Postdoctoral Researcher in Virtual Surgical Planning in Hand Surgery

Gothenburg University meets societal challenges with versatile knowledge. With 58,000 students and 6,800 employees, the university is a large and inspiring workplace. Strong research and attractive education attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and perspectives, Gothenburg University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Clinical Sciences is one of six departments at the Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University. The department conducts research and education focused on human health and quality of life. We represent 16 different subject areas and are divided into four sections. Through enriching collaboration with healthcare and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, we have developed joint projects and meeting places that benefit both care and research.

The research group focusing on virtual surgical planning and the development of patient-specific surgical guides is well established and consists of biomedical engineers and hand surgery physicians who together form the research group X3MITY. The research spans a wide field from advanced processing of computed tomography and magnetic resonance images to virtual simulations of surgeries and the development of additive methods in 3D printing, as well as studies of clinical implementation and use of the emerging surgical approach. The focus is on the hand and arm, but the research also includes technical simulations of software and image data.

Subject

Virtual surgical planning in hand surgery

Subject Description

The project aims to investigate how 3D-based virtual surgical planning can be used to increase precision and efficiency in hand surgery. The overall goal is to develop and evaluate new tools and methods that address current limitations in clinical workflows and enable more accurate deformity analysis, surgical planning, and surgical execution.

From a technical perspective, the project will focus on the development and validation of advanced 3D-based tools for surgical planning in hand surgery. Based on previously developed knowledge-based algorithms (Gryska et al., Scientific Reports 16, 810 (2026)), the postdoctoral researcher will contribute to the further development of existing methods and explore alternative strategies, including statistical shape models and machine learning methods. A central goal is to evaluate how these tools improve planning accuracy, robustness, and reproducibility compared to conventional methods.

From a complementary clinical perspective, the work will investigate whether and how differences in experience and education affect the use of 3D-based tools, and whether defined competency levels are required to fully utilize the potential of the emerging surgical tools.

By integrating the development of new tools with the evaluation of how they are used in clinical practice, the project aims to generate knowledge that supports a safe, effective, and standardized implementation of 3D-based virtual surgical planning in hand surgery, with the goal of improving surgical precision and patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

Work within the X3MITY research group, including processing and simulation of image data and virtual surgical planning. The research work includes planning, conducting, and reporting research aimed at improving precision and efficiency in hand surgery using virtual 3D surgical planning. Responsibilities include:

• Planning and conducting research studies comparing new and conventional methods.
• Planning and conducting research studies evaluating surgeons' competence in using the new methods.
• Creating and analyzing virtual 3D surgical plans and patient-specific surgical guides using specialized medical imaging and CAD software.
• Monitoring the technical development of new 3D planning and evaluation tools.

The project will build on close collaboration with hand surgeons, engineers, and clinical researchers in an interdisciplinary environment. The postdoctoral researcher is expected to publish research results in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at scientific conferences.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a postdoctoral position, the applicant must have obtained a doctoral degree, artistic doctoral degree, or have a foreign degree that is assessed to be equivalent to a doctoral degree. This eligibility requirement must be met by the time the employment decision is made.

In the first instance, preference will be given to those who have obtained their degree no more than three years before the application deadline. Those who obtained their degree earlier may also be considered in the first instance if there are special reasons. Special reasons include leave due to illness, parental leave, trust assignments within trade unions, service in total defense, or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical service or relevant employment/assignments for the subject area.

For more information and to apply for the position, see the full advertisement at https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/lediga-anstallningar (https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/lediga-anstallningar)

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The university applies individual salary setting.

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