The Transplantation Immunobiology Research Group was transformed into Transplantation Laboratory in 1976 along with a decree by the Parliament of Finland, allocating certain funding for the improvement of the care of patients with chronic renal failure. The aims of the new unit were to develop novel methods for the diagnostics and monitoring of rejection episodes, to develop methods and to optimize the immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplant recipients, and to conduct research aiming to improve the results of renal transplantatation.
In 1979, University of Helsinki invited Dr. Pekka Häyry to become Extraordinary Professor in Transplantation Surgery and Immunology. The university position doubled space and facilities for the new unit. The Hospital and the University units of Transplantation Laboratory shared personnel, space and facilities. The Transplantation Laboratory grew into a significant research and diagnostic unit and was incorporated into the Haartman Institute of the Medical School as an independent division. After retirement of Professor Häyry in 2008, the Hospital and University units were separated. Nowadays, the clinical unit “Laboratory of Transplantation Pathology” is part of HUSLAB Transplantation and hematopathology laboratory, and the University part as an independent division has been suspended as a result of the new organization model at the Faculty of Medicine.
Professor Pekka Häyry was awarded The Medawar prize by the Transplantation Society in 2006. The award recognizes the outstanding investigators whose contributions have had a profound influence on the field of organ transplantation. The Medawar Prize is universally considered to be commensurate with the most outstanding world prizes for scientific achievement.
The part-time professorship of Transplantation Surgery and Immunology was established by the donation of Orion-Farmos Research Foundation and University of Helsinki Future Fund. Dr Karl Lemström was invited to this professorship for the years 2012–2016.
The Transplantation Laboratory is still a multidisciplinary research group committed to achieving excellence in world class research and transplant patient care. The original commitment of the Transplantation Laboratory is continued by the Cardiopulmonary Research Group, which was established as a subgroup of Transplantation Laboratory in 1995. Today, the research focuses on discovering biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapy for primary graft dysfunction, acute rejection, and chronic allograft dysfunction after heart and lung transplantation.
Leif C. Andersson, 1973: "Cytotoxic lymphocytes in allograft response”, University of Helsinki.
Martti Lalla, 1974: "Proliferation of circulating human white cells in health and non-neoplastic disorders", University of Helsinki. (Partially).
Peter J. Roberts, 1977: "Allograft-inifltrating killer cells". University of Helsinki.
Annamari Ranki, 1978: "T and B lymphocyte markers". University of Helsinki.
Thomas H. Tötterman, 1978: "Thyroid-infiltrating immunocompetent cells in human autoimmune thyroid disease. Subclass distribution and in vitro functions". University of Helsinki
Jyrki Reitamo, 1980: "The Desmoid tumour". University of Helsinki.
Eeva von Willebrand, 1981: ”Kidney allograft rejection. Experimental background and clinical applications to immunologic monitoring of human transplant recipients". University of Helsinki.
Anu Soots, 1983: "Impact of donor pretreatment on rat allograft survival". University of Helsinki.
Eero Taskinen, 1983: "Cerebrospinal fluid cells and proteins in neurologic diseases with known or suspected immunoactivation of the central nervous system." University of Helsinki
Marja Ekblom, 1985: "Markers of normal and malignant erythropoiesis”. University of Helsinki.
Timo Paavonen, 1985: "Hormonal regulation of human lymphocyte functions in vitro." University of Helsinki.
Irmeli Lautenschlager, 1985: "Transplantation of the liver. Immunological background and cytological monitoring of the allograft". University of Helsinki.
Arto Nemlander, 1985: "Effector mechanisms in rat renal allograft Rejection". University of Helsinki.
Risto Renkonen, 1986: "Transplantation of the bone marrow". University of Helsinki.
Pekka Kuusanmäki, 1998: "Monitoring smalla bowel rejection. A study in porcine intestinal allografts.” University of Helsinki.
Riitta Alitalo, 1989: "Gene expression during megakaryoblastoid differentiation of K562 leukemia cells." University of Helsinki.
Dariusz Leszczynski, 1989: "Vascular endothelium in allograft rejection". University of Helsinki.
Kiti Muller, 1990: "Involvement of the nervous system in the immunobiology of myashenia gravis." University of Helsinki.
Jorma Halttunen, 1990: "Immunogenicity of allograft components". University of Helsinki.
Seppo Pakkala, 1991: "DNA-fingerprinting in acute leukemia". University of Helsinki.
Helena Isoniemi, 1991: "Triple drug therapy in renal allograft immunosuppression. A randomized trial of triple drug therapy versus different combinations of double drug therapy". University of Helsinki.
Ritva Leskinen, 1993: "Immunological monitoring of bone marrow transplant recipients. With special emphasis on acute graft-versus-host disease". University of Helsinki.
Ari Mennander, 1993: "Aortic allograft arteriosclerosis". University of Helsinki.
Juha-Pekka Turunen, 1994: "Regulation of lymphocyte extravastion". University of Helsinki. (Partially)
Petri Koskinen, 1994: "Cytomegalovirus infection in heart transplant patients. Special emphasis on the relation between CMV infection, graft rejection and allograft arteriosclerosis." University of Helsinki.
Anne Räisänen-Sokolowski, 1995: "Chronic allograft arteriosclerosis. Development and inhibition". University of Helsinki.
Karl Lemström, 1995: "Pathogenesis of cytomegalovirus-enhanced allograft arteriosclerosis in the rat. An experimental approach to human cardiac allograft vasculopathy". University of Helsinki.
Serdar Yilmaz, 1999: "Experimental analysis of factors contributing to Chronic kidney allograft rejection”. University of Helsinki.
Marjukka Myllärniemi, 1999: "Regulation of arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation after endothelial injury – an experimental approach to restenosis and transplant arteriosclerosis." University of Helsinki.
Erkki A. Kallio (deceased), 2000: "Pathogenesis of obliterative bronchiolitis in rat heterotopic tracheal allografts. An experimental approach to chronic lung allograft rejection." University of Helsinki.
Ilkka Pakkala, 2002: "Vitamin D analogs in expreimental leukemia and transplantation models." University of Helsinki.
Jussi Tikkanen, 2003: "Identification and inhibition of specific pathways leading to transplant obliterative bronchiolitis. - An experimental approach in the rat." University of Helsinki.
Roope Sihvola, 2003: "Platelet-derived growth factor and proinflammatory cytokines in cardiac allograft arteriosclerosis." University of Helsinki.
Mari-Anne Pulkkinen, 2003: "Role of epidermal and fibroblast growth factors in pancreatic development". University of Helsinki.
Johanna Savikko, 2003: "Platelet-derived growth factor in acute and chronic renal allograft rejection." University of Helsinki.
Hanna Savolainen-Peltonen, 2004: "Vascular biology of estrogen receptors alpha and beta; - an experimental approach to restenosis and transplant arteriosclerosis." University of Helsinki.
Einari Aavik, 2005: "Vascular fibroproliferative response to injury. An experimental approach with therapeutic considerations". University of Helsinki.
Antti Nykänen, 2007: “Vascular growth factors and progenitor cells in cardiac allograft arteriosclerosis.” University of Helsinki.
Anil Palikhe, 2008: “Major histocompatibility complex and coronary artery disease: Special emphasis on Chlamydia pneumonia, and periodontitis.” University of Helsinki.
Nina-Maria Tigerstedt, 2009: “New molecular strategies for prevention of fibroproliferative vascular disease – An experimental approach to restenosis”. University of Helsinki.
Riitta Paakkanen, 2013: “Major histocompatibility complex genes. Method of analysis, association with acute coronary syndromes and effect on immune reactions.” University of Helsinki.
Mikko Keränen, 2014: “Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 in heart transplantation.” University of Helsinki.
Raimo Tuuminen, 2014: Microvascular dysfunction in ischemia-reperfusion in Cardiac and kidney allografts.” University of Helsinki.
Simo Syrjälä, 2014: “Critical role of angiopoietin pathway in ischemia-reperfusion injury in cardiac transplantation.” University of Helsinki.
Annika Wennerström, 2014: “The extended MHC haplotypes and their role in sarcoidosis”. University of Helsinki.
Ville Parviainen, 2014: “Mass spectrometry in clinical protein biomarker discovery”. University of Helsinki
Rainer Krebs, 2014: “VEGF-A and VEGF-C in experimental obliterative bronchiolitis”. University of Helsinki.
Jussi Ropponen, 2015: “Innate immune responses in obliterative bronchiolitis after Lung transplantation – the role of statins and hypoxia-inducible factor-1.” University of Helsinki.
Niina Tohmola, 2015: “Development of liquid chromatography mass spectrometric methods for quantification of metabolites from cellular level to clinical biomarkers”. University of Helsinki.
Efthymia Vlachopoulou, 2015: “HLA-DRB1: Haplotype diversity, imputation And association with acute coronary syndrome”. University of Helsinki.
Niina Palin, 2016: “Therapeutic strategies targeting vascular endothelial growth factors and early kidney allograft injury in the prevention of chronic rejection in the rat.” University of Helsinki.
Alexey Dashkevich, 2016: “Lymphatic endothelium in terminal heart failure and after heart and lung transplantation.” University of Helsinki.