Jacobæus Prize awarded to Hannele Yki-Järvinen for her groundbreaking work on fatty liver disease and diabetes
Professor Hannele Yki-Järvinen from the University of Helsinki and Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research receives Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Jacobæus Prize 2024. This award is given annually to a distinguished international researcher who has made significant contributions to advancement of medical science, particularly in areas of physiology and endocrinology. Prof. Yki-Järvinen has carried out pioneering work to advance our understanding of the role of liver fat accumulation in insulin resistance and diabetes, as well as our awareness of the perils of this process. She is the first Finn to receive this award for research performed in Finland.
After beginning her research career in the 1980s with study of insulin sensitivity and resistance in type 1 diabetics, prof. Yki-Järvinen’s research focus turned to the liver, specifically non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), now known as metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In 2000, she published the first study showing that the sensitivity of the liver to insulin action reduces with increasing amount of liver fat, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. This work had profound implications for the understanding of insulin resistance and the treatment of people with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. After this groundbreaking observation Yki-Järvinen and her have continued their pioneering work in this area, penetrating deeper into the mechanisms underlying the accumulation of fat and insulin resistance of the liver.
In recent years a major focus of the research of Professor Yki-Järvinen’s group has been in understanding how genetic variants predispose to liver disease but protect from cardiovascular disease. These studies have shown that genetic factors strongly influence the composition of liver fat, the routes that lead to the synthesis of fat in the liver and circulating fats and lipoproteins. This has important implications for the monitoring and treatment of MASLD.
Prof. Yki-Järvinen has published close to 400 journal articles and book chapters, supervised nearly 30 doctoral students, lectured extensively all over the world, and won numerous awards for her work. Lena Eliasson, Chair of the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Committee on Endocrinology and Metabolism, which awards the prize, stated: “With her research, Hannele Yki-Järvinen has greatly improved our understanding of fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.”
Professor Yki-Järvinen describes the award as “a huge honour” and hopes that it will help inspire other young Finnish scientists to take up research in this area. She says: “It’s just like if a Finn would win an Olympic gold medal. It would be a huge inspiration for the younger generation.”
Established in 1939, the Jacobæus Prize is the Foundation’s oldest prize and is awarded to researchers within physiology or endocrinology. It is accompanied by an award of DKK 1.5 million, of which DKK 1.25 million is for research and the rest a personal award. Recipients are invited to give a lecture on a topic relevant to their research. Professor Yki-Järvinen will give hers in Lund, Sweden, on 21 October 2024.
