Sauli Haataja

Many of us suffer lactose intolerance, resulting from low levels of lactase enzyme secreted to the intestinal lumen. Of course, by using lactose free milk products, this problem is solved.

How many of us know that all of us have lactose as part of our cell membranes. Our cell membranes are composed of lipids like cholesterol, phospholipids and sphingolipids. Most of the sphingolipids contain sugar chains and we call these lipids as glycolipids or those who are really enthusiast cell membrane scientists call them glycosphingolipids. And great majority of our glycolipids are build from lipid part called ceramide, a hydrophobic lipid part embedded in the lipid bilayer, and a lactose sugar structure covalently linked to the ceramide. This molecule is called lactosylceramide. However, in many cases other sugar chains are linked to lactose, thus forming more complex  structures. Altogether glycolipids form a hydrophilic glycocalyx around our cells serving as a protective hydrophilic layer. But many other functions have been linked to glycolipids. Many toxins, for instance, recognise glycolipids. And let’s not forget bacteria and viruses.

But, is there a link between presence of lactose in mother’s milk and in cell membranes?

Teaching medical biochemistry is a  challenging task. The amount of information is huge and students have to learn a lot of details of molecular structure, metabolic pathways, regulation of metabolism and modern achievements of molecular medicine. Don’t forget the laboratory work, seminars and presentation …. and exams. What are the benefits of all this hard work?

As a teacher I have learned that the student has to actively organise his thinking. Lecture introduces new things and theories; reading notes, presentations and books combined with good learning methods organises thinking and the student starts to understand and they construct theory, connect things to new things. And hopefully they start to get their own ideas and form questions.

Sauli Haataja lyhyesti:

• Ikä 53 v., naimisissa, kaksi lasta
• Kotipaikka Turku
• Yliopisto-opettaja, Lääketieteellinen biokemia ja genetiikka, Biolääketieteen laitos, Turun yliopisto
• Filosofian tohtori v. 1996 Turun yliopisto, Dosentti v. 2004, molekylaarinen mikrobiologia Helsingin yliopisto
• Tutkimuskohde
  • streptokokkien tarttumis- ja taudinaiheuttamismekanismit
  • solujen pintahiilihydraattien biologinen merkitys mikrobi-isäntä vuorovaikutuksessa
  • lektiinit, eli hiilihydraatteja sitovat ja tunnistavat proteiinit
  • Streptococcal adhesin P, SadP, joka sitoo solujen pintahiilihydraattia Gb3, eli glykolipidiä triheksosyyliseramidi
  • Julkaisut kansainvälisissä tieteellisissä lehdissä, 34 kpl, PUBMED hakusana Haataja S
  • Patentit, 1 kpl
• Opetusala
  • lääketieteellinen biokemia ja molekyylilääketiede