Dog and Cat Disease Models

We aim to understand the genetic origin of canine and feline traits as models of human disorders.

Our research

We have established large dog and cat DNA banks with ~100,000 samples as significant resources to pursue gene discovery in disease, morphology and behavior.

Genetic studies using association and whole generation sequencing approaches have been conducted or are running in numerous canine and feline conditions, including idiopathic epilepsy, ataxia, neurodegeneration, heart disease, eye diseases, anxiety, and developmental abnormalities.

We have revealed novel genetic loci and genes in many disorders and continue to validate and characterize the genes and related pathways in different models, including human patients. Besides genetics, we have performed epidemiological and behavioral survey studies to understand the characteristics and risk factors of canine and feline behavior personalities and behavioral problems. We are also interested in factors affecting human-animal bonds and similarities to human behavior.

A group of thirteen people stands together on a stair landing in a modern indoor setting, surrounded by glass railings and natural light. They are smiling and appear relaxed, dressed in casual and business-casual attire.

Group Leader

Hannes Lohi

Senior Scientist

Marjo Hytönen, Administrative Group Leader

Doctoral Researchers

Emma Hakanen
Tiina Harmas
Saila Holopainen
Sruthi Hundi
Sara Mikkonen
Heidi Peltonen
Noora Salokorpi
Aada Ståhl
Katariina Vapalahti
Inka Vähämäki

Undergraduate Students

Minna IkonenAnna Kivistö

Staff

Sini Karjalainen
Santeri Suokas

IP3 receptor depletion in a spontaneous canine model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease 1J with amelogenesis imperfecta.
Hytönen MK, Rönkkö J, Hundi S, Jokinen TS, Suonto E, Teräväinen E, Donner J, La Rovere R, Bultynck G, Ylikallio E, Tyynismaa H, Lohi H. PLOS Genetics. 2025.

Polymyositis in Kooiker dogs is associated with a 39 kb deletion upstream of the canine IL21/IL2 locus.
Opmeer Y, van Steenbeek FG, Rozendom C, Fieten H, Diaz Espineira MM, Stassen QEM, van Kooten PJ, Rutten VPMG, Hytönen MK, Lohi H, Mandigers PJJ, Leegwater PA. PLOS Genetics. 2025.

Differential somatic coding variant landscapes between laser microdissected luminal epithelial cells from canine mammary invasive ductal solid carcinoma and comedocarcinoma.
Deckwirth V, Hundi S, Hytönen MK, Hannula S, Ellonen P, Björkenheim P, Sukura A, Lohi H. BMC Cancer. 2024.

The DoGA consortium expression atlas of promoters and genes in 100 canine tissues.
Hörtenhuber M, Hytönen MK, Mukarram AK, Arumilli M, Araujo CL, Quintero I, Syrjä P, Airas N, Kaukonen M, Kyöstilä K, Niskanen J, Jokinen TS, Mottaghitalab F, Takan I, Salokorpi N, Raman A, Stevens I, Iivanainen A, Yoshihara M, Gusev O, Bannasch D, Sukura A, Schoenebeck JJ; DoGA Consortium; Ezer S, Katayama S, Daub CO, Kere J, Lohi H. Nature Communications. 2024.

Development and validation of the puppy blues scale measuring temporary affective disturbance resembling baby blues.
Ståhl A, Salonen M, Hakanen E, Mikkola S, Sulkama S, Lahti J, Lohi H. Npj Mental Health Research. 2024.

A new Finnish flavor of feline coat coloration, "salmiak," is associated with a 95-kb deletion downstream of the KIT gene.
Anderson H, Salonen M, Toivola S, Blades M, Lyons LA, Forman OP, Hytönen MK, Lohi H. Animal Genetics. 2024.

Pet and owner personality and mental wellbeing associate with attachment to cats and dogs.Ståhl A, Salonen M, Hakanen E, Mikkola S, Sulkama S, Lahti J, Lohi H. iScience. 2023.

Identification of novel genetic risk factors of dilated cardiomyopathy: from canine to human.Niskanen JE, Ohlsson Å, Ljungvall I, Drögemüller M, Ernst RF, Dooijes D, van Deutekom HWM, van Tintelen JP, Snijders Blok CJB, van Vugt M, van Setten J, Asselbergs FW, Petrič AD, Salonen M, Hundi S, Hörtenhuber M; DoGA consortium; Kere J, Pyle WG, Donner J, Postma AV, Leeb T, Andersson G, Hytönen MK, Häggström J, Wiberg M, Friederich J, Eberhard J, Harakalova M, van Steenbeek FG, Wess G, Lohi H. Genome Medicine. 2023.

Genome sequencing of 2000 canids by the Dog10K consortium advances the understanding of demography, genome function and architecture.Meadows JRS, Kidd JM, Wang GD, Parker HG, Schall PZ, Bianchi M, Christmas MJ, Bougiouri K, Buckley RM, Hitte C, Nguyen AK, Wang C, Jagannathan V, Niskanen JE, Frantz LAF, Arumilli M, Hundi S, Lindblad-Toh K, Ginja C, Agustina KK, André C, Boyko AR, Davis BW, Drögemüller M, Feng XY, Gkagkavouzis K, Iliopoulos G, Harris AC, Hytönen MK, Kalthoff DC, Liu YH, Lymberakis P, Poulakakis N, Pires AE, Racimo F, Ramos-Almodovar F, Savolainen P, Venetsani S, Tammen I, Triantafyllidis A, vonHoldt B, Wayne RK, Larson G, Nicholas FW, Lohi H, Leeb T, Zhang YP, Ostrander EA. Genome Biology. 2023.

A loss-of-function variant in canine GLRA1 associates with a neurological disorder resembling human hyperekplexia.Heinonen T, Flegel T, Müller H, Kehl A, Hundi S, Matiasek K, Fischer A, Donner J, Forman OP, Lohi H, Hytönen MK. Human Genetics. 2023.

Academy of Finland
Sigrid Jusélius Foundation
Agria Foundation
University of Helsinki HilNET
University of Helsinki DVM Doctoral ProgramThe Finnish Society of Sciences and LettersKinship CoFolkhälsan Research CenterUniversity of HelsinkiDog and Cat Breed Clubs