Finnish Centre of Excellence in Cardiovascular Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes Research

Background: Coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes are major clinical problems in Finland and elsewhere in the industrialized world. The prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes is also increasing in almost all countries, and increasing age of population will significantly increase the burden of atherosclerosis-related diseases in the society. Furthermore, type 2 diabetic patients often die from coronary heart disease and suffer from severe peripheral vascular disease, leg ulcerations and amputations. Even though atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, diabetic macroangiopathy, impaired angiogenesis and myocardial ischemia appear to be the major factors contributing to clinical complications, molecular pathogenesis, signaling mechanisms, and genetic and environmental factors underlying these diseases are still largely unknown.

Major aims: CoE will focus its joint research efforts on clarifying molecular mechanisms of these diseases at the level of key susceptibility genes and mediator molecules, respective animal models and in vitro studies with special emphasis on single nucleotide polymorphisms, transcription factors, nuclear receptors and signalling pathways that control key metabolic, inflammatory, angiogenic and cell regulatory pathways. We will also study the role of chronic inflammation in atherogenesis and explore the role of vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors in the maintenance, repair and regrowth of new blood vessels in ischemic myocardium. Development of new gene transfer vectors is also an essential part of the research program.

Significance: CoE integrates clinical medicine and genetics to modern molecular medicine. We believe that significant new knowledge will be obtained from atherosclerosis-related diseases and type 2 diabetes. Understanding key steps in the molecular pathogenesis is likely to lead to widespread preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic applications for these diseases.