Canine Models of Human Diseases
We aim to understand the genetic origin of canine and feline traits as models of human disorders. We have established large dog and cat DNA banks with ~100,000 samples as significant resources to pursue gene discovery in disease, morphology and behavior.
Genetic studies using association and whole generation sequencing approaches have been conducted or are running in numerous canine and feline conditions, including idiopathic epilepsy, ataxia, neurodegeneration, heart disease, eye diseases, anxiety, and developmental abnormalities. We have revealed novel genetic loci and genes in many disorders and continue to validate and characterize the genes and related pathways in different models, including human patients. Besides genetics, we have performed epidemiological and behavioral survey studies to understand the characteristics and risk factors of canine and feline behavior personalities and behavioral problems. We are also interested in factors affecting human-animal bonds and similarities to human behavior.
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Senior Scientists
Hannes Lohi, PhD, professor, group leader
Marjo Hytönen, PhD, docent, administrative group leader
Visiting Scientists
Maria Kaukonen, DVM, PhD, University Researcher
Cesar Araujo, PhD
Graduate Students
Tiina Heinonen
Salla Mikkola
Inka Pettinen
Sara Mikkonen
Noora Salokorpi
Sruthi Hundi
Aada Ståhl
Saila Holopainen
Undergraduate Students
Heidi Peltonen, BSc
Taru Kettunen, BSc
Staff
Sini Karjalainen, Laboratory Assistant
Santeri Suokas, Laboratory Assistant
PCYT2 deficiency in Saarlooswolfdogs with progressive retinal, central, and peripheral neurodegeneration.
Christen M, Oevermann A, Rupp S, Vaz FM, Wever EJM, Braus BK, Jagannathan V, Kehl A, Hytönen MK, Lohi H, Leeb T. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism. 2024.
Multiocular defect in the Old English Sheepdog: A canine form of Stickler syndrome type II associated with a missense variant in the collagen-type gene COL11A1.
Stanbury K, Stavinohova R, Pettitt L, Dixon C, Schofield EC, Mclaughlin B, Pettinen I, Lohi H, Ricketts SL, Oliver JA, Mellersh CS. PLoS One. 2023.
Pet and owner personality and mental wellbeing associate with attachment to cats and dogs.
Ståhl A, Salonen M, Hakanen E, Mikkola S, Sulkama S, Lahti J, Lohi H. iScience. 2023.
Identification of novel genetic risk factors of dilated cardiomyopathy: from canine to human.
Niskanen JE, Ohlsson Å, Ljungvall I, Drögemüller M, Ernst RF, Dooijes D, van Deutekom HWM, van Tintelen JP, Snijders Blok CJB, van Vugt M, van Setten J, Asselbergs FW, Petrič AD, Salonen M, Hundi S, Hörtenhuber M; DoGA consortium; Kere J, Pyle WG, Donner J, Postma AV, Leeb T, Andersson G, Hytönen MK, Häggström J, Wiberg M, Friederich J, Eberhard J, Harakalova M, van Steenbeek FG, Wess G, Lohi H. Genome Medicine. 2023.
Genome sequencing of 2000 canids by the Dog10K consortium advances the understanding of demography, genome function and architecture.
Meadows JRS, Kidd JM, Wang GD, Parker HG, Schall PZ, Bianchi M, Christmas MJ, Bougiouri K, Buckley RM, Hitte C, Nguyen AK, Wang C, Jagannathan V, Niskanen JE, Frantz LAF, Arumilli M, Hundi S, Lindblad-Toh K, Ginja C, Agustina KK, André C, Boyko AR, Davis BW, Drögemüller M, Feng XY, Gkagkavouzis K, Iliopoulos G, Harris AC, Hytönen MK, Kalthoff DC, Liu YH, Lymberakis P, Poulakakis N, Pires AE, Racimo F, Ramos-Almodovar F, Savolainen P, Venetsani S, Tammen I, Triantafyllidis A, vonHoldt B, Wayne RK, Larson G, Nicholas FW, Lohi H, Leeb T, Zhang YP, Ostrander EA. Genome Biology. 2023.
A frameshift deletion in F8 associated with hemophilia A in Labrador Retriever dogs.
Hytönen MK, Viitanen S, Hundi S, Donner J, Lohi H, Kaukonen M. Animal Genetics. 2023.
Multiple Origins and Genomic Basis of Complex Traits in Sighthounds.
Li WL, Liu YH, Li JX, Ding MT, Adeola AC, Isakova J, Aldashev AA, Peng MS, Huang X, Xie G, Chen X, Yang WK, Zhou WW, Ghanatsaman ZA, Olaogun SC, Sanke OJ, Dawuda PM, Hytönen MK, Lohi H, Esmailizadeh A, Poyarkov AD, Savolainen P, Wang GD, Zhang YP. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 2023.
A loss-of-function variant in canine GLRA1 associates with a neurological disorder resembling human hyperekplexia.
Heinonen T, Flegel T, Müller H, Kehl A, Hundi S, Matiasek K, Fischer A, Donner J, Forman OP, Lohi H, Hytönen MK. Human Genetics. 2023.
Breed, age, and social environment are associated with personality traits in dogs.
Salonen M, Mikkola S, Niskanen JE, Hakanen E, Sulkama S, Puurunen J, Lohi H. iScience. 2023.
Distinct healthy and atopic canine gut microbiota is influenced by diet and antibiotics.
Sinkko H, Lehtimäki J, Lohi H, Ruokolainen L, Hielm-Björkman A. Royal Society Open Science. 2023.
Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation
Sigrid Jusélius Foundation
Agria Foundation
University of Helsinki DVM Doctoral Program
The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters
Kinship Co
Leonberger Health Foundation International
Folkhälsan Research Center
University of Helsinki
Dog and Cat Breed Clubs
