Medix Prize of the Minerva Foundation

2023
Functional, metabolic and transcriptional maturation of human pancreatic islets derived from
stem cells. Balboa D, Barsby T, Lithovius V, Saarimäki-Vire J, Omar-Hmeadi M, Dyachok O,
Montaser H, Lund PE, Yang M, Ibrahim H, Näätänen A, Chandra V, Vihinen H, Jokitalo E, Kvist
J, Ustinov J, Nieminen AI, Kuuluvainen E, Hietakangas V, Katajisto P, Lau J, Carlsson PO, Barg
S, Tengholm A, Otonkoski T.Nat Biotechnol. 2022; 40:1042-1055.

2022
Antidepressant drugs act by directly binding to TRKB neurotrophin receptors. Casarotto PC,
Girych M, Fred SM, Kovaleva V, Moliner R, Enkavi G, Biojone C, Cannarozzo C, Sahu MP,
Kaurinkoski K, Brunello CA, Steinzeig A, Winkel F, Patil S, Vestring S, Serchov T, Diniz CRAF,
Laukkanen L, Cardon I, Antila H, Rog T, Piepponen TP, Bramham CR, Normann C, Lauri SE,
Saarma M, Vattulainen I ja Castrén E. Cell. 2021; 184:1299-1313

2021
Maternal fecal microbiota transplantation in cesarean-born infants rapidly restores normal gut
microbial development: A proof-of-concept study. Korpela K, Helve O, Kolho KL, Saisto T,
Skogberg K, Dikareva E, Stefanovic V, Salonen A, Andersson S, de Vos WM. Cell. 2020;
183:324-334.e5.

2020
Notum produced by Paneth cells attenuates regeneration of aged intestinal epithelium.
Petinmikko N, Iqbal S, Mana M, Andersson S, Cognetta AB 3rd, Suciu RM, Roper J, Luopajärvi
K, Markelin E, Gopalakrishnan S, Smolander OP, Naranjo S, Saarinen T, Juuti A, Pietiläinen K,
Auvinen P, Ristimäki A, Gupta N, Tammela T, Jacks T, Sabatini DM, Cravatt BF, Yilmaz ÖH,
Katajisto P. Nature. 2019; 571:398-402.

2019 – Minerva Foundation’s 60th anniversary
BIOMEDICAL BASIC RESEARCH
Biology and clinical implications of the 19q13 aggressive prostate cancer susceptibility locus.
Gao P, Xia JH, Sipeky C, Dong XM, Zhang Q, Yang Y, Zhang P, Cruz SP, Zhang K, Zhu J, Lee
HM, Suleman S, Giannareas N, Liu S; PRACTICAL Consortium, Tammela TLJ, Auvinen A,
Wang X, Huang Q, Wang L, Manninen A, Vaarala MH, Wang L, Schleutker J, Wei GH. Cell.
2018; 174:576-589.e18.
CLINICAL MEDICINE
Genetic basis of severe childhood-onset cardiomyopathies. Vasilescu C, Ojala TH, Brilhante V,
Ojanen S, Hinterding HM, Palin E, Alastalo TP, Koskenvuo J, Hiippala A, Jokinen E,
Jahnukainen T, Lohi J, Pihkala J, Tyni TA, Carroll CJ, Suomalainen A. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;
72:2324-2338.

2018
SHANK proteins limit integrin activation by directly interacting with Rap1 and R-Ras. Lilja J,
Zacharchenko T, Georgiadou M, Jacquemet G, De Franceschi N, Peuhu E, Hamidi H, Pouwels
J, Martens V, Nia FH, Beifuss M, Boeckers T, Kreienkamp HJ, Barsukov IL, Ivaska J. Nat Cell
Biol. 2017; 19:292-305.

2017
Fetal liver endothelium regulates the seeding of tissue-resident macrophages. Rantakari P,
Jäppinen N, Lokka E, Mokkala E, Gerke H, Peuhu E, Ivaska J, Elima K, Auvinen K, Salmi M.
Nature. 2016; 538:392-396.

2016
Stem cells. Asymmetric apportioning of aged mitochondria between daughter cells is required
for stemness. Katajisto P, Döhla J, Chaffer CL, Pentinmikko N, Marjanovic N, Iqbal S, Zoncu R,
Chen W, Weinberg RA, Sabatini DM. Science. 2015; 348:340-3.

2015
A prostate cancer susceptibility allele at 6q22 increases RFX6 expression by modulating
HOXB13 chromatin binding. Huang Q, Whitington T, Gao P, Lindberg JF, Yang Y, Sun J,
Väisänen MR, Szulkin R, Annala M, Yan J, Egevad LA, Zhang K, Lin R, Jolma A, Nykter M,
Manninen A, Wiklund F, Vaarala MH, Visakorpi T, Xu J, Taipale J, Wei GH. Nat Genet. 2014;
46:126-35.

2014
LDL cholesterol recycles to the plasma membrane via a Rab8a-Myosin5b-actin-dependent
membrane transport route. Kanerva K, Uronen RL, Blom T, Li S, Bittman R, Lappalainen P,
Peränen J, Raposo G, Ikonen E. Dev Cell. 2013; 27:249-62.

2013
Somatic progenitor cell vulnerability to mitochondrial DNA mutagenesis underlies progeroid
phenotypes in Polg mutator mice. Ahlqvist KJ, Hämäläinen RH, Yatsuga S, Uutela M, Terzioglu
M, Götz A, Forsström S, Salven P, Angers-Loustau A, Kopra OH, Tyynismaa H, Larsson NG,
Wartiovaara K, Prolla T, Trifunovic A, Suomalainen A. Cell Metab. 2012; 15:100-9.

2012
SHARPIN is an endogenous inhibitor of β1-integrin activation. Rantala JK, Pouwels J, Pellinen
T, Veltel S, Laasola P, Mattila E, Potter CS, Duffy T, Sundberg JP, Kallioniemi O, Askari JA,
Humphries MJ, Parsons M, Salmi M, Ivaska J. Nat Cell Biol. 2011; 13:1315-24.

2011
Effective suppression of vascular network formation by combination of antibodies blocking
VEGFR ligand binding and receptor dimerization. Tvorogov D, Anisimov A, Zheng W, Leppänen
VM, Tammela T, Laurinavicius S, Holnthoner W, Heloterä H, Holopainen T, Jeltsch M,
Kalkkinen N, Lankinen H, Ojala PM, Alitalo K. Cancer Cell. 2010; 18:630-40.

2010
Caveolar transport through nasal epithelium of birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 in allergic patients.
Joenväärä S, Mattila P, Renkonen J, Mäkitie A, Toppila-Salmi S, Lehtonen M, Salmi P, Lehti S,
Mäkinen J, Sormunen R, Paavonen T, Renkonen R. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009; 124:135-142.

2009
Integrin trafficking regulated by Rab21 is necessary for cytokinesis. Pellinen T, Tuomi S,
Arjonen A, Wolf M, Edgren H, Meyer H, Grosse R, Kitzing T, Rantala JK, Kallioniemi O, Fässler
R, Kallio M, Ivaska J. Dev Cell. 2008; 15:371-85.

2008
CIP2A inhibits PP2A in human malignancies. Junttila MR, Puustinen P, Niemelä M, Ahola R,
Arnold H, Böttzauw T, Ala-aho R, Nielsen C, Ivaska J, Taya Y, Lu SL, Lin S, Chan EK, Wang
XJ, Grènman R, Kast J, Kallunki T, Sears R, Kähäri VM, Westermarck J. Cell. 2007; 130:51-62.

2007
Genome-wide prediction of mammalian enhancers based on analysis of transcription-factor
binding affinity. Hallikas O, Palin K, Sinjushina N, Rautiainen R, Partanen J, Ukkonen E, Taipale
J. Cell. 2006; 124:47-59.

2006
PDSM, a motif for phosphorylation-dependent SUMO modification. Hietakangas V, Anckar J,
Blomster HA, Fujimoto M, Palvimo JJ, Nakai A, Sistonen L. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006;
103:45-50. Epub 2005 Dec 21.

2005
Characterization of a common susceptibility locus for asthma-related traits. Laitinen T, Polvi A,
Rydman P, Vendelin J, Pulkkinen V, Salmikangas P, Mäkelä S, Rehn M, Pirskanen A, Rautanen
A, Zucchelli M, Gullstén H, Leino M, Alenius H, Petäys T, Haahtela T, Laitinen A, Laprise C,
Hudson TJ, Laitinen LA, Kere J. Science. 2004; 304:300-4.

2004
Vascular endothelial growth factor C is required for sprouting of the first lymphatic vessels
from embryonic veins. Karkkainen MJ, Haiko P, Sainio K, Partanen J, Taipale J, Petrova TV,
Jeltsch M, Jackson DG, Talikka M, Rauvala H, Betsholtz C, Alitalo K. Nat Immunol. 2004; 5:74-
80. Epub 2003 Nov 23.

2003
Few FH mutations in sporadic counterparts of tumor types observed in hereditary
leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer families. Kiuru M, Lehtonen R, Arola J, Salovaara R,
Järvinen H, Aittomäki K, Sjöberg J, Visakorpi T, Knuutila S, Isola J, Delahunt B, Herva R,
Launonen V, Karhu A, Aaltonen LA. Cancer Res. 2002; 62:4554-7.

2002
Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus by changes in lifestyle among subjects with impaired
glucose tolerance. Tuomilehto J, Lindström J, Eriksson JG, Valle TT, Hämäläinen H, IlanneParikka P, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Laakso M, Louheranta A, Rastas M, Salminen V,
Uusitupa M; Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study Group. N Engl J Med. 2001; 344:1343-50.

2001
Prevention of hip fracture in elderly people with use of a hip protector. Kannus P, Parkkari J,
Niemi S, Pasanen M, Palvanen M, Järvinen M, Vuori I. N Engl J Med. 2000; 343:1506-13.

2000
Comparison of combination therapy with single-drug therapy in early rheumatoid arthritis: a
randomised trial. FIN-RACo trial group. Möttönen T, Hannonen P, Leirisalo-Repo M, Nissilä M,
Kautiainen H, Korpela M, Laasonen L, Julkunen H, Luukkainen R, Vuori K, Paimela L, Blåfield
H, Hakala M, Ilva K, Yli-Kerttula U, Puolakka K, Järvinen P, Hakola M, Piirainen H, Ahonen J,
Pälvimäki I, Forsberg S, Koota K, Friman C. Lancet. 1999; 353:1568-73.

1999
Nanobacteria: an alternative mechanism for pathogenic intra- and extracellular calcification
and stone formation. Kajander EO, Ciftçioglu N. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998; 95:8274-9.

1998
Hyperplasia of lymphatic vessels in VEGF-C transgenic mice. Jeltsch M, Kaipainen A, Joukov
V, Meng X, Lakso M, Rauvala H, Swartz M, Fukumura D, Jain RK, Alitalo K. Science. 1997;
276:1423-5. Erratum in: Science 1997; 277:463.

1997
ICAM-2 redistributed by ezrin as a target for killer cells. Helander TS, Carpén O, Turunen O,
Kovanen PE, Vaheri A, Timonen T. Nature. 1996; 382:265-8.

1996
Cloning of a novel bacteria-binding receptor structurally related to scavenger receptors and
expressed in a subset of macrophages. Elomaa O, Kangas M, Sahlberg C, Tuukkanen J,
Sormunen R, Liakka A, Thesleff I, Kraal G, Tryggvason K. Cell. 1995; 80:603-9.

1995
Crystal structure of catechol O-methyltransferase. Vidgren J, Svensson LA, Liljas A. Nature.
1994; 368:354-8.

1994
Somatostatin analog lanreotide inhibits myocyte replication and several growth factors in
allograft arteriosclerosis. Häyry P, Räisänen A, Ustinov J, Mennander A, Paavonen T. FASEB J.
1993; 7:1055-60.

1993
Ornithine decarboxylase activity is critical for cell transformation. Auvinen M, Paasinen A,
Andersson LC, Hölttä E. Nature. 1992; 360:355-8.

1992
Immunohistochemical demonstration of acetaldehyde-modified epitopes in human liver after
alcohol consumption. Niemelä O, Juvonen T, Parkkila S. J Clin Invest. 1991 Apr;87(4):1367-74.

1991
Bursectomy of chicken embryos at 60 hours of incubation leads to an oligoclonal B cell
compartment and restricted Ig diversity. Mansikka A, Jalkanen S, Sandberg M, Granfors K,
Lassila O, Toivanen P. J Immunol. 1990; 145:3601-9.

1990
A chimeric EGF-R-neu proto-oncogene allows EGF to regulate neu tyrosine kinase and cell
transformation. Lehväslaiho H, Lehtola L, Sistonen L, Alitalo K. EMBO J. 1989; 8:159-66.

1989
A new method for random mutagenesis of complete genes: enzymatic generation of mutant
libraries in vitro. Lehtovaara PM, Koivula AK, Bamford J, Knowles JK. Protein Eng. 1988; 2:63-
8.

1988
Stimulation of mast cells leads to cholesterol accumulation in macrophages in vitro by a mast
cell granule-mediated uptake of low density lipoprotein. Kokkonen JO, Kovanen PT. Proc Natl
Acad Sci U S A. 1987; 84:2287-91.