Magdalena Fossum

Magdalena Fossum serves as an Affiliated Researcher and Docent (Associate Professor) at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Women's and Children's Health, specifically within the Pediatric Oncology and Pediatric Surgery division. She leads the "Tissue engineering – Magdalena Fossum team" based at BioMedicum in Solna, Sweden, focusing on innovative tissue engineering solutions for pediatric surgical challenges. Her work bridges translational research and clinical practice, particularly in urological reconstructions.

• Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2014
• Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 2004
• University Medical Degree, Karolinska Institutet, 1994

Dr. Fossum's research centers on tissue engineering applications for pediatric urological conditions, particularly bladder and urethral reconstructions for patients with hypospadias or small bladders. Her team has developed clinically applicable techniques using autologous cells cultured from bladder washings, eliminating the need for invasive harvesting procedures. Recent work explores microRNA roles in wound healing, single-stage surgical procedures, and animal model specificity in pediatric urology research. Her approach emphasizes creating patient-specific, three-dimensional transplants that avoid immune rejection while addressing complex congenital malformations.

Analysis of Dr. Fossum's recent publications reveals a strong focus on translational tissue engineering, with increasing attention to molecular mechanisms (particularly microRNA), surgical technique refinement, and consideration of animal model relevance to human pediatric conditions. Her work spans basic science, preclinical models, and clinical applications, demonstrating a comprehensive research pipeline from bench to bedside.

Dr. Fossum serves in editorial roles for several prominent journals including Journal of Pediatric Urology, where she contributes to shaping research standards in her field. Her collaborative approach is evident in numerous multi-center studies across European institutions, particularly in the areas of hypospadias care, bladder exstrophy, and congenital urological conditions.

As leader of the Tissue Engineering research group within the Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dr. Fossum oversees a team developing innovative solutions for pediatric surgical reconstruction challenges. Her laboratory focuses on creating autologous tissue grafts that can be applied in single-stage procedures, significantly improving clinical outcomes for children requiring complex urological reconstructions.