About us > UH.HGC

UH.HGC

University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Prof. Palotie is the principle investigator of UH.FGC (University of Helsinki, National Public Health Institute, and the Finnish Genome Centre (Helsinki)). He has a long history in molecular genetic research in both monogenic and complex traits taking advantage of the unique Finnish population structure. Using Finnish migraine with aura material, he will further restrict the migraine locus on chromosome 4q21 and will identify additional migraine gene variants. He will make unique population resources, including the twin samples from GENOMEUTWIN, and epidemiological samples available for the Project. Being the Director of the Genotyping Core of EUROHEAD he will provide all genotypings of workpackage 1 to workpackage 4.

Summary of relevant expertise

  1. Genetics of migraine. The first genome scan for common forms of migraine was performed by this group, identifying a susceptibility locus on chromosome 4q. The special strength of this group is in its experience in positional cloning, genotyping capacity and its unique population resources and epidemiological samples. The restriction of the 4q locus is in progress using additional families and a combined multi-allele and SNP fine mapping strategy for association studies and haplotype construction.
  2. Genetic epidemiology.Dr. Kaprio in the group has extensive experience in twin research and epidemiological studies and along with Dr. Peltonen (Coordinator) and Dr. Palotie are PIs in the 5th Framework GENOMEUTWIN project. Migraine is one of the target traits in the EU funded GENOMEUTWIN project. GENOMEUTWIN consists of a total of 800,000 twins from seven European countries and Australia aiming at optimising the use of large population cohorts for genetic epidemiological studies. The genotyping results from EUROHEAD and GENOMEUTWIN will be analysed jointly to maximize the use of European genotype and phenotype data.

Five recent publications: (From a total of > 700 Peer-reviewed publications)

Chromosome 19p13 loci in Finnish migraine with aura families.

Kaunisto MA, Tikka PJ, Kallela M, Leal SM, Papp JC, Korhonen A, Hamalainen E, Harno H, Havanka H, Nissila M, Sako E, Ilmavirta M, Kaprio J, Farkkila M, Ophoff RA, Palotie A, Wessman M.

Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2005;132: 85-9.

Kinetic alterations due to a missense mutation in the Na,K-ATPase alpha2 subunit cause familial hemiplegic migraine type 2.

Segall L, Scanzano R, Kaunisto MA, Wessman M, Palotie A, Gargus JJ, Blostein R.

J Biol Chem 2004;279:43692-6.

A novel missense ATP1A2 mutation in a Finnish family with familial hemiplegic migraine type 2.

Kaunisto MA, Harno H, Vanmolkot KR, Gargus JJ, Sun G, Hamalainen E, Liukkonen E, Kallela M, van den Maagdenberg AM, Frants RR, Farkkila M, Palotie A, Wessman M.

Neurogenetics 2004;5:141-6.

Subclinical vestibulocerebellar dysfunction in migraine with and without aura.

Harno H, Hirvonen T, Kaunisto MA, Aalto H, Levo H, Isotalo E, Kallela M, Kaprio J, Palotie A, Wessman M, Farkkila M.

Neurology 2003;61:1748-52.

Genetic and environmental influences on migraine: a twin study across six countries.

Mulder EJ, Van Baal C, Gaist D, Kallela M, Kaprio J, Svensson DA, Nyholt DR, Martin NG, MacGregor AJ, Cherkas LF, Boomsma DI, Palotie A.

Twin Res 2003;6:422-31.

This page last modified: 06/04/2006