Kristiina Heikinheimo
DDS, MS, PhD; Visiting Professor, King´s College London
kristiina.heikinheimo@utu.fi +358 29 450 4478 +358 50 514 8329 Lemminkäisenkatu 2 Turku |
Overall description
During the past two decades the main research focus of the group has been to study roles played by growth factors and their receptors in odontogenic tumors and in cancers of salivary gland and of oral squamous cell origin. The working hypothesis is that some of the same molecules that regulate normal development are aberrated in these tumors. Therefore analyses of their putative tissues of origin e.g developing tooth, salivary gland and oral epithelia have been included. This comparative approach has contributed new results also to craniofacial developmental biology.
The group has a strong background in modern methods of molecular biology including in situ hybridization, Northern analysis and QRT-PCR. Recently genome-wide genomics including cDNA array, array-comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and Next Generation and RNA Sequencing (NGS and RNA-Seq) have been utilized in search for aberrated genes and signaling pathways in the these tumors.
Research objectives
The major aim of the group is to identify molecular-level changes in tumors of the head and neck to develop better diagnostic and prognostic tools to advance treatment modalities. Our group has produced several original findings on the molecular phenotype of head and neck tumors and will continue in the priority areas listed below.
Group's research strategy 2019–2022
The group will be engaged in the following projects in 2019–2022.
- Emerging biomarkers and targeted treatments in odontogenic tumors.
- Mutation landscape of salivary gland tumors and novel targets for treatment.
These projects have gained approval by the ethical Committee of the Hospital District of Southwest Finland (1/11.3.2007).Google Scholar Citations
- Wnt/β-catenin-C-kit axis may play a role in adenoid cystic carcinoma prognostication (2024)
- Pathology - Research and Practice
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Modelling stromal compartments to recapitulate the ameloblastoma tumour microenvironment (2022)
- Matrix biology plus
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - RAF1-MEK/ERK pathway-dependent ARL4C expression promotes ameloblastoma cell proliferation and osteoclast formation (2022)
- Journal of Pathology
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - RANKL neutralisation prevents osteoclast activation in a human in vitro ameloblastoma-bone model (2022)
- Journal of tissue engineering
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Comparative transcriptional profiling of canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma and homology with human ameloblastoma (2021)
- Scientific Reports
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - The Mutational Profile of Unicystic Ameloblastoma (2019)
- Journal of Dental Research
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Ultra-frequent HRAS p.Q61R somatic mutation in canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma reveals pathogenic similarities with human ameloblastoma (2019)
- Veterinary and Comparative Oncology
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Ameloblastoma (2017) WHO classification of head and neck tumours Vered M, Muller S, Heikinheimo K
(Article in a professional research book (D2)) - Periosteal fasciitis in a 7-year old girl: a diagnostic dilemma (2017)
- International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
(Article or data-article in scientific journal (B1)) - Treatment with soluble activin type IIB-receptor improves bone mass and strength in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (2017)
- BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Chondral ossification centers next to dental primordia in the human mandible: A study of the prenatal development ranging between 68 to 270 mm CRL (2016)
- Annals of Anatomy
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Early Dental Epithelial Transcription Factors Distinguish Ameloblastoma from Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor (2015)
- Journal of Dental Research
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Novel Targets for the Treatment of Ameloblastoma (2015)
- Journal of Dental Research
(Refereed review article in scientific journal (A2)) - High frequency of BRAF V600E mutations in ameloblastoma (2014)
- Journal of Pathology
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - No sexual dimorphism in human prenatal metacarpal ratios (2014)
- Early Human Development
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - When right differs from left – Human limb directional asymmetry emerges during very early development (2014)
- Laterality
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Cephalometric assessment of human fetal head specimens (2013)
- Fortschritte der Kieferorthopädie / Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Critical role for alpha v beta 6 integrin in enamel biomineralization (2013)
- Journal of Cell Science
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Expression of the stem cell marker, SOX2, in ameloblastoma and dental epithelium (2013)
- European Journal of Oral Sciences
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1)) - Genomic profiles and CRTC1-MAML2 fusion distinguish different subtypes of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (2013)
- Modern Pathology
(Refereed journal article or data article (A1))