Professor Riitta Veijola has strong research background into genetic and environmental risk factors of type 1 diabetes (T1D). In addition, she has participated in several T1D prevention trials and currently leads three RCTs investigating the effect of liraglutide in subjects with presymptomatic T1D or early diagnosed T1D.  

The Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Study  is one of the largest prospective birth cohort studies focusing on the pathogenesis and development of type 1 diabetes. It was launched in the 1990’s in three university hospitals in Finland and has ongoing recruitment of newborns for genetic prescreening of type 1 diabetes risk. Children carrying increased HLA-conferred  disease risk are regularly screened for islet autoimmunity until age 15 years and even beyond if found to be positive for islet autoantibodies. The DIPP Study is coordinated from University of Oulu which hosts one of the three clinical study centers and the DIPP autoantibody laboratory. The two other DIPP clinical study centers are located in Turku and Tampere.