Olli Raitakari profile picture
Olli
Raitakari
InFLAMES Flagship
Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine (CAPC)
MD/PhD

Contact

+358 29 450 2304
Kiinamyllynkatu 10
20520
Turku

Areas of expertise

cardiovascular and metabolic diseases
risk factors
vascular epidemiology
genetic epidemiology
epidemiology
dietary intervention
cohort studies
follow-up studies

Biography

EDUCATION AND DEGREES
 
2001   Docent in Clinical Physiology
1997-1999  Postdoc training, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
1997   Docent in Epidemiology
1996   Specialist in Clinical Physiology 
1995   Doctorate, PhD
1989   Licentiate in Medicine, MD

CURRENT POSITIONS

2017-                 Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine, Director of the Research Centre of Applied and 
                          Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Finland                         

 

PAST POSITIONS

2012-2016                          Academy Professor, University of Turku

2007-2016                          Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine (part time), University of Turku

2007-2008                          Senior Scientist Grant, Academy of Finland

2004-2016                          Chief Physician, Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku
                                           University Hospital (leave of absence 2012-2016)

2002-2004                          Consultant in Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital

2002 (1 mo)                        Head of Nuclear Medicine Department, Turku University Hospital

2000-2003 (3 mo)               Head of Clinical Physiology Department, Turku University Hospital

2000-2005                          Senior Fellow Post, Academy of Finland

1998-2000                          Postdoctoral Research Post, Academy of Finland

1996-1997                          Consultant in Clinical Physiology, Turku University Hospital

1991-1996                          Positions as Resident in Clinical Chemistry, Nuclear Medicine, and Clinical 
                                           Physiology, Turku University Hospital

1988-1990                          Positions as General Practioner and Resident in Internal Medicine or Surgery


Research

Evidence suggest that many non-communicable disease outcomes have roots in childhood and may even stem of adverse ancestral exposures. Improved knowledge how various ancestral and early-life exposures lead to adult disease outcomes is essential in developing better preventive practices and policies that lead to improved public health. My mission has been to contribute to this knowledge-base by working in epidemiologic cohort studies with follow-up from childhood to adulthood. I am the Principal Investigator of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS), the largest study in Europe with a follow-up of cardiovascular risk factors from childhood to adulthood. I am also the Director of the STRIP Study, which is a leading long-term pediatric dietary intervention study testing the hypothesis that modifying the fat quality diet will have beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk early in life. During the past years, I have organized several field studies in these cohorts, and introduced novel technologies, such as imaging studies, genetic epidemiology methods and metabolomics approaches in these unique population resources. Our research has contributed to the understanding of pre-clinical development of atherosclerosis in children and young adults, including the effects of diet, life-style, metabolic risk factors, psychological traits and psychosocial factors, inflammation, hormones and genetic markers. For example, by applying non-invasive imaging methods in the Young Finns Study, we have demonstrated that exposure to adverse lipids, elevated blood pressure and obesity in childhood is related to atherosclerosis development in adulthood (JAMA 2003). Subsequent work stemmed from this initial observation has led to numerous original publications that have shown in detail how exposure to a large range of aetiogenic factors early in life contribute to the development of cardio-metabolic outcomes in adulthood. For example, by pooling international i3C Consortium data, we have demonstrated that overweight or obese children who became non-obese by adulthood had similar risks of many cardio-metabolic adult outcomes as individuals who were never obese (NEJM 2011). Thus, the results of our studies have clearly demonstrated that individual’s exposure to various stressors in early life is contributing to his/her adult phenotype and disease risk. The results have had significant impact on preventive practices. As a concrete demonstration of the international recognition and impact of my team’s work, many of our studies are widely cited in all updated paediatric guidelines on cardiovascular prevention both in Europe and in US.

Publications

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Blood microRNA profile associates with the levels of serum lipids and metabolites associated with glucose metabolism and insulin resistance and pinpoints pathways underlying metabolic syndrome The cardiovascular risk in Young Finns Study (2014)

Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
Raitoharju E, Seppala I, Oksala N, Lyytikainen LP, Raitakari O, Viikari J, Ala-Korpela M, Soininen P, Kangas AJ, Waldenberger M, Klopp N, Illig T, Leiviska J, Loo BM, Hutri-Kahonen N, Kahonen M, Laaksonen R, Lehtimaki T
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

Gene-Age Interactions in Blood Pressure Regulation: A Large-Scale Investigation with the CHARGE, Global BPgen, and ICBP Consortia (2014)

American Journal of Human Genetics
Simino J, Shi G, Bis JC, Chasman DI, Ehret GB, Gu XJ, Guo XQ, Hwang SJ, Sijbrands E, Smith AV, Verwoert GC, Bragg-Gresham JL, Cadby G, Chen P, Cheng CY, Corre TG, de Boer RA, Goel A, Johnson T, Khor CC, Lluis-Ganella C, Luan J, Lyytikainen LP, Nolte IM, Sim XL, Sober S, van der Most PJ, Verweij N, Zhao JH, Amin N, Boerwinkle E, Bouchard C, Dehghan A, Eiriksdottir G, Elosua R, Franco OH, Gieger C, Harris TB, Hercberg S, Hofman A, James AL, Johnson AD, Kahonen M, Khaw KT, Kutalik Z, Larson MG, Launer LJ, Li G, Liu JJ, Liu K, Morrison AC, Navis G, Ong RTH, Papanicolau GJ, Penninx BW, Psaty BM, Raffel LJ, Raitakari OT, Rice K, Rivadeneira F, Rose LM, Sanna S, Scott RA, Siscovick DS, Stolk RP, Uitterlinden AG, Vaidya D, van der Klauw MM, Vasan RS, Vithana EN, Volker U, Volzke H, Watkins H, Young TL, Aung T, Bochud M, Farrall M, Hartman CA, Laan M, Lakatta EG, Lehtimaki T, Loos RJF, Lucas G, Meneton P, Palmer LJ, Rettig R, Snieder H, Tai ES, Teo YY, van der Harst P, Wareham NJ, Wijmenga C, Wong TY, Fornage M, Gudnason V, Levy D, Palmas W, Ridker PM, Rotter JI, van Duijn CM, Witteman JCM, Chakravarti A, Rao DC
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

Youth Overweight and Metabolic Disturbances in Predicting Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome in Adulthood – The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2014)

The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study
Diabetes Care
Juha Koskinen, Costan G. Magnussen, Matthew A. Sabin, Mika Kähönen, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Tomi Laitinen, Leena Taittonen, Eero Jokinen, Terho Lehtimäki Jorma S.A. Viikari, Olli T. Raitakari, Markus Juonala
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

Parent-of-origin-specific allelic associations among 106 genomic loci for age at menarche (2014)

Nature
Perry JR, Day F, Elks CE, Sulem P, Thompson DJ, Ferreira T, He C, Chasman DI, Esko T, Thorleifsson G, Albrecht E, Ang WQ, Corre T, Cousminer DL, Feenstra B, Franceschini N, Ganna A, Johnson AD, Kjellqvist S, Lunetta KL, McMahon G, Nolte IM, Paternoster L, Porcu E, Smith AV, Stolk L, Teumer A, Tšernikova N, Tikkanen E, Ulivi S, Wagner EK, Amin N, Bierut LJ, Byrne EM, Hottenga JJ, Koller DL, Mangino M, Pers TH, Yerges-Armstrong LM, Hua Zhao J, Andrulis IL, Anton-Culver H, Atsma F, Bandinelli S, Beckmann MW, Benitez J, Blomqvist C, Bojesen SE, Bolla MK, Bonanni B, Brauch H, Brenner H, Buring JE, Chang-Claude J, Chanock S, Chen J, Chenevix-Trench G, Collée JM, Couch FJ, Couper D, Coviello AD, Cox A, Czene K, D'adamo AP, Davey Smith G, De Vivo I, Demerath EW, Dennis J, Devilee P, Dieffenbach AK, Dunning AM, Eiriksdottir G, Eriksson JG, Fasching PA, Ferrucci L, Flesch-Janys D, Flyger H, Foroud T, Franke L, Garcia ME, García-Closas M, Geller F, de Geus EE, Giles GG, Gudbjartsson DF, Gudnason V, Guénel P, Guo S, Hall P, Hamann U, Haring R, Hartman CA, Heath AC, Hofman A, Hooning MJ, Hopper JL, Hu FB, Hunter DJ, Karasik D, Kiel DP, Knight JA, Kosma VM, Kutalik Z, Lai S, Lambrechts D, Lindblom A, Mägi R, Magnusson PK, Mannermaa A, Martin NG, Masson G, McArdle PF, McArdle WL, Melbye M, Michailidou K, Mihailov E, Milani L, Milne RL, Nevanlinna H, Neven P, Nohr EA, Oldehinkel AJ, Oostra BA, Palotie A, Peacock M, Pedersen NL, Peterlongo P, Peto J, Pharoah PD, Postma DS, Pouta A, Pylkäs K, Radice P, Ring S, Rivadeneira F, Robino A, Rose LM, Rudolph A, Salomaa V, Sanna S, Schlessinger D, Schmidt MK, Southey MC, Sovio U, Stampfer MJ, Stöckl D, Storniolo AM, Timpson NJ, Tyrer J, Visser JA, Vollenweider P, Völzke H, Waeber G, Waldenberger M, Wallaschofski H, Wang Q, Willemsen G, Winqvist R, Wolffenbuttel BH, Wright MJ; Australian Ovarian Cancer Study; GENICA Network; kConFab; LifeLines Cohort Study; InterAct Consortium; Early Growth Genetics (EGG) Consortium, Boomsma DI, Econs MJ, Khaw KT, Loos RJ, McCarthy MI, Montgomery GW, Rice JP, Streeten EA, Thorsteinsdottir U, van Duijn CM, Alizadeh BZ, Bergmann S, Boerwinkle E, Boyd HA, Crisponi L, Gasparini P, Gieger C, Harris TB, Ingelsson E, Järvelin MR, Kraft P, Lawlor D, Metspalu A, Pennell CE, Ridker PM, Snieder H, Sørensen TI, Spector TD, Strachan DP, Uitterlinden AG, Wareham NJ, Widen E, Zygmunt M, Murray A, Easton DF, Stefansson K, Murabito JM, Ong KK, Cousminer DL, Stergiakouli E, Berry DJ, Ang W, Groen-Blokhuis MM, Körner A, Siitonen N, Ntalla I, Marinelli M, Perry JR, Kettunen J, Jansen R, Surakka I, Timpson NJ, Ring S, McMahon G, Power C, Wang C, Kähönen M, Viikari J, Lehtimäki T, Middeldorp CM, Hulshoff Pol HE, Neef M, Weise S, Pahkala K, Niinikoski H, Zeggini E, Panoutsopoulou K, Bustamante M, Penninx BW, Murabito J, Torrent M, Dedoussis GV, Kiess W, Boomsma DI, Pennell CE, Raitakari OT, Hyppönen E, Davey Smith G, Ripatti S, McCarthy MI, Widén E, Alizadeh BZ, de Boer RA, Boezen HM, Bruinenberg M, Franke L, van der Harst P, Hillege HL, van der Klauw MM, Navis G, Ormel J, Postma D, Rosmalen JG, Slaets JP, Snieder H, Stolk RP, Wolffenbuttel BH, Wijmenga C, Forouhi N, Kerrison ND, Langenberg C, Scott RA, Sharp SJ, Sims M, Barroso I, Deloukas P, McCarthy MI, Arriola L, Balkau B, Barricarte A, Boeing H, Franks PW, Gonzalez C, Grioni S, Kaaks R, Key TJ, Navarro C, Nilsson PM, Overvad K, Palli D, Panico S, Quirós J, Rolandsson O, Sacerdote C, Sánchez MJ, Slimani N, Tjonneland A, Tumino R, van der A DL, van der Schouw YT, Riboli E, Wareham NJ, Bowtell DD, Green A, Chenevix-Trench G, deFazio A, Gertig D, Webb PM, Brauch H, Justenhoven C, Hamann U, Ko YD, Baisch C, Fischer HP, Pesch B, Rabstein S, Spickenheuer A, Harth V, Aghmesheh M, Amor D, Andrews L, Antill Y, Armitage S, Arnold L, Balleine R, Bankier A, Bastick P, Beesley J, Beilby J, Bennett I, Bennett B, Berry G, Blackburn A, Bogwitz M, Brennan M, Brown M, Buckley M, Burgess M, Burke J, Butow P, Byron K, Callen D, Campbell I, Chauhan D, Chenevix-Trench G, Christian A, Clarke C, Colley A, Cotton D, Crook A, Cui J, Culling B, Cummings M, Dawson SJ, deFazio A, Delatycki M, Dickson R, Dixon J, Dobrovic A, Dudding T, Edkins T, Edwards S, Eisenbruch M, Farshid G, Fawcett S, Fellows A, Fenton G, Field M, Firgaira F, Flanagan J, Fleming J, Fong P, Forbes J, Fox S, French J, Friedlander M, Gaff C, Gardner M, Gattas M, George P, Giles G, Gill G, Goldblatt J, Greening S, Grist S, Eric H, Hardie K, Harris M, Hart S, Hayward N, Healey S, Heiniger L, Hopper J, Humphrey E, Hunt C, James P, Jenkins M, Jones A, Kefford R, Kidd A, Kiely B, Kirk J, Koehler J, Kollias J, Kovalenko S, Lakhani S, Leaming A, Leary J, Lim J, Lindeman G, Lipton L, Lobb L, Mann G, Marsh D, McLachlan SA, Meiser B, Meldrum C, Milne R, Mitchell G, Newman B, O'Connell S, O'Loughlin I, Osborne R, Pachter N, Patterson B, Peters L, Phillips K, Price M, Purser L, Reeve J, Reeve T, Richards R, Rickard E, Robinson B, Rudzki B, Saleh M, Salisbury E, Sambrook J, Saunders C, Saunus J, Sayer R, Scott E, Scott R, Scott C, Seshadri R, Sexton A, Sharma R, Shelling A, Simpson P, Southey M, Spurdle A, Suthers G, Sykes P, Taylor D, Taylor J, Thierry B, Thompson E, Thorne H, Townshend S, Trainer A, Tran L, Tucker K, Tyler J, Visvader J, Walker L, Walpole I, Waring P, Warner B, Warren G, Williams R, Wilson J, Winship I, Wu K, Young MA
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

Ideal cardiovascular health in young adult populations from the United States, Finland, and Australia and its association with cIMT: the international childhood cardiovascular cohort consortium. (2013)

Journal of the American Heart Association
Oikonen M, Laitinen TT, Magnussen CG, Steinberger J, Sinaiko AR, Dwyer T, Venn A, Smith KJ, Hutri-Kähönen N, Pahkala K, Mikkilä V, Prineas R, Viikari JS, Morrison JA, Woo JG, Chen W, Nicklas T, Srinivasan SR, Berenson G, Juonala M, Raitakari OT
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Adolescence Effect of Lifestyle Intervention and Association With Vascular Intima-Media Thickness and Elasticity (The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children [STRIP] Study) (2013)

Circulation
Pahkala K, Hietalampi H, Laitinen TT, Viikari JSA, Ronnemaa T, Niinikoski H, Lagstrom H, Talvia S, Jula A, Heinonen OJ, Juonala M, Simell O, Raitakari OT
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))