Maykel López Rodriques
Visiting Researcher
Doctor of Philosophy
maykel.lopez.rodriques@uef.fi
Human diseases are influenced by our genetic background. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed that many genetic variants are associated with increased risk for diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary artery diseases (CAD). However, for the vast majority of these variants we are still lacking a complete understanding of the functional mechanisms underlying their associations.
In my project I am studying the molecular mechanism by which certain genes and variants contribute to the susceptibility and progression of metabolic diseases. I aim to integrate genetic signals into coherent functional pathways that explain a bigger fraction of the genetic background of T2D, obesity and CAD. Understanding the functional outcomes of our genetic signature could help in the implementation of genotype-specific diagnostic and patient management, as well as to develop more precise therapeutic approaches in the future.
Publications
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Exploring the genetic basis of coronary artery disease using functional genomics
López Rodríguez, Maykel; Arasu, Uma Thanigai; Kaikkonen, Minna U. 2023. Atherosclerosis. 374: 87-98 -
Elevated circulating follistatin associates with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes
Wu, CY; Borné, Y; Gao, R; Rodriguez, ML; Roell, WC; Wilson, JM; Regmi, A; Luan, C; Aly, DM; Peter, A; Machann, J; Staiger, H; Fritsche, A; Birkenfeld, AL; Tao, R; Wagner, R; Canouil, M; Hong, MG; Schwenk, JM [incl. Laakso, M]. 2021. Nature communications. 12: 6486 -
Integrative analysis of liver-specific non-coding regulatory SNPs associated with the risk of coronary artery disease
Selvarajan, Ilakya; Toropainen, Anu; Garske, Kristina M.; López Rodríguez, Maykel; Ko, Arthur; Miao, Zong; Kaminska, Dorota; Õunap, Kadri; Örd, Tiit; Ravindran, Aarthi; Liu, Oscar H.; Moreau, Pierre R.; Jawahar Deen, Ashik; Männistö, Ville; Pan, Calvin; Levonen, Anna-Liisa; Lusis, Aldons J.; Heikkinen, Sami; Romanoski, Casey E.; Pihlajamäki, Jussi; Pajukanta, Päivi; Kaikkonen, Minna U.. 2021. American journal of human genetics. 108: 411-430 -
Reduction in Epigenetic Age Acceleration Is Related to Empathy in Mothers with Neglectful Caregiving
Herrero-Roldán, Silvia; Rodrigo, María José; Hernández-Cabrera, Juan A.; Mitchell, Colter; López, Maykel; Alcoba-Florez, Julia; Fisher, Jonah; Espinosa, Fernanda; León, Inmaculada. 2021. Brain sciences. 11: 1376 -
Systems Genetics in Human Endothelial Cells Identifies Non-coding Variants Modifying Enhancers, Expression, and Complex Disease Traits
Stolze, Lindsey; Conklin, Austin; Whalen, Michael; López Rodríguez, Maykel; Õunap, Kadri; Selvarajan, Ilakya; Toropainen, Anu; Örd, Tiit; Li, Jin; Eshghi, Anna; Solomon, Alice; Fang, Yun; Kaikkonen, Minna; Romanoski, Casey. 2020. American journal of human genetics. 106: P748-763 -
Functional characterization of a type 2 diabetes risk locus in the glucokinase regulator gene
López Rodríguez, Maykel. 2019. Publications of the University of Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Health Sciences -
Functional Variant in the GCKR Gene Affects Lactate Levels Differentially in the Fasting State and During Hyperglycemia
López Rodríguez, Maykel; Fernandes Silva, Lilian; Vangipurapu, Jagadish; Modi, Shalem; Kuusisto, Johanna; Kaikkonen, Minna U; Laakso, Markku. 2018. Scientific reports. 8: 15989 -
Identification and characterization of a FOXA2-regulated transcriptional enhancer at a type 2 diabetes intronic locus that controls GCKR expression in liver cells
López Rodríguez M, Kaminska D, Lappalainen K, Pihlajamäki J, Kaikkonen MU, Laakso M. 2017. Genome medicine. 9: 63 -
Simvastatin Impairs Insulin Secretion by Multiple Mechanisms in MIN6 Cells
Yaluri Nagendra, Modi Shalem, López Rodríguez Maykel, Stancáková Alena, Kuusisto Johanna, Kokkola Tarja, Laakso Markku. 2015. PLoS ONE. 10: e0142902