Johanna Lempainen
Clinical lecturer
johanna.lempainen@utu.fi Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku Unit for Rare Diseases, Turku University Hospital |
Areas of expertise
pediatrics; pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes; pediatric infections; pediatric immunology
pediatrics; pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes; pediatric infections; pediatric immunology
Biography
Docent Johanna Lempainen
graduated from medical school in 2004 (University of Turku) and defended her
PhD theses on pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in 2009. She received specialist
licence in paediatrics in 2015 and was appointed as a docent of experimental
paediatrics in 2018 (University of Turku). She is currently working as clinical
lecturer at the department of pediatrics at University of Turku and as
specialist at the Unit for Rare Diseases, Turku University Hospital. She
participates in neonatal screening for severe immunodeficiencies and in
laboratory diagnostics of immunodeficiencies. Training for subspecialty in
pediatric infections and immunodeficiencies is ongoing.
Docent Johanna Lempainen
graduated from medical school in 2004 (University of Turku) and defended her
PhD theses on pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in 2009. She received specialist
licence in paediatrics in 2015 and was appointed as a docent of experimental
paediatrics in 2018 (University of Turku). She is currently working as clinical
lecturer at the department of pediatrics at University of Turku and as
specialist at the Unit for Rare Diseases, Turku University Hospital. She
participates in neonatal screening for severe immunodeficiencies and in
laboratory diagnostics of immunodeficiencies. Training for subspecialty in
pediatric infections and immunodeficiencies is ongoing.
Research
Docent Lempainen’s
thesis in 2009 focused on the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Since then her
research work has further focused on the heterogeneity of type 1 diabetes
pathogenesis. In 2011 she worked as visiting researcher in the
BabyDiab-diabetes study group in Munich,
Germany. Her current research interests comprise the etiology of beta-cell
autoimmunity in respect of immunological, genetic and epigenetic factors and
disturbances in early microbial contacts and are a part of the prospective
Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) study. In addition, she participates
in research projects aiming at early detection of bacterial and viral
infections in infants and children in order to avoid unnecessary antibiotic
exposure. Since January 2020 docent Lempainen is the principal investigator of the Immunogenetics laboratory and PI and member of steering committee in the DIPP study at the University of Turku.
Docent Lempainen’s
thesis in 2009 focused on the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Since then her
research work has further focused on the heterogeneity of type 1 diabetes
pathogenesis. In 2011 she worked as visiting researcher in the
BabyDiab-diabetes study group in Munich,
Germany. Her current research interests comprise the etiology of beta-cell
autoimmunity in respect of immunological, genetic and epigenetic factors and
disturbances in early microbial contacts and are a part of the prospective
Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) study. In addition, she participates
in research projects aiming at early detection of bacterial and viral
infections in infants and children in order to avoid unnecessary antibiotic
exposure. Since January 2020 docent Lempainen is the principal investigator of the Immunogenetics laboratory and PI and member of steering committee in the DIPP study at the University of Turku.
Teaching
Docent Lempainen works
as clinical lecturer in pediatrics (part-time) since January 2017.
Docent Lempainen works
as clinical lecturer in pediatrics (part-time) since January 2017.
Publications 
4 of 4
- Effect of the PTPN22 and INS risk genotypes on the progression to clinical type 1 diabetes after the initiation of ß-cell autoimmunity (2012)
- Diabetes
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Influence of type 1 diabetes genes on disease progression: Similarities and differences between countries (2012)
- Current Diabetes Reports
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Interaction of enterovirus infection and cow's milk-based formula nutrition in type 1 diabetes-associated autoimmunity (2012)
- Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Progression of type 1 diabetes associated autoimmunity and the high-risk HLA class II genotype (2011)
- Diabetologia
(Other publication)
UTU Research Portal