Arno Hänninen
Adjunct Professor
Faculty of Medicine
University of Turku
Areas of expertise
Clinical and experimental immunology
Pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes
Gut microbiota
Biography
Present affiliation: Clinical teacher and Principal investigator (adj. professor), Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku. Senior physician, Turku University Hospital Laboratory Division
Board member in Medial Faculty's education committee
Research
My research is focused on gut microbiota and gut immune system. In particular, our interest is to understand how perturbations in gut microbiota link to autoimmunity and to the development of type 1 (T1D) diabetes. I have a long tradition in studying aspects of lymphocyte trafficking, gut-related homing mechanisms, peripheral immune tolerance and T-cell activation mechanisms. In addition, my more recent interest is to promote and contribute to clinical studies related to my diagnostic work.
We currently investigate the role of locally induced chemokines in the initiation of lymphocyte accumulation into islets in NOD mice. As a parallel facet, we explore how gut dysbiosis disrupts peripheral tolerance mechanisms in pancreatic lymph node to find ways to interfere with this.
In a prospective study in infants (www.samitutkimus.fi), we use novel tools to study individual differences in enzymatic activities of gut microbes and their relation to the maturation of healthy microbiota.
Clinical and experimental immunology
Pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes
Gut microbiota
Biography
Present affiliation: Clinical teacher and Principal investigator (adj. professor), Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku. Senior physician, Turku University Hospital Laboratory Division
Board member in Medial Faculty's education committee
Research
My research is focused on gut microbiota and gut immune system. In particular, our interest is to understand how perturbations in gut microbiota link to autoimmunity and to the development of type 1 (T1D) diabetes. I have a long tradition in studying aspects of lymphocyte trafficking, gut-related homing mechanisms, peripheral immune tolerance and T-cell activation mechanisms. In addition, my more recent interest is to promote and contribute to clinical studies related to my diagnostic work.
We currently investigate the role of locally induced chemokines in the initiation of lymphocyte accumulation into islets in NOD mice. As a parallel facet, we explore how gut dysbiosis disrupts peripheral tolerance mechanisms in pancreatic lymph node to find ways to interfere with this.
In a prospective study in infants (www.samitutkimus.fi), we use novel tools to study individual differences in enzymatic activities of gut microbes and their relation to the maturation of healthy microbiota.
