Researchers´ Profiles - Tiina Ikäheimo

Tiina Ikäheimo graduated with the Master in Science in Biology from the University of Oulu in 1994 and with a Licentiate in Philosophy in 2001. At that time she was involved in exercise related research studying the separate and combined effects of cold exposure and exercise on thermoregulation, metabolism and muscle injuries in animal models.

In 1997, she was employed by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. During this period she specialized in developing a cold risk assessment strategy for workplaces. She participated in coordinating an international EU project to develop cold risk assessment and management practices for northern workplaces in the Barents region. The results of this project were utilized in preparing an international ISO standard (ISO 15743 Strategy for Risk Assessment, Management and Working Practices in Cold Environments). While at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health she was author and co-author of cold related scientific publications and several national guides.

She started working for the Centre for Arctic Medicine at the University of Oulu in 2001. She participated in planning and establishing a Graduate School on Circumpolar Health, Wellbeing and Adaptation. This graduate school was formally initiated in 2002, and now enrolls over 80 doctoral students from three different universities in Finland.

She gained her Ph.D. from the Department of Physiology in 2006 and her research dealt with examining the physiological mechanisms of cold adaptation and its significance on human performance related to living in northern environments. She is nowadays working as an adjunct professor at the Institute of Health Sciences at the University of Oulu and her research interests have focused on the effects of climate and climate change on human health, especially in identifying susceptible population groups and planning and implementing appropriate prevention and protection measures to mitigate the expected adverse health effects of climate change.

She started working as the Editor of the International Journal of Circumpolar Health and was selected as the Editor-in-Chief starting from 2009.

Publications:

Articles

• Näyhä S, Hassi J, Jousilahti P, Laatikainen T, Ikäheimo TM. Cold-related symptoms among the healthy and sick of the general population: National FINRISK Study data, 2002. Public Health 2011;125(6):380-8.
  
  
• Cederberg H, Mikkola I, Jokelainen J, Laakso M, Härkönen P, Ikäheimo T, Laakso M, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S. Exercise during military training improves cardiovascular risk factors in young men. Atherosclerosis. 2011;216(2):489-95.7.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM. Different types of cold adaptation in humans. Front Biosci (Schol Ed). 2010;2:1047-67.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Jokelainen J, Näyhä S, Laatikainen T, Jousilahti P, Hassi J. Occurrence of frostbite in the general population - work-related and individual factors. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2009;35(5):384-93.
  
  
• Mikkola I, Jokelainen JJ, Timonen MJ, Härkönen PK, Saastamoinen E, Laakso MA, Peitso AJ, Juuti AK, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi SM, Mäkinen TM. Physical activity and body composition changes during military service. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(9):1735-42.
  
  
• Young TK, Mäkinen TM. The health of Arctic populations: Does cold matter? Am J Hum Biol 2010;22(1):129-33.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Hassi J. Health problems in cold work. Ind Health. 2009;47(3):207-20.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Juvonen R, Jokelainen J, Harju TH, Peitso A, Bloigu A, Silvennoinen-Kassinen S, Leinonen M, Hassi J. Cold temperature and low humidity are associated with increased occurrence of respiratory tract infections. Respir Med. 2009;103(3):456-62. Epub 2008 Nov 1.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Mäntysaari M, Pääkkönen T, Jokelainen J, Palinkas LA, Hassi J, Leppäluoto J, Tahvanainen K, Rintamäki H. Autonomic nervous function during whole-body cold exposure before and after cold acclimation. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2008;79(9):875-82.
  
  
• Pääkkönen T, Leppäluoto J, Mäkinen TM, Rintamäki H, Ruokonen A, Hassi J, Palinkas LA. Seasonal Levels of Melatonin, Thyroid Hormones, Mood, and Cognition Near the Arctic Circle Aviat Space Environ Med 2008;79(7):695-699.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM. Cold exposure, adaptation and performance in high latitude environments. Am J Hum Biol 2007;19(2):155-64.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Raatikka VP, Rytkönen M, Jokelainen J, Rintamäki H, Ruuhela R, Näyhä S, Hassi J. Factors affecting outdoor exposure in winter: population-based study. 2006;51(1):27-36.
  
  
• Pääkkönen T, Mäkinen TM, Leppäluoto J, Vakkuri O, Rintamäki H, Palinkas LA, Hassi J. Urinary melatonin: a noninvasive method to follow human pineal function as studied in three experimental conditions J Pineal Res 2006; 40(2):110-5.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Palinkas LA, Reeves DL, Pääkkönen T, Rintamäki H, Leppäluoto J, Hassi J. Effects of single and repeated exposures to cold on cognitive performance in human. Physiol Behav 2006; 87(1):166-76.
  
  
• Hassi J, Mäkinen TM, Rintamäki H. Prediction and Prevention of Frostbite. In: Prevention of cold injuries (pp. KN1-KN1-10). Meeting proceedings NATO RTO-MP-HFM-126. 2005.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Rintamäki H, Korpelainen JT, Kampman V, Pääkkönen T, Oksa J, Palinkas LA, Leppäluoto J, Hassi J. Postural sway during single and repeated cold exposures. Aviat Space Environ Med 2005;76:947-953.
  
  
• Palinkas LA, Mäkinen TM, Pääkkönen T, Rintamäki H, Leppäluoto J, Hassi J. Influence of seasonally-adjusted exposure to cold and darkness on cognitive performance in circumpolar residents. Scand J Psychol 2005;46:239-246.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Pääkkönen T, Palinkas LA, Rintamäki H, Leppäluoto J, Hassi J. Seasonal changes in thermal responses of urban residents to cold expsoure. Comp Biochem Physiol, part A 2004;139: 229-238.
  
  
• Risikko T, Mäkinen TM, Påsche A, Hassi J, Toivonen L. A model for managing cold-related occupational health and safety risks at workplaces. Int J Circumpolar Health 2003;62(2):202-213.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Hassi J, Påsche A, Abeysekera J, Holmér I. Project for developing a cold risk assessment and management strategy for workplaces in the Barents region. Int J Circumpolar Health 2002;61 (2): 136-141.
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Hassi J. Usability of ISO thermal standards for cold risk assessment in the workplace. Int J Circumpolar Health 2002;61(2): 142-153.
  
  
• Hassi, J., Mäkinen T. Frostbites: occurrence, predisposing factors and consequences- a review. Int J Circumpolar Health 2000;59(2): 92-99.
  
  
• Mäkinen T, Rintamäki H, Karpakka J, Komulainen J, Hissa R. Submaximal exercise in the cold: does cooling potentiate the development of muscle injuries in the rat? Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 1998;121(3): 273-8.
  
  
• Mäkinen T, Rintamäki H, Hohtola E, Hissa R (1996) Energy cost and thermoregulation of unrestrained rats during exercise in the cold. Comp Biochem Physiol 1996;114A(1): 57-63.
  

Book chapters

• Ikäheimo TM, Junila J, Hirvonen J, Hassi J. Frostbites and other localised cold injuries. In: Emergency Medicine, 7th Edition (Tintinalli JS, Cline D, Cydulka RK, Ma Jo, Stapczynski SJ, eds.) McGraw-Hill Medical [book in press 2010].
  
  
• Mäkinen TM, Rytkönen M. Human cold exposure, adaptation and performance in circumpolar areas. In: Health Transitions in Arctic Populations (Young TK, Bjerregaard P eds.). Toronto University Press. 2008. p. 245-262.