuuti, J. and Laakso, M. (2005) Single nucleotide
polymorphisms in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta gene are associated with skeletal
muscle glucose uptake. Diabetes 90: 4249-4254.
Viljanen, A., Virtanen, K.A., Järvisalo, M.J., Hällsten, K., Parkkola, R., Rönnemaa, T., Lönnqvist, F., Iozzo, P.,
Ferrannini, E. and Nuutila, P. (2005) Rosiglitazone treatment increases subcutaneous adipose tissue glucose
uptake in parallel with perfusion in patients with type 2 diabetes: A double-blind, randomized study with
metformin. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 90: 6523-6528.
Virtanen, K.A., Hällsten, K., Parkkola, R., Janatuinen, T., Lönnqvist, F., Viljanen, T., Rönnemaa, T., Knuuti,
J., Huupponen, R., Lönnroth, P. and Nuutila P. (2003) Differential effects of rosiglitazone and metformin on
adipose tissue distribution and glucose uptake in type 2 diabetic subjects. Diabetes 52: 283-290. From left to right: Sami Kajander, Pirjo Nuutila, Heikki Ukkonen, Ri kka Lautamäki, Helena Tuunanen, Juhani Knuuti, Iina Laitinen, Irina Lisinen, Patricia Iozzo, Chunlei Han, Sergey Nesterov, Kirsi Virtanen, Lotfi Slimani, Kari Kal iokoski, Jarna Hannukainen, Jan Sundel , Alexandru Naum
3400-A O ld M ilton Pkw y, Suite 360, A lpharetta G A 30005 770-475-0077 Introduction: One would think that the general order of magnitude of the various hormone levels would have been made clear in medical, nursing or undergraduate school. Obviously, women make lots of estrogen and men make lots of testosterone, right? Women must certainly make much more estrogen than testosterone, righ
Actualización en neuroquímica y terapéutica farmacológica de las ataxias cerebelosas J. Gazulla ACTUALIZACIÓN EN NEUROQUÍMICA Y TERAPÉUTICA FARMACOLÓGICA DE LAS ATAXIAS CEREBELOSAS Resumen. Objetivo . Recopilar los datos neuroquímicos disponibles sobre las diferentes ataxias cerebelosas y los múltiples ensayos terapéuticos realizados hasta el momento actual. Desarrollo . Se h
Jussi Pärkkä, M.D., Antti Viljanen, M.D.
(e.g. PPARgamma agonists, statins). Recently, information
Turku PET Centre has been one of the pioneers
from genotyping has been combined with PET data of
in cardiometabolic imaging and researchers have
perfusion and metabolism in myocardium and muscle.
published around 400 original reports and developed
Special interest has been focused on intervention
several new methods. During the last 5 years it has
trials. In addition, imaging of inflammation, nervous
published 185 original articles. During the years
function, and neuroendocrine tumours as wel as
2000-2004, the cardio-metabolic research teams have
aspects of instrumentation, imaging physics, processing,
published 20 Ph.D. theses works and 4 licentiate theses.
reconstruction and model ing are studied. The group has
The research group has been active in early stage
introduced many new applications for non-invasive PET
training. The cardio-metabolic PET group has been a
imaging (insulin-glucose-clamp, new methods for the
Marie Curie host training site since 2000. During this
assessment of muscle blood flow, myocardial and skeletal
time five fel ows have been trainers in the Centre. The
muscle oxygen metabolism, free fatty acid metabolism
attractiveness has been based on the scientific level
in health and disease, measurements of metabolism in
of the research, stimulating training environment; a
adipose tissue and liver, localisation of hyperinsulism
structured training program, methodological courses
in infants) and methodological refinements in the
as a part of the Ph.D. program at the University of
instrumentation (new image reconstruction methods,
Turku and personal supervision provided by senior
tissue heterogeneity and fractal analysis, tracer validation
Vänttinen, M., Nuutila, P., Kuulasmaa, T., Pihlajamäki, J., Hällsten, K., Virtanen, K.A., Lauttamäki, R.,
Peltoniemi, P., Kemppainen, J., Takala, T., Viljanen, A.P., Knuuti, J. and Laakso, M. (2005) Single nucleotide
polymorphisms in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta gene are associated with skeletal
muscle glucose uptake. Diabetes 90: 4249-4254.