Katja Pahkala profile picture
Katja
Pahkala
Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine (CAPC)
Professor, Head of Paavo Nurmi Centre

Contact

+358 40 578 6122
Kiinamyllynkatu 10
20520
Turku

Areas of expertise

Cardiovascular health
prevention
childhood
physical activity
diet
epidemiology
longitudinal studies

Biography

I have devoted my research career to examining early life determinants of cardiometabolic health with the ultimate aim to improve primordial prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.

Teaching

I have supervised 15 undergraduate studies and six doctoral studies. Currently I supervise six doctoral students and one undergraduate student.

Research

I am a long-standing senior researcher and the vice director of the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (CAPC), and a member of the executive committee of the Centre for Population Health Research. I am also the vice principal investigator of the globally unique atherosclerosis prevention trial, the STRIP study (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project), which commenced in 1989 and has extensively studied the 1062 participants since age 7 months to 26 years with repeated assessment of diet, lifestyle and versatile cardiometabolic health markers. I am also an active member of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, started in the late 1970´s. The study involves originally 3596 participants from different parts of Finland. As highlights of my career, in 2014 I received the Academy of Finland’s Postdoctoral Researcher grant, and in 2019 I was invited to receive A/Professorship in Preventive Medicine (tenure track), and I was also awarded the Academy of Finland’s Research Fellowship. In 2023, I achieved full-Professorship in Preventive Medicine. In 2024, I began as a Head of the Paavo Nurmi Centre, a centre of expertise in sports & exercise medicine.

Publications

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Association of Socioeconomic Status in Childhood With Left Ventricular Structure and Diastolic Function in Adulthood The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2017)

JAMA Pediatrics
Laitinen TT, Puolakka E, Ruohonen S, Magnussen CG, Smith KJ, Viikari JSA, Heinonen OJ, Kartiosuo N, Hutri-Kahonen N, Kahonen M, Jokinen E, Laitinen TP, Tossavainen P, Pulkki-Raback L, Elovainio M, Raitakari OT, Pahkala K, Juonala M
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

Cardiovascular Risk Factors From Childhood and Midlife Cognitive Performance The Young Finns Study (2017)

Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Suvi P. Rovio, Katja Pahkala, Jaakko Nevalainen, Markus Juonala, Pia Salo, Mika Kähönen, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Terho Lehtimäki, Eero Jokinen, Tomi Laitinen, Leena Taittonen, Päivi Tossavainen, Jorma S.A. Viikari, Juha O. Rinne, Olli T. Raitakari
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Risk of Fatty Liver: The Young Finns Study (2017)

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Palve KS, Pahkala K, Suomela E, Aatola H, Hulkkonen J, Juonala M, Lehtimaki T, Ronnemaa T, Viikari JSA, Kahonen M, Hutri-Kahonen N, Telama R, Tammelin T, Raitakari OT
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))
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