Kirsi Jahnukainen
Affiliated to research
About me
I am visiting professor of Pediatric Oncology at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. I am a founding member of NORDFERTIL (www.nordfertil.org) and an associated partner of EU-ITN consortium “GROWSPERM” (www.growsperm.eu). I am working also as a senior consultant in pediatric hematology and oncology in Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital.
Research description
We focus on late adverse effects among adult survivors of childhood cancer, and pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
We have shown that survivors after pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are at risk of early gonadal, skeletal and vascular aging and frailty. Our research group is exploring methods to predict and prevent gonadal late effects.
The clinical aim is to establish clinical quality testing of cryopreserved immature ovarian and testicular tissue collected for fertility preservation.
Teaching portfolio
Ongoing supervision of a PhD candidate:
• M.D. Mari Wilhelmsson, (Late adverse effects after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in childhood AML), Department of Women´s and Children´s Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, registration 10/2011. Main supervisor.
• M.D. Valentina Pampanini (Biomarkers indicating residual ovarian pool and their impact to determine fertility preservation methods in childhood cancer patients) in Department of Women´s and Children´s Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, registration 2/2015. Main supervisor.
• M.D. Melanie Poganitsch, (Male fertility, late morbidity and agining after childhood cancer) Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University, Helsinki University Central Hospital, registration 12/2011. Main supervisor.
PhD candidates supervised up to the defence of the candidate’s doctoral thesis:
As main supervisor
• Mi Hou (Novel strategies and putative risks for preservation of male fertility in acute leukemia) in Department of Women´s and Children´s Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, dissertation 26.10.2007.
• Mirja Nurmio (Models to study cancer therapy related toxicity in immature testis) in Department of Anatomy, University of Turku, Finland, dissertation 6.6.2009.
• M.D. Anu Vatanen, (Late adverse effects after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in childhood) Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University, Helsinki University Central Hospital, dissertation 10.6.2016.
• McS Babak Asadi Azarbaijani (Novel methods to preserve fertility in young female cancer patients) in Department for Women & Children’s Health, Oslo University Central Hospital, dissertation 2.3.2017.
As co-supervisor
• Mona-Lisa Strand (Antimicrobial and xenobiotic defence in the mammalian testis) in Department of Women´s and Children´s Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, dissertation 15.6.2012.
• McS Ahmed Reda (Artificial testis to study early gonadal development and germ cell differentiation) in Department of Women´s and Children´s Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, dissertation, 30.9.2016.
Education
COURSES AND DEGREES
M.D.,University of Turku, 1992
Specialist in Pediatrics, University of Turku, 2002
Specialist in Pediatrics in Sweden, 2003
Specialist in Medical Leadership, University of Turku, 2005
Specialist in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Helsinki University, 2006
DOCTORAL DEGREE
PhD, University of Turku, 1995
POSTDOC APPOINTMENTS
Post-doctoral scientist, Professor Stefan Schlatt´s lab, Centre for Research in Reproductive Physiology, University of Pittsburgh, USA, 7/2005- 6/2006
Post-doctoral scientist, Professor Olle Söder´s lab, Department of Women´s and Children´s Health, Karolinska Institutet , 8/1998-12/1999
DOCENT-LEVEL COMPETENCE
Docent in Clinical Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Helsinki University, 2012
Docent in Experimental Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Helsinki University, 2008
Docent in Pediatrics, Karolinska Institutet, 2002