Johanna Lempainen profile picture
Johanna
Lempainen
Docent, Department of Clinical Medicine
Clinical Lecturer, Institute of Biomedicine
Clinical lecturer

Contact

Areas of expertise

pediatrics
pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes
pediatric infections
pediatric immunology

Biography

Docent Johanna Lempainen graduated from medical school in 2004 (University of Turku) and defended her PhD theses on pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in 2009. She received specialist licence in paediatrics in 2015 and was appointed as a docent of experimental paediatrics in 2018 (University of Turku). She is currently working as clinical lecturer at the department of pediatrics at University of Turku and as specialist at the Unit for Rare Diseases, Turku University Hospital. She participates in neonatal screening for severe immunodeficiencies and in laboratory diagnostics of immunodeficiencies. Training for subspecialty in pediatric infections and immunodeficiencies is ongoing.

Teaching

Docent Lempainen works as clinical lecturer in pediatrics (part-time) since January 2017. 

Research

Docent Lempainen’s thesis in 2009 focused on the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Since then her research work has further focused on the heterogeneity of type 1 diabetes pathogenesis. In 2011 she worked as visiting researcher in the BabyDiab-diabetes study group in  Munich, Germany. Her current research interests comprise the etiology of beta-cell autoimmunity in respect of immunological, genetic and epigenetic factors and disturbances in early microbial contacts and are a part of the prospective Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) study. In addition, she participates in research projects aiming at early detection of bacterial and viral infections in infants and children in order to avoid unnecessary antibiotic exposure. Since January 2020 docent Lempainen is the principal investigator of the Immunogenetics laboratory and PI and member of steering committee in the DIPP study at the University of Turku.

Publications

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Coronavirus spike protein-specific antibodies indicate frequent infections and reinfections in infancy and among BNT162b2-vaccinated healthcare workers (2023)

Scientific Reports
Kolehmainen Pekka, Huttunen Moona, Iakubovskaia Alina, Maljanen Sari, Tauriainen Sisko, Yatkin Emrah, Pasternack Arja, Naves Rauno, Toivonen Laura, Tähtinen Paula A, Ivaska Lauri, Lempainen Johanna, Peltola Ville, Waris Matti, Kakkola Laura, Ritvos Olli, Julkunen Ilkka
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä )

SARS-CoV-2 and type 1 diabetes in children in Finland: an observational study (2023)

Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology
Knip Mikael, Parviainen Anna, Turtinen Maaret, But Anna, Härkönen Taina, Hepojoki Jussi, Sironen Tarja, Iheozor-Ejiofor Rommel, Uğurlu Hasan, Saksela Kalle, Lempainen Johanna, Ilonen Jorma, Vapalahti Olli; Finnish Pediatric Diabetes Register
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))
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