Ģ��ֱ��

Academy Research Fellow Eija Laakkonen’s project Menopause-Associated differences in Transporter Complex HDL’s composition and function (MATCH) was granted approx. half a million euros for the next four years. The project will study blood HDL particle composition and its effects on the human body during menopause. Before menopause, HDL works as atheroprotective molecule to transport cholesterol from arteries to the liver.

”Paradoxically, both physical activity and menopause are accompanied by increased HDL-cholesterol levels, yet with menopause, this increment is not protective. We aim to find novel components of HDL that may change and regulate HDL’s functions eventually affecting whole body metabolic homeostasis. Our study will progress HDL research towards new directions to study HDL's potential in prevention of CVD especially in aging women”, Laakkonen says.

Adjunct Professor Maija Vihinen-Ranta received funding of 500 000 euros for research “Way out through chromatin: nuclear exit of herpesvirus capsids and mRNA”. The understanding of intranuclear virus dynamics is essential for basic research and for the development of oncolytic virus therapy and novel antivirals that aim to block the viral life cycle.

“The general goal of this project is to unravel the mechanisms of virus-induced chromatin reorganization. The specific objectives are to determine the mechanisms of virus protein-induced alterations of the chromatin architecture, and to study the dynamics of viral mRNA and capsids within the chromatin network”, says Vihinen-Ranta.

The research utilizes a new interdisciplinary approach combining biology and biophysics with cutting-edge techniques of imaging such as high resolution fluorescent microscopy, electron microscopy and soft x ray tomography combined with advanced image analysis, and biophysical modeling.

Senior lecturer Sami Taipale received a funding of 500 000 euros for a reseach in which he is studying how climate change will impact the nutritional quality of freshwater organisms.

Consumers in food webs are dependent on primary producers for the synthesis of essential fatty acids and amino acids. Only a few phytoplankton taxa are able to synthetize EPA and DHA that physiologically most important fatty acids for consumers.

Climate change has direct influences on lakes chemistry and physics which will further effect on phytoplankton community structure and availability of essential fatty acids and amino acids.

“Temprature, nutrients and humic rich dissolved organic matter impact on the synthesis of EPA and DHA in phytoplankton and transfer in freshwater food webs will be studied different type of lakes, which after affect to the availability of these essential biomolecules will be modelled”, Taipale says.

For further information:
Eija Laakkonen tel. +358408053588, eija.k.laakkonen@jyu.fi
Maija Vihinen-Ranta tel. +358 40 024 8118, maija.vihinen-ranta@jyu.fi
Sami Taipale, tel. +358 40 805 4121, sami.taipale@jyu.fi