Researchers
Research Group Leaders
Minna Pikkarainen
works in Oslo Metropolitan University in the faculty of Health Sciences /Centre and Faculty of Technology, Art and Design (TKD) as a professor in Digitalization of Healthcare Services. The aim of the work is to conduct research on the effects of digitalization in health care services and health care professions.
Today we are experiencing a digital revolution. It has already affected medical work and health care in many ways such as processing data, diagnostics, spreading of information about medical diagnostics, assisted living technologies. As technology replace individual tasks and specialist knowledge is made more readily available, some health care work will be transformed radically, and new specialties will appear. In certain areas, technologies can replace humans, and in other cases man and technology can work together to solve problems neither would be able to do well separately. The focus of the professorship is on the consequences of digitalization on health care services.
Nenad Pavel
Nenad Pavel is an associate professor at the department of product design at Oslo Metropolitan University. Nenad is a design researcher and has doctoral degree from the educational science program from Oslo Metropolitan University and master’s degree in product design. He has ten years of experience in designing products and UX. His academic experience includes ten years of teaching design, coordinating projects between industry and academia, developing research applications and university curricula. Nenad is a member of research groups design for health and design, culture and sustainability where he contributes to the areas of human-technology relations, design pedagogy, design for health and wellbeing. Nenad’s areas of expertise include design research especially participatory design and design science, design driven innovation, user experience design, and digital prototyping.
Research Group Members
Arild Berg
Arild Berg is Professor in Artistic Research in the field design, applied art and art. His expertise is in product design, architectural ceramics, methods for participation and communication through the aesthetics of materiality. He has a Doctor of Art in Artistic research in Public Space, and he has a MA in Ceramic Art. He is a member of the research groups Design, Culture and Sustainability, Art in Society and the Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN). He has been Head of studies for the Bachelor Program in Product Design. He focuses on research collaboration between professional practitioners for cross disciplinary innovation. He has been Vice Dean for Research and Development at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, including the departments: Department of Mechanical, Electronic and Chemical Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Energy Technology, Department of Computer Science, Department of Art, Design and Drama and Department of Product Design. He was project leader in establishing the interdisciplinary PhD Program ‘Engineering Science’. He is the Norwegian coordinator for the Creative Europe project Craft Hub, led by Irish Carlow Craft Council. Arild Berg is also Professor II at Dpt. of Art, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Julia Jacoby
Julia Jacoby (she/her) is the Head of the Master Studies at the Institute for Product Design, at the OsloMet University, Norway.
Julia carries out research on the complex relationships between humans, technology, and systems, combining insights from research and development and service design, discourse, anthropology. She is particularly interested in understanding how design and technology can shape experiences. She has studied the intersection between health and design and has particularly focused on the role of apps in influencing the experience of chronic illness, what problems and challenges are related to how we interact with and apply new technologies, concepts, and methods. That interest led me to complete my PhD in design and health at NTNU.
Her PhD follows the working title «Experiences in chronic care. How can design support the integration of chronic illness into a patient’s daily life.» This thesis investigates whether design theory and method can help to better integrate care practices in chronic illness into a patients daily life. By reconsidering typologies of care and their continuous nature care practices can be influenced or changed for patients suffering from chronic diseases.
Wenche Lyche
Wenche Lyche is currently working as an associate professor at the Department of Product Design at Oslomet, tutoring young aspiring students on the value of design, quality, craftsmanship and materiality. Wenche Lyche has long experience in exclusive custom fashion design for private clients with textiles as the core material. She has been running her own company since she took her BA in fashion at Beckmans School of Design in Stockholm.
Her broad competence reaches from women’s tailoring, surface design, colors, accessories design, concept development, quality, and a deep understanding of form, function, and aesthetics. Design as a driving factor for success reaches from the understanding of people (read empathy), the knowledge of the performance of each textile, and the possibility for a better and richer life with great design. Design matters! Textile matters!
Wenche Lyche has worked as a freelance designer for artists and companies and held numerous exhibitions both nationally and internationally such as Scandinavian Design Beyond The Myth, wedding and dress design for the Princess of Norway and uniform design for the Norwegian Pavilion at EXPO in Shanghai. She launched her own lambskin collection for women and men in 2008 and was represented at multiple mountain skiing resorts in Norway and at Stein Eriksen Lodge in the USA. She made the scarf design for MOXY hotel and was a senior designer at Bjørn Dæhlie delivering high-performance ski wear and racing gloves. She is part of the establishment of Crafthub EU (empowering craft in Europe), the research project Wasted Textiles (reducing synthetics in textiles) and takes part in several research groups within Oslomet such as Design for Health and Design, culture and sustainability.
Mikael Omlid
Mikael Omlid is an engineer and CAD CAM expert at the Department of Product Design at Oslo Metropolitan University. He has experience in designing and manufacturing medical products and has been involved in prototyping medical devices at Oslo University Hospital. Mikael applies his technical expertise to the development of innovative medical products, and his work has significantly impacted both product development and patient care.
Trust Saidi
Trust Saidi is a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Product Design OsloMet. He is an expert in Science & Technology Studies and Innovation Studies scholar, who is passionate about the development and application of innovative solutions in health care to improve human livelihoods. I integrate different knowledge domains and perspectives in the delivery of health care. My interests are in the use of human-centrered approaches, particularly design thinking to solve complex problems. I have vast experience in collaborating with different stakeholders including government entities, non-governmental bodies, researchers, private companies and multilateral institutions.
Nils Siersten
Nils Siersten is a seasoned product designer and pedagogue with extensive experience in furniture design and ergonomics. He currently serves as a Product Design teacher at the Department of Product Design at Oslo Metropolitan University. His breadth of practical experience with different materials and in the department workshop allows him to bring a hands-on approach to his teaching. Nils’ dedication to design and education has made a significant impact on his students, inspiring them to think creatively and critically about product design.
Research Group Associated Members
Helen Bull
Helen Bull is a dedicated researcher focused on developing a digital solution for treating scoliosis in children and adolescents. She has published numerous scientific papers in the field of mental health and occupational therapy.
Some of her significant contributions include a study on the work inclusion of marginalized groups in a troubled city district, the concurrent validity of the Norwegian versions of the psychotic symptom rating scales, and the benefits of vocational activity for people with schizophrenia spectrum disorder in Norway.
Bull’s research also explores the potential cost-effectiveness of a vocational rehabilitation program for individuals with schizophrenia in a high-income welfare society. She has examined the long-term outcomes of vocational rehabilitation augmented with cognitive behavioral therapy or cognitive remediation for individuals with schizophrenia.
Her work extends to investigating the engagement of first-year occupational therapy students in learning activities. Bull’s research and commitment to improving mental health and occupational therapy interventions are evident in her diverse and impactful portfolio.
Wang Fan
Wang Fan received my Ph.D. in International Business at Oulu Business School, University of Oulu, in November 2016. Her research interests include digital business, data management solutions, the adoption of emerging technologies, and studies of ecosystems. I have a particular focus on the healthcare industry, recognizing its unique challenges and opportunities for innovation.
She is currently working on two projects. The project, Local 6G for Smart Hospitals, aims to identify 6G use cases in hospitals and develop alternative business models for local 6G mobile operators. Another project I undertake is the Hospital-at-Home project, which focuses on improving the healthcare value chain of hospital at home services. I’ve been working on various projects, including the 6G flagship, 6GESS, which focuses on human-centric data and its management in healthcare contexts, and the European Regional Development-founded DATAKI, which focuses on SME digital transformation in the Oulu region.
Parisa Gazerani
Parisa Gazerani is a notable researcher with a focus on health, pharmacology, neuroscience, and pain research. She is actively involved in several research projects, exploring areas such as the treatment of scoliosis in children and adolescents, promoting factors for education and employment among young adults with persistent pain and psychological distress, and establishing a young user-involvement group at the Centre for Intelligent Musculoskeletal Health. Gazerani has an impressive publication record, contributing to various scientific journals. Her work includes exploring the role of community pharmacists in pain management, the relationship between the brain, eating plate, and gut microbiome in migraine pathogenesis, and the potential of human brain organoids in the preclinical phase of drug development for migraines.
She has also written about the deprescribing of NSAIDs and the role of community pharmacists, the use of social media and consumption of prescription-free medications among Norwegian university students, and the contribution of small extracellular vesicles from Schwann cells and Satellite Glial Cells to pain processing. Gazerani’s work significantly contributes to our understanding of pain management, pharmacology, and neuroscience, making her a prominent figure in her field.
Linda He Hong Gu
Professor He Hong-Gu Linda is the Director of Graduate Research Programmes and Convenor of Women and Children Health Care Research Programme, Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. She was the Director of Research from 2019-2022. Prof He was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2021 due to her critical and substantial impacts on nursing education, research, health services and policy.
Prof He has 30 years of teaching and supervision experience and received several Teaching Excellence Awards. As a pioneer faculty member, she has contributed to curriculum development for MSc/PhD, BSc(Nurs)(Hons), and BSc(Nurs) programmes. She has supervised over 100 research students and examined over 110 research theses. Prof He has developed and applied many innovative teaching methods (e.g. role-plays, problem-based learning, simulation using standardised patients, interprofessional education) in NUS Nursing.
Prof He has an extensive and excellent research track record in women and children health care and chronic illness management using educational and psychosocial interventions through confident and active collaboration with multidisciplinary experts from Asian and Nordic countries. She is passionate about applying technology in her interventional programmes, aiming to improve cost-effective health care. She has received over S$17.9 million research grants as PI/Co-I/Collaborator, published over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles (h-index 27), books and book chapters. She has developed a series of videos, website, mobile apps and games to improve the care of various populations. Prof He presented over 120 research studies and 45 invited speeches at international/national conferences/workshops.
Heidi Holmen
Heidi Holmen is employed as an associate professor at the Institute for Nursing and Health Promotion Work, Faculty of Health Sciences. She has a PhD in mobile apps for people with type 2 diabetes (UiO 2017). She has a Master’s in Public Health from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (2010) and a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Nord University (2006). She also has further education in clinical diabetes nursing from the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (2011).
In her research, she focuses on health technology and how technology can support people with chronic illness, both adults with diabetes and children receiving child palliative care. She is particularly interested in user participation in research and methods to ensure this. She is a member of the Academy for Younger Researchers for the period 2017-2021.
Anne Lund
Anne Lund is a dedicated professional with a focus on ageing, health, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation. Her work centers on supporting meaningful occupations throughout the life course, employing transdisciplinary work, needs analysis, and user involvement. She has worked extensively with people suffering from stroke, mild cognitive impairments, and dementia. Lund also explores the use of assistive technology, responsible innovation and research, and complex interventions.
Her research includes exploring the role of next of kin in health services, the experiences of older homecare recipients with technologies, and the use of virtual reality in cognitive training for individuals with acquired brain injury. She has also investigated the use and experiences of communication technology by home-dwelling older adults in a homecare context. Additionally, Lund has contributed to studies on interdisciplinary frontline teams in home-based healthcare services and occupational therapy interventions for persons with cognitive impairments living in the community. Her contributions to the field are significant and help enhance the quality of life for elderly individuals and those dealing with cognitive impairments.
Anne Catrine Trægde Martinsen
Anne Catrine Martinsen is an accomplished professional with significant contributions to the medical field. She currently holds the position of Research Director at Sunnaas Hospital and serves as a part-time Professor at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.
Her research track record is extensive, touching on areas such as image quality and radiation doses in abdominal CT, the effectiveness of digital home rehabilitation for stroke survivors, and the impact of body compositions on contrast medium enhancement in chest CT.
She has also contributed to research on the demographic, medical, and clinical characteristics of patients with long-lasting Locked-In Syndrome and the improvement of image quality with deep learning reconstruction. Her work extends to studies on iterative reconstruction and its impact on image quality and radiation dose in trauma protocols, the status of Eustachian tube balloon dilations in Nordic countries, and the development of otology-specific outcome measures.
Martinsen’s career at Oslo University Hospital spanned over 15 years, where she held the position of Head of Diagnostic Physics Department and Head of Section for diagnostic physics at The Intervention Centre. She was also the Head of Centre for Diagnostic Physics. Concurrently, she spent over 13 years at the University of Oslo, serving as an Associate Professor and Lecturer. Her vast experience and dedication to her field are evident in her extensive portfolio of impactful research.
Juha Tapio Silvola
Professor Juha Tapio Silvola is an esteemed ear doctor with a prolific track record in otology research. His research encompasses diverse areas such as the microbiome of the external auditory canal, rapid diagnostic and treatment for acute hearing loss, and the impact of balloon dilation on patients with obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction.
Prof. Silvola’s research also delves into the experiences of torture survivors receiving surgical treatment and the potential for retraumatization. He has contributed to studies on various conditions, including acute otitis externa, auricular erysipelas, and tympanostomy treatment in young children.
His expertise extends to the study of vowel confusions in well-performing adult cochlear implant users, and the re-traumatization of torture survivors during treatment in somatic healthcare services. Prof. Silvola’s work also includes research on the eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm in skin wound infections.
Research Group PhD Candidates
Koray Canlar
Koray Canlar is a PhD candidate working on maker space based participatory processes for people with disabilities. The effects of disabilities can vary significantly between individuals (e.g., function and body structure problems, limitations, or prevention of involvement in activities). This variability in the needs of people with disabilities demands inclusive and universal design approaches and personalized assistive solutions which empower people with disabilities, allowing them to have more control over their actions and to participate in activities. The empowering potential of the maker movement and production activities for individuals with disabilities is apparent, but not thoroughly investigated. In this thesis research, the empowerment of people with physical disabilities through their involvement in designing, making, and adapting processes of their own assistive products are investigated from the developing country context of Norway. The research utilizes semi-structured interviews and participant observations of people with various physical disabilities. The study highlights most significantly that individually specific disabilities affect both assistive product use and community participation, that there is a need to personalize assistive products, and that people with disabilities tend to form personal networks for making activities.
Anna Mathew
Kamilla Sykorova is a PhD candidate working on intelligent scoliosis west. The overall aim of this project is to co-create, test and validate the first service of a personalized gamified, mobile physiotherapy and treatment solution for the youth (10–24 years) with scoliosis, which has not been investigated or offered to the patients in Norway before.
This solution also aims to introduce physiotherapy in the form of gamified elements that youth can easily access and use together with their parents and encourage higher treatment compliance.
Companies, end users, and expert teams will be involved to co-create and continuously test the first prototype of gamified, personalized mobile physiotherapy and treatment intervention for children and teenagers with scoliosis.
The prototype of the solution will be preliminary validated with youth in Norway to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the solution in terms of usability, fidelity, and motivation.
Leila Steen
Leila Steen is a PhD candidate from OsloMet who has been focusing her research on participatory processes and logistics in hospitals. Implementing the principles of design thinking, she works to improve patient flow and treatment pathways by involving all stakeholders in the process. She brings to her research a wealth of practical experience from the health sector, particularly in the field of 3D printing and emerging technologies. Her previous roles include serving as a Committee Member at the European Health Parliament, being a Clinical Engineer at Materialise, and working as a Production Designer at Onlea. During her time at the University of Alberta, she concentrated on surgical design and simulation. Her work in the health sector and her innovative approach to integrating design thinking and technology into healthcare logistics mark her as a forward-thinking researcher in her field.
Kamilla Sykorova
Kamilla Sykorova is a PhD candidate working on intelligent scoliosis west. The aim of this project is to co-create, test and validate the first service of a personalized gamified, mobile physiotherapy and treatment solution for the youth (10–24 years) with scoliosis, which has not been investigated or offered to the patients in Norway before.
This solution also aims to introduce physiotherapy in the form of gamified elements that youth can easily access and use together with their parents and encourage higher treatment compliance.
Companies, end users, and expert teams will be involved to co-create and continuously test the first prototype of gamified, personalized mobile physiotherapy and treatment intervention for children and teenagers with scoliosis.
The prototype of the solution will be preliminary validated with youth in Norway to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the solution in terms of usability, fidelity, and motivation.