Elias Ylä-Herttuala (elias.yla-herttuala@uef.fi)
Currently working as a postdoctoral researcher to develop new cardiac MRI methods for the determination of different cardiovascular diseases. I am leading the cardiac imaging group in biomedical imaging group (MRI-, hyperpolariztion MRI-field, PET/CT, PET/MR, SPECT, microCT) at AIV-institute at UEF. Additionally, leading couple of clinical cardiovascular imaging research projects. Currently, I am also specializing for Medical Physicist.
Isabell Rumrich (isabell.rumrich@uef.fi)
Jukka Jolkkonen (jukka.jolkkonen@uef.fi)
Major Research Interests
Mechanisms underlying brain repair following stroke and development of restorative therapies to enhance functional recovery.
Research Methods
Experimental stroke models, sensorimotor and cognitive behavioral tests, histology, electron microscopy, stereological counting methods and different imaging modalities (SPECT, MRI).
Marja Hedman (marja.hedman@uef.fi)
Prediction of aortic dilatation and rupture by means of modern 4D flow MRI technology, molecular biology methods and mathematical algorithms in preclinical models and in clinical study.
Marko Vauhkonen (marko.vauhkonen@uef.fi)
Research work of Professor Marko Vauhkonen concentrates on industrial and biomedical inverse problems. The most prominent area of his research includes development of diffuse tomographic imaging for industrial processes. These imaging modalities can be used for example in monitoring of pipe flows, control of industrial processes and optimizing of process vessels. Studies in biomedical inverse problems include mainly PET, SPECT and fMRI imaging related to time-varying image reconstruction and motion artifact reduction.
Mikko Nissi (mikko.nissi@uef.fi)
Dr. Nissi is a Professor at the Department of Technical Physics at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. Dr. Nissi leads a research group focusing on pre-clinical quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI). In 2021, Dr. Nissi also served as a deputy head of the department. The research topics in the group include relaxometry methods, such as various rotating and laboratory frame relaxation methods and imaging strategies, as well as quantitative susceptibility mapping. While the primary field of target applications for qMRI in Dr. Nissi’s group has been musculoskeletal diseases and their diagnostics, the research interests of his group concern especially methodological development of ultra-short echo time / SWIFT imaging sequences as well as image acquisition and reconstruction strategies for various target applications.
The most recent project fundings granted to Dr. Nissi concern development of AI-assisted virtual histology using magnetic resonance fingerprinting (Research Council of Finland, grant #354693), depelopment of rapid quantitative ultra-short echo time MRI methods using primarily the SWIFT sequence and its variants and iterative compressed sensing reconstruction methods (Research Council of Finland, grant #325146) and developing an innovation and development environment for industrial applications of material research using microMRI, consisting of investment of an 11.74 T microMRI device and of various pilot projects on microMRI of agricultural and industrial products (European Regional Development Fund, grants #A73998 and #A74016).
Riku Kiviluoto (riku.kiviluoto@uef.fi)
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for 18.6 million deaths annually. The World’s leading cause of hospitalization is heart failure (HF), affecting over 64 million people worldwide. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the CVDs and it can lead to HF. CAD is caused by plaque building up in the wall of the coronary arteries which narrows arteries over time. This process is called atherosclerosis. Despite significant medical advances, HF has no cure.
Non-invasive imaging methods such as positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) have the potential for early detection of HF with CAD. These imaging modalities provide detailed information on anatomical, functional and metabolic aspects of the cardiovascular system, which can help to identify individuals at risk and potentially prevent the progression of HF. Timely diagnosis and intervention reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with HF.
Current imaging techniques for myocardial inflammation have limited specificity. New approaches using PET/MRI techniques are needed for more specific and early detection of myocardial inflammation.
Saara Sillanmäki (saara.sillanmaki@uef.fi)
I am a medical doctor from Kuopio. My research areas include cardiac imaging and physiology, aortic dilation, and the impact of sleep apnea on the heart. I graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Eastern Finland in 2012, obtained my Doctor of Medicine degree in 2019, and specialized in Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine in 2022.
I have nineteen international publications (JUFO categories 1-3), and I have also written national articles and international textbooks. My doctoral dissertation, completed in 2019, examined the relationship between the electrical and mechanical function of the left ventricle in bundle branch block patients. In this research, I used myocardial perfusion imaging, vector ECG, and echocardiography.
In addition to my clinical work in cardiac imaging (KYS, Imaging Center), I work as a researcher in four research groups: the MOMESY research group investigating modern cardiac magnetic methods (principal investigator), the Heart Surgery Imaging Research Group studying aortic dilation (DilAo, KYS), the STAR (Sleep Technology and Analytics Group, UEF) research group conducting sleep research, and the METSIM research group studying the cardiac effects of the metabolic syndrome. Additionally, I serve as the principal investigator for two projects at KYS: “Detection of Coronary Artery Disease with Micro-Electro-Mechanical Sensors (DECADE, Precordior Oy), a project involving the identification of coronary artery disease using microelectromechanical sensors, and a Horizon2020 project focusing on EU-regulated sleep apnea research. I have also worked as a heart health and imaging expert in a multinational breast cancer radiotherapy study and as a research physician in two multinational cardiac medication studies sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry.
I have actively participated in professional associations. I have served as the Secretary of the Finnish Medical Association’s Clinical physiology and Nuclear Medicine Section since 2015, and I became its chairman in 2018 (continuing). I also served as the Secretary of the Finnish Society of Clinical Physiology from 2016 to 2020. I have had the honor of serving on the Ethics Committee of the Northern Savo Hospital District since 2021 and as the Vice Chairman of the Imaging Section of the Finnish Cardiac Society since 2022. I am also a member of the international education-promoting committee, the Section of Nuclear Medicine of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), and the European Board of Nuclear Medicine (EBNM) CME Accreditation Committee since 2017.
A19: Sillanmäki S, Vainio HL, Ylä-Herttuala E, Husso M, Hedman M. Measuring cardiac dyssynchrony with DENSE (Displacement encoding with stimulated echoes) — a systematic review. Published Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine Sep 2023
A18: Hietakoste S, Armañac-Julián P, Karhu T, Bailón R, Sillanmäki S, Töyräs J, Leppänen T, Myllymaa S, Kainulainen S. Impaired cardiorespiratory coupling in severe sleep apnea-related hypoxemia. Published IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2023
A17: Sillanmäki S and Iso-Mustajärvi S, 18F-FDG-PET of cardiac sarcoidosis with subcutaneous nodules. Published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology J Nucl Cardiol 2023
A16: Rissanen M, Korkalainen H, Duce B, Sillanmäki S, Pitkänen H, Suni A, Nikkonen S, Kulkas S, Töyräs J, Leppänen T, Kainulainen S. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients with Atrial Arrhythmias Suffer from Prolonged Recovery from Desaturations. Transactions on Biomedical Engineering 2023; https://doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2023.3236680.
A15: Hautanen S, Kiljander T, Korpela T, Saari P, Kokkonen J, Mustonen P, Sillanmäki S, Ylä-Herttuala E, Husso M, Hedman M, Kauhanen P. 4D Flow Versus 2D Phase Contrast MRI in Populations With Bi- and Tricuspid Aortic Valves. In Vivo 2023, 37(1):88-98.
A14: Leppänen T, Kainulainen S, Korkalainen H, Sillanmäki S, Kulkas A, Töyräs J, Nikkonen S. Oximetry: The Working Principle, Signal Formation, and Applications. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2022;1384:C1. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-06413-5_23
A13: Ebrahimian S, Sillanmäki S, Hietakoste S, Duce B, Kulkas A, Töyräs J, Leppänen T, Lipponen JA, Kainulainen S. Inter-sleep stage variations in corrected QT interval differ between obstructive sleep apnea patients with and without stroke history. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 1;17(12):e0278520.
A12: Anttila V, Saraste A, Knuuti J, Hedman M, Jaakkola P, Laugwitz KL, Krane M, Jeppsson A, Sillanmäki S, Rosenmeier J, ZingmarkP, Rudvik A, Garkaviy P, Watson C, Pangalos MN, Fritsche-Danielson R, Collén A, Gan LM. Direct intramyocardial injection of VEGF mRNA in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Mol Ther. 2023, 17;S1525-0016(22)00675-X.
A11: Hietakoste S, Karhu T, Sillanmäki S, Bailón R, Penzel T, Töyräs J, Leppänen T, Myllymaa S, Kainulainen S. OSA-related respiratory events and desaturation severity are associated with the cardiac response. ERJ Open Research, 2022, 22(1), 204.
A10: Sillanmäki S, Lipponen JA, Korkalainen H, Kulkas A, Leppänen T, Nikkonen S, Töyräs J, Duce B, Suni A, Kainulainen S. QTc prolongation is associated with severe desaturations in stroke patients with sleep apnea. BMC Pulmonary Medicine. May 2022.
A9: Sillanmäki S, Istomina M, Husso A, Hedman M. Reversible myocardial ischaemia caused by ectopic left circumflex coronary artery: a case report. European Heart Journal – Case Report, April 2022.
A8: Hietakoste S, Korkalainen H, Kainulainen S, Sillanmäki S, Nikkonen S, Myllymaa S, Duce B, Töyräs J, Leppänen T. Longer apneas and hypopneas are associated with greater ultra-short-term HRV in obstructive sleep apnea. Sci Rep. Dec 2020.
A7: Sillanmäki S, Gimelli A, Ahmad S, Samir S, Laitinen T, Soman P. Mechanisms of Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony – A Multinational SPECT study of Patients with Bundle Branch Block. In press. J Nucl Cardiol. 2020 Feb 14.
A6: Soman P, Sillanmäki S. Mechanisms of cardiac resynchronization therapy: Inching closer to the truth. J Nucl Cardiol. 2019 Jun 21.
A5: Sillanmäki S, Aapro S, Lipponen JA, Tarvainen MP, Laitinen TM, Hedman M, Hämäläinen H, Laitinen T. Electrical and mechanical dyssynchrony in patients with Right Bundle Branch Block. Accepted for publication J Nucl Cardiol. Aug 2018
A4: Sillanmäki S Lipponen JA, Tarvainen MP, Laitinen TM, Hedman M, Hedman A, Kivelä A, Hämäläinen H, Laitinen T. Relationships between electrical and mechanical dyssynchrony in patients with left bundle branch block and healthy controls. J Nucl Cardiol. 2018 Feb 8. doi: 10.1007/s12350-018-1204-0.
A3: Koivumäki T, Fogliatac, Zeverinod, Bomane, Sierpowska, Moecklid, Vallet, Cozzici, Heikkilä, Väänänen, Vuolukka, Sillanmäki S, Seppälä. Dosimetric evaluation of modern radiation therapy techniques for left breast in deep-inspiration breath-hold, Physica Medica 2018
A2: Sillanmäki S, Koivumäki T, Laitinen TM, Hakulinen M, Hedman M, Laitinen T. BMI influence on the reproducibility of ECG-gated myocardial perfusion imaging phase analysis in comparison with novel echocardiographic dyssynchrony estimation methods. Nuclear Medicine Communications. 2016 Jul;37(7):767-74.
A1: Koivumäki T, Heikkilä J, Väänänen A, Koskela K, Sillanmäki S, Seppälä J. Flattening filter free technique in breath-hold treatments of left-sided breast cancer: The effect on beam-on time and dose distributions. Radiotherapy and Oncology. 2016 Jan;118(1):194-8.
Swetha Pala (swetha.turkapally@uef.fi)
A doctoral researcher at the Department of Technical Physics, studying methods of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI).