Portrait of Professor Miia Kivipelto

Miia Kivipelto studied medicine at the University of Kuopio, became a registered medical doctor in 1999, and subsequently a specialist in geriatrics. She started to conduct research and gained her PhD in 2002 in Kuopio with a thesis on vascular risk factors with Alzheimer's disease. Between 2002 and 2005 Miia Kivipelto did her postdoc at Karolinska Institutet, KI, after which she worked at KIs Alzheimer's Centre, and at the Aging Research Center, ARC.

In 2006 Miia Kivipelto became an associate professor of neuroepidemiology and a research director at the University of Kuopio with support from the Academy of Finland and other sources. In 2010 she became a senior lecturer at KI. She has previously worked on assignments for the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU) and the National Board of Health and Welfare.

Miia Kivipelto has been the recipient of numerous prizes. In 2009 she was awarded the Academy of Finland Award for Social Impact, and in 2011 the Junior Chamber International Award as Outstanding Young Person, in Finland and Internationally.

Miia Kivipelto was appointed professor of clinical geriatric epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet in 2011.

She is also Director for Research and Development of Theme Aging at Karolinska University Hospital.

Research area

With an increasing number of elderly in the population dementia is expected to increase. There is still no cure available. Population studies with around 30 years follow-up show that it might be possible to reduce the risk for dementia in later life through a number of preventative measures.

Amongst those it is possible to note risk factors that occur in middle age, such as high blood lipids, high blood pressure in addition to physical activity. Early diagnoses and prevention forms an important part of Miia Kivipeltos research.

More information

Nordic Brain Network