Jenni Lehtimäki

Research focusing on associations between non-communicable diseases and residential environments, especially natural environments. Also environmental and human microbiomes as well as their interactions. Research on the role of macroscopic and microscopic biodiversity on human health, and measurable health effects of natural environments such as immunological responses. Planetary health.

Research interests:

• The impact of biodiversity to human health
• Interplay of macroscopic and microscopic biodiversity with immune system
• Nature as a source of health-impacting microbes
• Health impacts of various exposures in residential environments
• Biodiversity monitoring with DNA-based techniques
• Health impacts of human microbiomes
• The increasing burden of non-communicable diseases
• Planetary health paradigm

Publications:

Google scholar

ORCHID ID

Few important scientific publications:

Lehtimäki J, Gupta S, Hjelmsø M, Shah S, Thorsen J, Rasmussen M, Soverini M, Li X, Russel J, Trivedi U, Brix S, Bønnelykke K, Chawes B, Bisgaard H, Sørensen S, Stokholm J. Fungi and bacteria in the beds of rural and urban infants correlate with later risk of atopic diseases. Clinical & Experimental Allergy 2023.

Haahtela T, Alenius H, Lehtimäki J, Sinkkonen A, Hyöty H, Fyhrquist N, Ruokolainen L, Mäkelä M. Immunological resilience and biodiversity for prevention of allergic diseases and asthma. Allergy 2021

Lehtimäki J, Thorsen J, Rasmussen M, Hjelmsø M, Shah S, Mortensen M, Trivedi U, Vestergaard G, Bønnelykke K, Chawes B, Brix S, Sørensen S, Bisgaard H, Stokholm J. Urbanized microbiota in infants, immune constitution and later risk of atopic diseases. JACI 2020

Lehtimäki J, Sinkko H, Hielm-Björkman A, Salmela E, Laatikainen T, Mäkeläinen S, Kaukonen M, Uusitalo L, Hanski I, Lohi H, and Ruokolainen L. Skin microbiota and allergic symptoms associate with exposure to environmental microbes. PNAS 2018.

Lehtimäki J, Karkman A, Laatikainen T, Paalanen L, von Hertzen L, Haahtela T, Hanski I, and Ruokolainen L. Patterns in the skin microbiota differ in children and teenagers between rural and urban environments. Scientific Reports 2017:7

Ongoing projects

Residents - Multi-kingdom biodiversity in residential environments and immune-mediated diseases in children (2025-2030, ERC Starting Grant)

Biofants -  Early exposure to biodiversity across kingdoms of life and immune system development in infants (2025-2029, Research council of Finland, Academy Research fellowship)

GREEN CHILDHOOD – Biodiverse living environment as a promoter of long-term health in urban and rural areas (2022—2025, Kone Foundation)

Past projects

STYLE - Healthy Lifestyles to Boost Sustainable Growth (2019—2023, Strategic Research Council)

Smarter Greener Cities - Making Smart Cities Smarter and More Liveable Through Nature-based Solutions

GREEN WINDOW – Window of opportunity for green exposure in prevention of childhood non-communicable diseases (2020—2021, Sakari Alhopuro Foundation)

HYVIÖ - Spatial information and residents' experiences for development of comfortable living environments (2020—2023, Ministry of Environment)

NATURE STEP towards wellbeing (2018—2020, Sitra)