Craniofacial surgery

Craniofacial Malformations

Research on craniofacial malformations encompasses two major areas: craniosynostosis and cleft lip and palate (CLP). The craniosynostosis projects are based on the clinical platform provided by the Swedish National Highly Specialised Care for Craniofacial Surgery and are conducted in close collaboration with multiple departments and units. Research activities are also closely integrated with European partners within the framework of the European Reference Network CRANIO.

Clinical research in craniosynostosis, craniofacial syndromes, and CLP addresses multiple aspects of these conditions. The projects aim to improve patient care by generating new knowledge on disease progression and treatment outcomes. The principal investigator leads projects focusing on surgical outcomes following craniosynostosis surgery, genetic mechanisms underlying craniofacial and malformations.

Collaborative projects include studies on brain development and the prevalence of psychiatric conditions in individuals with craniosynostosis and CLP, visual function in craniosynostosis, intracranial pressure in craniofacial syndromes, parental experiences of care, and perioperative management strategies such as blood transfusion and fluid therapy in craniosynostosis surgery.

Facial Trauma

Research on facial trauma focuses on radiological and clinical outcomes following the treatment of orbital fractures. Particular emphasis is placed on identifying factors associated with incomplete orbital reconstruction and analysing the relationship between radiological findings and clinical outcomes.

Digital Morphology and Image Analysis

In the craniosynostosis and facial trauma projects, advanced software tools and digital workflows are used to quantify craniofacial shape, asymmetry, and growth. These methods have been developed in collaboration with the Centre for Image Analysis at Uppsala University. Infrastructure support has been provided by Infravis, and a close collaboration has been established with the Craniofacial Growth and Form Laboratory at Institut Imagine, Paris.

These approaches represent a form of preclinical, model-based research, where advanced computational image analysis is applied to clinical imaging data to generate quantitative and reproducible insights into craniofacial morphology and its underlying biological mechanisms.

Members of the group 2026
Daniel Nowinski, MD, PhD, universitetslektor, institutionen för kirurgiska vetenskaper, plastikkirurgi

Kraniosynostos
Sara Magneli, doktorand
Johan Nysjö
Anna Zerpe, forskningskoordinator och forskare
Hanna Lif, forskare
Anna Persson, doktorand

Läpp-käk-gomspalt
Malin Hakelius, MD, PhD

Samarbetspartners, Uppsala universitet
Johan Nysjö, Centrum för bildanalys, Institutionen för informationsteknologi
Eva-Lena Stattin, docent, Institutionen för immunologi, genetik och patologi, Kliniska verksamheter; Klinisk genetik
Per Enblad, professor, institutionen för medicinska vetenskaper, neurokirurgi
Anders Lewén, docent, institutionen för medicinska vetenskaper, neurokirurgi
Mia Ramklint, professor, institutionen för medicinska vetenskaper, psykiatri
Fotis Papadopoulos universitetslektor, institutionen för medicinska vetenskaper, psykiatri
Caisa Öster, universitetslektor, institutionen för medicinska vetenskaper, psykiatri
Matilda Frick, forskare, Institutionen för Medicinska vetenskaper, Barn- och ungdomspsykiatri
Karl Olsson, doktorand, Institutionen för kirurgiska vetenskaper
Eva Larsson, docent, institutionen för kirurgiska vetenskaper, oftalmiatrik
Evangelia Ntoula, institutionen för kirurgiska vetenskaper, oftalmiatrik
Peter Frykholm, docent, institutionen för kirurgiska vetenskaper, anestesi och intensivvård

Samarbetspartners, externt
Lars Kölby, professor i plastikkirurgi med kraniofacial inriktning, Göteborgs universitet
Junnu Leikola, docent, plastikkirurgi, Helsingfors Universitet
Arja Heilövaara, professor, Helsingfors Universitet
Roman Khonsari, professor, Université de Paris