Canine Models of Human Diseases
We aim to understand the genetic origin of diseases. We pursue gene identification in dogs as a highly relevant model for human diseases. We have established a large Dog DNA bank with ~ 80,000 samples from over 330 different breeds. This provides a significant resource for various genetic studies.
Genetic studies using association and next generation sequencing approaches have been conducted or are running in numerous different conditions, including idiopathic epilepsy, ataxia, neurodegeneration, eye diseases, anxiety, and several developmental abnormalities. We have revealed a novel genetic loci and genes in many of the disorders and continue to validate and characterize the genes and related pathways in different models, including human patients. We have discovered several new genes for the conditions described above. This has provided new candidate genes for human conditions, improved understanding of the related disease mechanisms, and has enabled the development of new gene tests for diagnostic and breeding purposes in dogs. In addition, we are currently in a process of developing a novel metabolomic test for dogs as an additional diagnostic and research tool to support ongoing diseases studies.
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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.
Mol Genet Metab. 2024 Jan 21;141(3):108149.
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 Dec 28;18(12):e0295851.
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 Nov 9;26(12):108423.
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 Med. 2023 Sep 18;15(1):73.
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 Biol. 2023 Aug 15;24(1):187.
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.
Anim Genet. 2023 Oct;54(5):606-612.
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.
Mol Biol Evol. 2023 Aug 3;40(8):msad158.
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.
Hum Genet. 2023 Aug;142(8):1221-1230.
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 Apr 19;26(5):106691.
Distinct healthy and atopic canine gut microbiota is influenced by diet and antibiotics.
Sinkko H, Lehtimäki J, Lohi H, Ruokolainen L, Hielm-Björkman A.
R Soc Open Sci. 2023 Apr 26;10(4):221104.
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
