Olli Raitakari
 MD/PhD


olli.raitakari@utu.fi

+358 29 450 2304

Kiinamyllynkatu 10

Turku


: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9365-3702

cardiovascular and metabolic diseases; risk factors; vascular epidemiology; genetic epidemiology; epidemiology; dietary intervention; cohort studies; follow-up studies

EDUCATION AND DEGREES
 
2001   Docent in Clinical Physiology
1997-1999  Postdoc training, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
1997   Docent in Epidemiology
1996   Specialist in Clinical Physiology 
1995   Doctorate, PhD
1989   Licentiate in Medicine, MD

CURRENT POSITIONS

2017-                 Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine, Director of the Research Centre of Applied and 
                          Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Finland                         

 

PAST POSITIONS

2012-2016                          Academy Professor, University of Turku

2007-2016                          Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine (part time), University of Turku

2007-2008                          Senior Scientist Grant, Academy of Finland

2004-2016                          Chief Physician, Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku
                                           University Hospital (leave of absence 2012-2016)

2002-2004                          Consultant in Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital

2002 (1 mo)                        Head of Nuclear Medicine Department, Turku University Hospital

2000-2003 (3 mo)               Head of Clinical Physiology Department, Turku University Hospital

2000-2005                          Senior Fellow Post, Academy of Finland

1998-2000                          Postdoctoral Research Post, Academy of Finland

1996-1997                          Consultant in Clinical Physiology, Turku University Hospital

1991-1996                          Positions as Resident in Clinical Chemistry, Nuclear Medicine, and Clinical 
                                           Physiology, Turku University Hospital

1988-1990                          Positions as General Practioner and Resident in Internal Medicine or Surgery




Evidence suggest that many non-communicable disease outcomes have roots in childhood and may even stem of adverse ancestral exposures. Improved knowledge how various ancestral and early-life exposures lead to adult disease outcomes is essential in developing better preventive practices and policies that lead to improved public health. My mission has been to contribute to this knowledge-base by working in epidemiologic cohort studies with follow-up from childhood to adulthood. I am the Principal Investigator of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS), the largest study in Europe with a follow-up of cardiovascular risk factors from childhood to adulthood. I am also the Director of the STRIP Study, which is a leading long-term pediatric dietary intervention study testing the hypothesis that modifying the fat quality diet will have beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk early in life. During the past years, I have organized several field studies in these cohorts, and introduced novel technologies, such as imaging studies, genetic epidemiology methods and metabolomics approaches in these unique population resources. Our research has contributed to the understanding of pre-clinical development of atherosclerosis in children and young adults, including the effects of diet, life-style, metabolic risk factors, psychological traits and psychosocial factors, inflammation, hormones and genetic markers. For example, by applying non-invasive imaging methods in the Young Finns Study, we have demonstrated that exposure to adverse lipids, elevated blood pressure and obesity in childhood is related to atherosclerosis development in adulthood (JAMA 2003). Subsequent work stemmed from this initial observation has led to numerous original publications that have shown in detail how exposure to a large range of aetiogenic factors early in life contribute to the development of cardio-metabolic outcomes in adulthood. For example, by pooling international i3C Consortium data, we have demonstrated that overweight or obese children who became non-obese by adulthood had similar risks of many cardio-metabolic adult outcomes as individuals who were never obese (NEJM 2011). Thus, the results of our studies have clearly demonstrated that individual’s exposure to various stressors in early life is contributing to his/her adult phenotype and disease risk. The results have had significant impact on preventive practices. As a concrete demonstration of the international recognition and impact of my team’s work, many of our studies are widely cited in all updated paediatric guidelines on cardiovascular prevention both in Europe and in US.



  
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  • GWAS of 126,559 Individuals Identifies Genetic Variants Associated with Educational Attainment  (2013)  
    • Science
     Rietveld CA, Medland SE, Derringer J, Yang J, Esko T, Martin NW, Westra HJ, Shakhbazov K, Abdellaoui A, Agrawal A, Albrecht E, Alizadeh BZ, Amin N, Bamard J, Baumeister SE, Benke KS, Bielak LF, Boatman JA, Boyle PA, Davies G, De Leeuw C, Eklund N, Evans DS, Ferhmann R, Fischer K, Gieger C, Gjessing HK, Hagg S, Harris JR, Hayward C, Holzapfel C, Ibrahim-Verbaas CA, Ingelsson E, Jacobsson B, Joshi PK, Jugessur A, Kaakinen M, Kanoni S, Karjalainen J, Kolcic I, Kristiansson K, Kutalik Z, Lahti J, Lee SH, Lin P, Lind PA, Liu YM, Lohman K, Loitfelder M, McMahon G, Vidal PM, Meirelles O, Milani L, Myhre R, Nuotio ML, Oldmeadow CJ, Petrovic KE, Peyrot WJ, Polasek O, Quaye L, Reinmaa E, Rice JP, Rizzi TS, Schmidt H, Schmidt R, Smith AV, Smith JA, Tanaka T, Terracciano A, van der Loos MJHM, Vitart V, Volzke H, Wellmann J, Yu L, Zhao W, Allik J, Attia JR, Bandinelli S, Bastardot F, Beauchamp J, Bennett DA, Berger K, Bierut LJ, Boomsma DI, Bultmann U, Campbell H, Chabris CF, Cherkas L, Chung MK, Cucca F, de Andrade M, De Jager PL, De Neve JE, Deary IJ, Dedoussis GV, Deloukas P, Dimitriou M, Eiriksdottir G, Elderson MF, Eriksson JG, Evans DM, Faul JD, Ferrucci L, Garcia ME, Gronberg H, Guonason V, Hall P, Harris JM, Harris TB, Hastie ND, Heath AC, Hernandez DG, Hoffmann W, Hofman A, Holle R, Holliday EG, Hottenga JJ, Iacono WG, Illig T, Jarvelin MR, Kahonen M, Kaprio J, Kirkpatrick RM, Kowgier M, Latvala A, Launer LJ, Lawlor DA, Lehtimaki T, Li JM, Lichtenstein P, Lichtner P, Liewald DC, Madden PA, Magnusson PKE, Makinen TE, Masala M, McGue M, Metspalu A, Mielck A, Miller MB, Montgomery GW, Mukherjee S, Nyholt DR, Oostra BA, Palmer LJ, Palotie A, Penninx BWJH, Perola M, Peyser PA, Preisig M, Raikkonen K, Raitakari OT, Realo A, Ring SM, Ripatti S, Rivadeneira F, Rudan I, Rustichini A, Salomaa V, Sarin AP, Schlessinger D, Scott RJ, Snieder H, St Pourcain B, Starr JM, Sul JH, Surakka I, Svento R, Teumer A, Tiemeier H, van Rooij FJA, Van Wagoner DR, Vartiainen E, Viikari J, Vollenweider P, Vonk JM, Waeber G, Weir DR, Wichmann HE, Widen E, Willemsen G, Wilson JF, Wright AF, Conley D, Davey-Smith G, Franke L, Groenen PJF, Hofman A, Johannesson M, Kardia SLR, Krueger RF, Laibson D, Martin NG, Meyer MN, Posthuma D, Thurik AR, Timpson NJ, Uitterlinden AG, van Duijn CM, Visscher PM, Benjamin DJ, Cesarini D, Koellinger PD


  • Higher Magnesium Intake Is Associated with Lower Fasting Glucose and Insulin, with No Evidence of Interaction with Select Genetic Loci, in a Meta-Analysis of 15 CHARGE Consortium StudiesHostility and unemployment: A two-way relationship?  (2013)  
    • Journal of NutritionJournal of PediatricsCardiology
     Hruby A, Ngwa JS, Renstrom F, Wojczynski MK, Ganna A, Hallmans G, Houston DK, Jacques PF, Kanoni S, Lehtimaki T, Lemaitre RN, Manichaikul A, North KE, Ntalla I, Sonestedt E, Tanaka T, van Rooij FJA, Bandinelli S, Djousse L, Grigoriou E, Johansson I, Lohman KK, Pankow JS, Raitakari OT, Riserus U, Yannakoulia M, Zillikens MC, Hassanali N, Liu YM, Mozaffarian D, Papoutsakis C, Syvanen AC, Uitterlinden AG, Viikari J, Groves CJ, Hofman A, Lind L, McCarthy MI, Mikkila V, Mukamal K, Franco OH, Borecki IB, Cupples LA, Dedoussis GV, Ferrucci L, Hu FB, Ingelsson E, Kahonen M, Kao WHL, Kritchevsky SB, Orho-Melander M, Prokopenko I, Rotter JI, Siscovick DS, Witteman JCM, Franks PW, Meigs JB, McKeown NM, Nettleton JA


  •   (2013)  
       Juonala M, Jaaskelainen P, Sabin MA, Viikari JSA, Kahonen M, Lehtimaki T, Seppala I, Hutri-Kahonen N, Taittonen L, Jokinen E, Laitinen T, Magnussen CG, Raitakari OT


    •   (2013)  
      • HypertensionCirculation
       Skilton MR, Raitakari OT, Celermajer DS


    •   (2013)  
      • Journal of the American College of Cardiology
       Silbernagel G, Chapman MJ, Genser B, Kleber ME, Fauler G, Scharnagl H, Grammer TB, Boehm BO, Makela KM, Kahonen M, Carmena R, Rietzschel ER, Bruckert E, Deanfield JE, Miettinen TA, Raitakari OT, Lehtimaki T, Marz W


    •   (2013)  
      • Journal of Vocational Behavior
       Hakulinen C, Jokela M, Hintsanen M, Pulkki-Raback L, Elovainio M, Hintsa T, Hutri-Kahonen N, Viikari J, Raitakari OT, Keltikangas-Jarvinen L


    • Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Adolescence Effect of Lifestyle Intervention and Association With Vascular Intima-Media Thickness and Elasticity (The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children [STRIP] Study)  (2013)  
         Pahkala K, Hietalampi H, Laitinen TT, Viikari JSA, Ronnemaa T, Niinikoski H, Lagstrom H, Talvia S, Jula A, Heinonen OJ, Juonala M, Simell O, Raitakari OT


      • Ideal cardiovascular health in young adult populations from the United States, Finland, and Australia and its association with cIMT: the international childhood cardiovascular cohort consortium.  (2013)  
        • Journal of the American Heart Association
         Oikonen M, Laitinen TT, Magnussen CG, Steinberger J, Sinaiko AR, Dwyer T, Venn A, Smith KJ, Hutri-Kähönen N, Pahkala K, Mikkilä V, Prineas R, Viikari JS, Morrison JA, Woo JG, Chen W, Nicklas T, Srinivasan SR, Berenson G, Juonala M, Raitakari OT


      • Identification of heart rate-associated loci and their effects on cardiac conduction and rhythm disorders  (2013)  
        • Nature Genetics
         den Hoed M, Eijgelsheim M, Esko T, Brundel BJJM, Peal DS, Evans DM, Nolte IM, Segre AV, Holm H, Handsaker RE, Westra HJ, Johnson T, Isaacs A, Yang J, Lundby A, Zhao JH, Kim YJ, Go MJ, Almgren P, Bochud M, Boucher G, Cornelis MC, Gudbjartsson D, Hadley D, van der Harst P, Hayward C, den Heijer M, Igl W, Jackson AU, Kutalik Z, Luan J, Kemp JP, Kristiansson K, Ladenvall C, Lorentzon M, Montasser ME, Njajou OT, O'Reilly PF, Padmanabhan S, Pourcain BS, Rankinen T, Salo P, Tanaka T, Timpson NJ, Vitart V, Waite L, Wheeler W, Zhang WH, Draisma HHM, Feitosa MF, Kerr KF, Lind PA, Mihailov E, Onland-Moret NC, Song C, Weedon MN, Xie WJ, Yengo L, Absher D, Albert CM, Alonso A, Arking DE, de Bakker PIW, Balkau B, Barlassina C, Benaglio P, Bis JC, Bouatia-Naji N, Brage S, Chanock SJ, Chines PS, Chung M, Darbar D, Dina C, Dorr M, Elliott P, Felix SB, Fischer K, Fuchsberger C, de Geus EJC, Goyette P, Gudnason V, Harris TB, Hartikainen AL, Havulinna AS, Heckbert SR, Hicks AA, Hofman A, Holewijn S, Hoogstra-Berends F, Hottenga JJ, Jensen MK, Johansson A, Junttila J, Kaab S, Kanon B, Ketkar S, Khaw KT, Knowles JW, Kooner AS, Kors JA, Kumari M, Milani L, Laiho P, Lakatta EG, Langenberg C, Leusink M, Liu YM, Luben RN, Lunetta KL, Lynch SN, Markus MRP, Marques-Vidal P, Leach IM, McArdle WL, McCarroll SA, Medland SE, Miller KA, Montgomery GW, Morrison AC, Muller-Nurasyid M, Navarro P, Nelis M, O'Connell JR, O'Donnell CJ, Ong KK, Newman AB, Peters A, Polasek O, Pouta A, Pramstaller PP, Psaty BM, Rao DC, Ring SM, Rossin EJ, Rudan D, Sanna S, Scott RA, Sehmi JS, Sharp S, Shin JT, Singleton AB, Smith AV, Soranzo N, Spector TD, Stewart C, Stringham HM, Tarasov KV, Uitterlinden AG, Vandenput L, Hwang SJ, Whitfield JB, Wijmenga C, Wild SH, Willemsen G, Wilson JF, Witteman JCM, Wong A, Wong QN, Jamshidi Y, Zitting P, Boer JMA, Boomsma DI, Borecki IB, van Duijn CM, Ekelund U, Forouhi NG, Froguel P, Hingorani A, Ingelsson E, Kivimaki M, Kronmal RA, Kuh D, Lind L, Martin NG, Oostra BA, Pedersen NL, Quertermous T, Rotter JI, van der Schouw YT, Verschuren WMM, Walker M, Albanes D, Arnar DO, Assimes TL, Bandinelli S, Boehnke M, de Boer RA, Bouchard C, Caulfield WLM, Chambers JC, Curhan G, Cusi D, Eriksson J, Ferrucci L, van Gilst WH, Glorioso N, de Graaf J, Groop L, Gyllensten U, Hsueh WC, Hu FB, Huikuri HV, Hunter DJ, Iribarren C, Isomaa B, Jarvelin MR, Jula A, Kahonen M, Kiemeney LA, van der Klauw MM, Kooner JS, Kraft P, Iacoviello L, Lehtimaki T, Lokki MLL, Mitchell BD, Navis G, Nieminen MS, Ohlsson C, Poulter NR, Qi L, Raitakari OT, Rimm EB, Rioux JD, Rizzi F, Rudan I, Salomaa V, Sever PS, Shields DC, Shuldiner AR, Sinisalo J, Stanton AV, Stolk RP, Strachan DP, Tardif JC, Thorsteinsdottir U, Tuomilehto J, van Veldhuisen DJ, Virtamo J, Viikari J, Vollenweider P, Waeber G, Widen E, Cho YS, Olsen JV, Visscher PM, Willer C, Franke L, Erdmann J, Thompson JR, Pfeufer A, Sotoodehnia N, Newton-Cheh C, Ellinor PT, Stricker BHC, Metspalu A, Perola M, Beckmann JS, Smith GD, Stefansson K, Wareham NJ, Munroe PB, Sibon OCM, Milan DJ, Snieder H, Samani NJ, Loos RJF


      • Infancy-onset dietary counseling improves insulin sensitivity in healthy adolescents. The special Turku coronary risk factor intervention project (STRIP)  (2013)  
           Oranta O, Pahkala K, Ruottinen S, Niinikoski H, Lagstrom H, Viikari JSA, Jula A, Loo BM, Ronnemaa T, Raitakari OT



        Last updated on 12/07/2023 12:01:23 PM