Sarka Lehtonen
Research Director
I lead the Human Brain Disease Modelling research lab at the A.I.Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences where I work as a Research Director.
Adjunct Prof. in NeuroPharmacology
A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences
sarka.lehtonen@uef.fi
My focus in recent years has been to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurological diseases, especially Parkinson`s disease, schizophrenia and psychopathy. We use patient-derived brain cells in 2D and 3D culture systems to mimic the pathological conditions in the diseased brain more accurately. We also center our efforts on discovering new drug targets and biomarkers for the studied diseases. As the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the ability of drugs to cross the BBB and reach the correct target is critical when designing drugs for neurological diseases, our third aim is to establish a simple model that mimics the physiological architecture and the barrier properties of the BBB. Once created, the ability of novel drugs and biomolecules like extracellular vesicles to penetrate the BBB can be tested. The model can also be used to understand the molecular and transport mechanisms that regulate BBB permeability in physiological and pathological conditions. Gained knowledge and novel discoveries will open in the future new opportunities for therapeutic developments.
For more information, please visit our research group website: https://sites.uef.fi/human-brain-disease-modelling-group/
Publications
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Astrocytes Regulate Neuronal Network Burst Frequency Through NMDA Receptors in a Species- and Donor-Specific Manner
Räsänen, Noora; Tiihonen, Jari; Koskuvi, Marja; Lehtonen, Šárka; Jalkanen, Nelli; Karmila, Nelli; Weert, Isabelle; Vaurio, Olli; Ojansuu, Ilkka; Lähteenvuo, Markku; Pietiläinen, Olli; Koistinaho, Jari. 2024. Biological psychiatry global open science. 4: . 100313 -
Genetic contribution to microglial activation in schizophrenia
Koskuvi, Marja; Pörsti, Elina; Hewitt, Tristen; Räsänen, Noora; Wu, Ying-Chieh; Trontti, Kalevi; McQuade, Amanda; Kalyanaraman, Shringaa; Ojansuu, Ilkka; Vaurio, Olli; Cannon, Tyrone D; Lönnqvist, Jouko; Therman, Sebastian; Suvisaari, Jaana; Kaprio, Jaakko; Blurton-Jones, Mathew; Hovatta, Iiris; Lähteenvuo, Markku; Rolova, Taisia; Lehtonen, Šárka; Tiihonen, Jari; Koistinaho, Jari. 2024. Molecular psychiatry. [Published: 22 March 2024]: 1-12 -
Highly scalable and standardized organ-on-chip platform with TEER for biological barrier modeling
Nguyen, Hoang-Tuan; Rissanen, Siiri-Liisa; Peltokangas, Mimosa; Laakkonen, Tino; Kettunen, Jere; Barthod, Lara; Sivakumar, Ragul; Palojärvi, Anniina; Junttila, Pauliina; Talvitie, Jussi; Bassis, Michele; Nickels, Sarah L; Kalvala, Sara; Ilina, Polina; Tammela, Päivi; Lehtonen, Sarka; Schwamborn, Jens C; Mosser, Sebastien; Singh, Prateek. 2024. Tissue barriers. [Published online: 12 Feb 2024]: . 2315702 -
Identification of the abnormalities in astrocytic functions as potential drug targets for neurodegenerative disease
Syvänen, Valtteri; Koistinaho, Jari; Lehtonen, Sarka. 2024. Expert opinion on drug discovery. 19: 603-616 -
Integrative metabolomics-genomics analysis identifies key networks in a stem cell-based model of schizophrenia
Spathopoulou, Angeliki; Sauerwein, Gabriella A.; Marteau, Valentin; Podlesnic, Martina; Lindlbauer, Theresa; Kipura, Tobias; Hotze, Madlen; Gabassi, Elisa; Kruszewski, Katharina; Koskuvi, Marja; Rethelyi, Janos M.; Apati, Agota; Conti, Luciano; Ku, Manching; Koal, Therese; Mueller, Udo; Talmazan, Radu A.; Ojansuu, Ilkka; Vaurio, Olli; Lahteenvuo, Markku; Lehtonen, Sarka; Mertens, Jerome; Kwiatkowski, Marcel; Gunther, Katharina; Tiihonen, Jari; Koistinaho, Jari; Trajanoski, Zlatko; Edenhofer, Fra. 2024. Molecular psychiatry. [Epub ahead of print 29 April 2024]: 1-13 -
Particulate matter from car exhaust alters function of human iPSC-derived microglia
Jäntti, Henna; Jonk, Steffi; Gómez Budia, Mireia; Ohtonen, Sohvi; Fagerlund, Ilkka; Fazaludeen, Mohammad Feroze; Aakko-Saksa, Päivi; Pebay, Alice; Lehtonen, Šárka; Koistinaho, Jari; Kanninen, Katja M; Jalava, Pasi I; Malm, Tarja; Korhonen, Paula. 2024. Particle and fibre toxicology. 21: . 6 -
Presenilin-1 ΔE9 mutation associated sarcoplasmic reticulum leak alters [Ca2+]i distribution in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes
Naumenko, Nikolay; Koivumäki, Jussi T; Lunko, Olesia; Tuomainen, Tomi; Leigh, Robert; Rabiee, Mina; Laurila, Jalmari; Oksanen, Minna; Lehtonen, Sarka; Koistinaho, Jari; Tavi, Pasi. 2024. Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology. 193: 78-87 -
Human iPSC-derived microglia carrying the LRRK2-G2019S mutation show a Parkinson’s disease related transcriptional profile and function
Ohtonen, Sohvi; Giudice, Luca; Jäntti, Henna; Fazaludeen, Mohammad Feroze; Shakirzyanova, Anastasia; Gómez-Budia, Mireia; Välimäki, Nelli-Noora; Niskanen, Jonna; Korvenlaita, Nea; Fagerlund, Ilkka; Koistinaho, Jari; Amiry-Moghaddam, Mahmood; Savchenko, Ekaterina; Roybon, Laurent; Lehtonen, Šárka; Korhonen, Paula; Malm, Tarja. 2023. Scientific reports. 13: . 22118 -
SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Human Neurons Is TMPRSS2 Independent, Requires Endosomal Cell Entry, and Can Be Blocked by Inhibitors of Host Phosphoinositol-5 Kinase
Kettunen, Pinja; Lesnikova, Angelina; Räsänen, Noora; Ojha, Ravi; Palmunen, Leena; Laakso, Markku; Lehtonen, Šárka; Kuusisto, Johanna; Pietiläinen, Olli; Saber, Saber H; Joensuu, Merja; Vapalahti, Olli P; Koistinaho, Jari; Rolova, Taisia; Balistreri, Giuseppe. 2023. Journal of virology. 97: . e00144-23 -
Species-specific metabolic reprogramming in human and mouse microglia during inflammatory pathway induction
Sabogal-Guáqueta, Angélica María; Marmolejo-Garza, Alejandro; Trombetta-Lima, Marina; Oun, Asmaa; Hunneman, Jasmijn; Chen, Tingting; Koistinaho, Jari; Lehtonen, Sarka; Kortholt, Arjan; Wolters, Justina C; Bakker, Barbara M; Eggen, Bart J L; Boddeke, Erik; Dolga, Amalia. 2023. Nature communications. 14: . 6454