Subjects and Units

Contact Information

Haartmaninkatu 3 (P.O. Box 21)
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki
Finland
tel. +358 2941 911 (switch)

Alma-intranet

HLA Laboratory

HLA Laboratory is part of the Transplantation laboratory at the Haartman Institute. In HLA Laboratory we study the MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) genes. HLA Laboratory has international EFI-accreditation (European Federation for Immunogenetics) and acts as the specialist laboratory in the HLA field.

The MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) region contains approximately 250 genes of which approximately 40% are connected with the composition and regulation of immune response. The MHC genes are the most polymorphic of the human genome. They function in protection against infectious micro-organisms but are also responsible of prolonged inflammatory reactions predisposing tissues to various diseases. The range of MHC- associated diseases is wide. Classical HLA genes are the main histocompatibility determinants assessed in transplantations.

The goal of our research is to study the role of the MHC genes in various diseases, mostly having inflammatory backgrounds, like severe and recurrent infectious diseases, autoimmunity diseases, atherosclerosis, and some malignancies. Methods for analyzing include typing by SSP-PCR, sequencing, RT-PCR and immunoelectrophoresis.

The projects are carried in collaboration with clinicians mostly at the Helsinki University Central Hospital and researchers at Haartman Institute, National Institute for Health and Welfare and Biomedicum Helsinki. HLA Laboratory also acts as a diagnostic laboratory for patient samples. HLA Laboratory is part of HaartBio Ltd which is owed by the University of Helsinki. HaartBio commercializes the research findings and know-how and is meant to support the research and teaching at Haartman Institute.

More information: www.haartbio.fi

Contact person:
The Head of the Laboratory Marja-Liisa Lokki
Tel. +358 9 191 26614
Fax +358 9 241 1227
E-mail: maisa.lokki (at) helsinki.fi