Sanna Lensu

researcher, physical activity, neuroscience, behavior, toxicity, metabolism, physiology

Researcher, PhD

 Contact information

Dpt of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä

room: Kärki 6, Aa350, Mattilanniemi 6

P.O.Box 35

FIN-40014 University of Jyväskylä, FINLAND

Tel. +358-50-3011 272

e-mail: sanna.t.k.lensu(at) jyu.fi

             

Education 

  • 02/2023             Title of Docent, 'Biological health effects of physical activity',Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland  
  • 02/2015             PhD in Toxicology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
  • 03/1998             M.Sc. in Applied Zoology and Veterinary Medicine, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland

 Scientific Employment

  • 2020 -ongoing  Dept. of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland 
  • 2018 - 2020  Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
  • 2017-2018    Dept. of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland 
  • 2011-2017    Dept. of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
  • 2010             National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio & grants at Jyväskylä, Finland
  • 2008-2009    University of Kuopio, Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Kuopio, Finland
  • 2001-2007    National Inst. for Health and Welfare, Dept. of Environmental Health, Kuopio, Finland
  • 1998-2001    University of Kuopio, Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Kuopio, Finland

Research Activities

In the current project mecofMRI (funded by Research Council of Finland), we are studying the role of autonomous nervous system together with brain-wide networks in the consolidation of memories during sleep. This is a research consortium led by Assoc. Prof. Miriam Nokia and Prof. Olli Gröhn (University of Eastern Finland). Our group has been interested in neural processes occurring in hippocampus, especially in dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampus. In our previous project I have been setting up in vivo calcium imaging of DG in the project of Miriam Nokia (PI) and Markku Penttonen.  

In the GutMet-project of Academy Research Fellow, docent Satu Pekkala I was involved in studying the gut-brain -pathway. 

I have also studied the role of hippocampal dental spikes in learning, the project of Academy Research Fellow, Miriam Nokia.

I have been involved in many research projects of prof. Kainulainen:

 * For my PhD I have studied the effects of one of the most toxic environmental contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure. Studies included mechanistic and behavioural studies of TCDD-toxicity. Experimens were done at THL, Dept. of Environmental Health (previously KTL) and at University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (Clinical Research Unit, Neurology and Neuroscience & Pharmacology and Toxicology), in collaboration with University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. 

Recent Publications     

  1. Mäkinen E, Wikgren J, Pekkala S, Koch LG, Britton SL, Nokia MS, Lensu S. Genotype determining aerobic exercise capacity associates with behavioral plasticity in middle-aged rats. 2023. Behav. Brain Res. 443: 114331. doi.org/ 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114331
  2. Driuchina A,Hintikka J, Lehtonen M, Keski-Rahkonen P, O'Connell T, Juvonen R, Kuula J, Hakkarainen A, Laukkanen JA, Mäkinen E, Lensu, S, Pietiläinen KH, Pekkala S. Identification of gut microbial lysine and histidine degradation and CYP-dependent metabolites as biomarkers of fatty liver disease. 2023. MBIO, 14(1): e02663-22. doi.org/1128/mbio.02663-22
  3. Lensu S. Voisiko ulostesiirrolla saada huonokuntoisen, juoksua inhoavan keski-ikäisen innostumaan lenkille? Liikunta ja tiede, 2022: 59(1), 9.
  4. Lensu S &Pekkala S. Gut microbiota, microbial metabolites and human physical performance (Review). 2021. Metabolites, 11:11, 716. doi.org/10.3390/metabo11110716
  5. Lensu S & Pekkala S. Suoliston mikrobit ja fyysinen suorituskyky (Review). 2021. Duodecim: 137(19):2013-19. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202201281317 
  6. Mäkinen E, Lensu S, Honkanen M, Laitinen P, Wikgren J, Koch LG, Britton SL, Kainulainen H, Pekkala S*, Nokia M*. Rats bred for low intrinsic aerobic exercise capacity link obesity with brain inflammation and reduced structural plasticity of the hippocampus. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 97, 250-259. doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2021.06.017
  7. Civil R, Brook M, Elliott-Sale K, Santos L, Varley I, Lensu S, Kainulainen H, Koch LG, Britton SL, Wilkinson D, Smith K, Sale C, Atherton PJ. A collagen extraction and deuterium oxide stable isotope tracer method for the quantification of bone collagen synthesis rates in vivo. 2021. 9:e14799. doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14799
  8. Wikgren J, Nokia MS, Mäkinen E, Koch LG, Britton SL, Kainulainen H, Lensu S. Rats with elevated genetic risk for metabolic syndrome exhibit cognitive deficiencies when young. 2021. Physiology & Behavior, 236, 113417. doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113417
  9. Hintikka J, Lensu S, Mäkinen E, Karvinen S, Honkanen M, Lindén J, Garrels T, Pekkala S, Lahti L. Xylo-Oligosaccharides in Prevention of Hepatic Steatosis and Adipose Tissue Inflammation: Associating Taxonomic and Metabolomic Patterns in Fecal Microbiomes with Biclustering. 2021. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18, 4049. doi.org/10.3390/ ijerph18084049
  10. Lensu S, Waselius T, Mäkinen E, Kettunen H, Virtanen A, Tiirola M, Penttonen M, Pekkala S, Nokia MS. Irradiation of the head reduces adult hippocampal neurogenesis and impairs spatial memory, but leaves overall health intact in rats. 2021. Eur. J. Neurosci. 00, 1-21. doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15102
  11. Lensu S, Pariyani R, Mäkinen E, Yang B, Saleem W, Munukka E, Lehti M, Driuchina A, Lindén J, Tiirola M, Lahti L, Pekkala S. Prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides ameliorate high-fat-diet-induced hepatic steatosis in rats. 2020. Nutrients. 12(11): 3225. doi.org/10.3390/nu12113225
  12. Pekkala S, Keskitalo A, Kettunen E, Lensu S, Nykänen N, Kuopio T, Ritvos O, Hentilä J, Nissinen TA, Hulmi JJ. Blocking activin receptor ligands is not sufficient to rescue cancer-associated gut microbiota—A role for gut microbial flagellin in colorectal cancer and cachexia? 2019. Cancers11(1799). doi.org/10.3390/cancers11111799
  13. Lensu S, Pekkala SP, Mäkinen A, Karstunen N, Turpeinen AT, Hulmi JJ, Silvennoinen M, Ma H, Kujala UM, Karvinen S, Koch LG, Britton SL, Kainulainen H. Beneficial effects of running and milk protein supplements on Sirtuins and risk factors of metabolic disorders in rats with low aerobic capacity. 2019. Metabolism Open 4(100019). doi.org/10.1016/j.metop.2019.100019

Other Activities

  • member in many scientific associations, reviewer for several publications
  • supervisor of many BSc, MSc and PhD students
  • actively participating in events organized for promoting science (for general public)
  • vice head of riding club Korpilahden Ratsastajat ry., that is an active society organizing various events and competitions in dressage and showjumping at national and local level 
  • mother of two daughters