Scientific References
Kai Kaarniranta is professor of ophthalmology and chief physician at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and Kuopio University Hospital. He is Acta Ophthalmologica chief editor. He is ranked to the top 20 expertise in AMD worldwide. Kaarniranta AMD lab consists of 15 scientists and technicians.
- Curriculum vitae: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2600-8679; https://www.kaarnirantalab.fi
- Editor-in-Chief Acta Ophthalmologica 2021-
- Member of Finnish Academy Science and Letters 2020-.
- European Association of Vision and Eye Research (EVER) presidency 2019-2021
- Honour External Scientist, University of Lodz 2017-2019, 2022-2024
- Medal Universitatis Lodziensis Amico Prize 2021
- The Oslo Society of Ophthalmology Honorary Lecture 2023
- Over 350 international medical publications and over 25 000 citations
- Principal investigator or sub-investigator for > 20 clinical trials for phase I-IV
Selected publications
- Karema-Jokinen V, Koskela A, Hytti M, Hongisto H, Viheriälä T, Liukkonen M, Torsti T, Skottman H, Kauppinen A, Nymark S, Kaarniranta K. Crosstalk of protein clearance, inflammasome, and Ca2+ channels in retinal pigment epithelium derived from age-related macular degeneration patients. J Biol Chem. 2023 May 1;299(6):104770. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104770.
- Rämö JT, Abner E, van Dijk EHC, Wang X, Brinks J, Nikopensius T, Nõukas M, Marjonen H, Silander K, Jukarainen S, Kiiskinen T, Choi SH, Kajanne R, Mehtonen J, Palta P, Lubitz SA, Kaarniranta K, Sobrin L, Kurki M, Yzer S, Ellinor PT, Esko T, Daly MJ, den Hollander AI, Palotie A, Turunen JA, Boon CJF, Rossin EJ; FinnGen Study; Estonian Biobank Research Team. Overlap of Genetic Loci for Central Serous Chorioretinopathy With Age-Related Macular Degeneration. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023 May 1;141(5):449-457. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.0706.
- Kurki MI, Karjalainen J, Palta P, Sipilä TP, Kristiansson K, Donner KM, Reeve MP, Laivuori H, Aavikko M, Kaunisto MA, Loukola A, Lahtela E, Mattsson H, Laiho P, Della Briotta Parolo P, Lehisto AA, Kanai M, Mars N, Rämö J, Kiiskinen T, Heyne HO, Veerapen K, Rüeger S, Lemmelä S, Zhou W, Ruotsalainen S, Pärn K, Hiekkalinna T, Koskelainen S, Paajanen T, Llorens V, Gracia-Tabuenca J, Siirtola H, Reis K, Elnahas AG, Sun B, Foley CN, Aalto-Setälä K, Alasoo K, Arvas M, Auro K, Biswas S, Bizaki-Vallaskangas A, Carpen O, Chen CY, Dada OA, Ding Z, Ehm MG, Eklund K, Färkkilä M, Finucane H, Ganna A, Ghazal A, Graham RR, Green EM, Hakanen A, Hautalahti M, Hedman ÅK, Hiltunen M, Hinttala R, Hovatta I, Hu X, Huertas-Vazquez A, Huilaja L, Hunkapiller J, Jacob H, Jensen JN, Joensuu H, John S, Julkunen V, Jung M, Junttila J, Kaarniranta K, Kähönen M, Kajanne R, Kallio L, Kälviäinen R, Kaprio J; FinnGen; Kerimov N, Kettunen J, Kilpeläinen E, Kilpi T, Klinger K, Kosma VM, Kuopio T, Kurra V, Laisk T, Laukkanen J, Lawless N, Liu A, Longerich S, Mägi R, Mäkelä J, Mäkitie A, Malarstig A, Mannermaa A, Maranville J, Matakidou A, Meretoja T, Mozaffari SV, Niemi MEK, Niemi M, Niiranen T, O Donnell CJ, Obeidat ME, Okafo G, Ollila HM, Palomäki A, Palotie T, Partanen J, Paul DS, Pelkonen M, Pendergrass RK, Petrovski S, Pitkäranta A, Platt A, Pulford D, Punkka E, Pussinen P, Raghavan N, Rahimov F, Rajpal D, Renaud NA, Riley-Gillis B, Rodosthenous R, Saarentaus E, Salminen A, Salminen E, Salomaa V, Schleutker J, Serpi R, Shen HY, Siegel R, Silander K, Siltanen S, Soini S, Soininen H, Sul JH, Tachmazidou I, Tasanen K, Tienari P, Toppila-Salmi S, Tukiainen T, Tuomi T, Turunen JA, Ulirsch JC, Vaura F, Virolainen P, Waring J, Waterworth D, Yang R, Nelis M, Reigo A, Metspalu A, Milani L, Esko T, Fox C, Havulinna AS, Perola M, Ripatti S, Jalanko A, Laitinen T, Mäkelä TP, Plenge R, McCarthy M, Runz H, Daly MJ, Palotie A. FinnGen provides genetic insights from a well-phenotyped isolated population. Nature. 2023 Jan;613(7944):508-518. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05473-8. Epub 2023 Jan 18.
- Kaarniranta K, Blasiak J, Liton P, Boulton M, Klionsky DJ, Sinha D. Autophagy in age-related macular degeneration. Autophagy. 2023 Feb;19(2):388-400. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2022.2069437.
- Stefansson E, Loftsson T, Larsen M, Papp A, Kaarniranta K, Munk MR, Dugel P, Tadayoni R; DX-211 study group. Topical treatment of diabetic macular edema using dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension: A randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled study. Acta Ophthalmol. 2023 Feb;101(1):22-33.
- Hytti M, Korhonen E, Hongisto H, Kaarniranta K, Skottman H, Kauppinen A. Differential Expression of Inflammasome-Related Genes in Induced Pluripotent Stem-Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells with or without History of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jun 24;22(13):6800. doi: 10.3390/ijms22136800.
- Kaarniranta K, Uusitalo H, Blasiak J, Felszeghy S, Kannan R, Kauppinen A, Salminen A, Sinha D, Ferrington D. Mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction and their impact on age-related macular degeneration. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2020 Nov;79:100858. doi: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100858.
- Hongisto H, Dewing JM, Christensen DR, Scott J, Cree AJ, Nättinen J, Määttä J, Jylhä A, Aapola U, Uusitalo H, Kaarniranta K, Ratnayaka JA, Skottman H, Lotery AJ. In vitro stem cell modelling demonstrates a proof-of-concept for excess functional mutant TIMP3 as the cause of Sorsby fundus dystrophy. J Pathol. 2020 Oct;252(2):138-150. doi: 10.1002/path.5506.
- Blasiak J, Watala C, Tuuminen R, Kivinen N, Koskela A, Uusitalo-Järvinen H,Tuulonen A, Winiarczyk M, Mackiewicz J, Zmorzyński S, Filip A, Kaarniranta K. Expression of VEGFA-regulating miRNAs and mortality in wet AMD. J Cell Mol Med. 2019 Dec;23(12):8464-8471. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.14731.
- Felszeghy S, Viiri J, Paterno JJ, Hyttinen JMT, Koskela A, Chen M, Leinonen H, Tanila H, Kivinen N, Koistinen A, Toropainen E, Amadio M, Smedowski A, Reinisalo M, Winiarczyk M, Mackiewicz J, Mutikainen M, Ruotsalainen AK, Kettunen M, Jokivarsi K, Sinha D, Kinnunen K, Petrovski G, Blasiak J, Bjørkøy G, Koskelainen A, Skottman H, Urtti A, Salminen A, Kannan R, Ferrington DA, Xu H, Levonen AL, Tavi P, Kauppinen A, Kaarniranta K. Loss of NRF-2 and PGC-1α genes leads to retinal pigment epithelium damage resembling dry age-related macular degeneration. Redox Biol. 2019 Jan;20:1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.09.011.