Coeliac Disease Study Group
Markku Mäki

History

The basis for coeliac disease research in Tampere lies upon the work started by Prof. Jarmo Visakorpi in 1975 at the Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Tampere and the Department of Paediatrics, Tampere University Hospital. The present Coeliac Disease Study Group began in 1982. In 1995, then situated at the Department of Clinical Medicine, the group was invited to join the new Institute of Medical Technology as an affiliated group.

Aims

The consortium, Coeliac Disease Study Group, is an interdisciplinary research group focusing in gluten-induced disease entities, both in clinical and basic research aspects. The main aim for the study programme is to understand the role of nutrition in health and well being: sustaining health and preventing disease. In clinics our aim is to widen the diagnosis of coeliac disease to what we have started to call genetic gluten intolerance, gluten-induced disease entities with or without manifest mucosal lesion. Our clinical focus is also on gluten-induced extraintestinal manifestations and to know the true prevalence of the disease. We are also developing simple and reliable non-invasive screening tests to detect even silent and early developing coeliac disease. Gluten-induced disease mechanisms are our second main area of research. Our research group also uses coeliac disease as a model for studying epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. The genetic study line aims at the identification of genetic susceptibility loci to coeliac disease. The final goal of the Coeliac Disease Study Group is to find the basis for development of new therapeutic strategies, less burdensome to a patient than a strict life-long gluten-free diet.

Group Leader:
Professor Markku Mäki, MD, PhD

Senior Research Fellows:
Pekka Collin, MD, PhD, Katri Kaukinen, MD, PhD, Katri Lindfors, PhD

Graduate Students:
Kati Juuti-Uusitalo, PhLic, Kalle Kurppa, MD, Sini Lohi, MD, Essi Myrsky, MSc, Markku Peräaho, MD, Tiina Raivio, MD, Keijo Viiri, MSc, Satumarja Stenman, MSc

Staff Members:
Kaija Kaskela, Project Secretary, Jorma Kulmala, Technician, Kaija Laurila, MSc, Staff Scientist, Anne Heimonen, Technician, Mervi Himanka, Technician, Soili Peltomäki, Technician

Visiting Scientists:
Ilma Korponay-Szabó, MD, PhD