RESEARCH PROJECTS:
- The STRIP Project - A Prospective Randomized Trial of Atherosclerosis Prevention in Infancy and Childhood - An Epidemiological Study (Project Leader: Professor Olli Simell)
- Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury in Neonates - An Experimental Study (Project Leader: Professor Pekka Kääpä)
- Protection of the Heart During By-pass Surgery - An Experimental Study (Project Leader: Docent Timo Savunen)
- The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. - Epidemiologic study on atherosclerotic precursors in Finnish children and young adults. (Project Leader: Docent Olli Raitakari)
2) PATHOGENESIS OF ACUTE LUNG INJURY IN NEONATES
Principal Investigator: Pekka Kääpä, M.D., Ph.D.Research Group: Hanna Soukka, M.D., Jaakko Kytölä, M.D., Kalle Korhonen, M.D., Minna Aaltonen, M.D., Heikki Lukkarinen, B.M., Jani Knifsund, B.M., Tomi Sippola, M.D., Aida Steiner, B.M.
Description of the Project: Birth of a baby is associated with profound adaptive changes in the lung function and circulation, often subjected to major disturbances. These disturbances, due to various perinatal causes, are usually accompanied with high morbidity and mortality among the neonates. This experimental project is aimed to study physiological and pathophysiological pulmonary changes at birth. Specifically, the regulatory mechanisms of neonatal acute lung injury, such as meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), surfactant depletion and hyperoxia, are investigated. We have developed animal models, newborn piglet and rat, to help us to understand the evolution of pulmonary cellular response to aspiration or hyperoxia. Our preliminary data suggest that inflammatory changes, associated with apoptosis and upregulation of COX-2 and NOS-2 enzymes, in the neonatal lungs are central in the development of the pulmonary damage after insult. The current strategy of study is to develop new modalities of therapy, which, used in clinical situations, could improve the outcome of this severe lung injury in newborn infants.
Funding: Medical Research Council of the Academy of Finland, the Finnish Heart Association, Pediatrics Research Foundation and Sigrid Juselius Foundation