Digital psykiatri

The group consists of clinically oriented researchers with extensive experience in interdisciplinary projects that connect clinical reality to research. Digital tools, and not least digitization, have great potential, but also carry risks for both patients and healthcare. Therefore, systematic development and research are crucial to provide evidence-based care in psychiatry. Within the group, several researchers are trained in clinically relevant topics, with a focus on expanding the pool of research-competent professionals.

Research Group Leader:

Steinn Steingrimsson, associate professor and chief physician in psychiatry. As a research group leader, he has a broad interest in psychiatric research. He obtained his doctorate in 2013 and has since developed an independent research career. He has published numerous articles from clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and interviews. You can find his publications here: Steinn Steingrimsson’s Google Scholar profile.

Project Leaders within the Group (Ph.D.) 

Sophie Liljedahl, Associate Professor in Psychiatry, Chief Psychologist. Sophie Liljedahl serves as the clinical research leader for both the National Highly Specialized Care Unit for Severe Self-Harm Behavior (NHVe: Department 369) and the Personality Syndrome Clinic (MPS) in Gothenburg. Her research interests include suicide prevention, self-harm behavior, personality syndromes, evidence-based treatments, and mental well-being. You can find her publications on her Google Scholar profile.

Hanne Krage Carlsen, Associate Professor in Epidemiology, senior statistician. Hanne Krage Carlsen has a background in public health and has published research in psychiatry related to environmental influences, the use of mobile apps to track digital phenotypes, studies on psychiatry, crime, mortality, ADHD, and medication use in personality disorders. Hanne Krage Carlsen works extensively with register-based epidemiology, large datasets, and methods such as cohort studies, case-control studies, survival analysis, and time series analysis. You can find her publications on her Google Scholar profile.

Lilas Ali, Associate Professor and Chief Nurse at the Department of Care Science and Health, Sahlgrenska Academy, and the Center for Person-Centered Care (GPCC) at the University of Gothenburg. She works as a chief nurse in the Psychiatry Affective unit. Her research and teaching focus on e-health and mental health. Additionally, she has conducted research on person-centered care for individuals with chronic conditions and their relatives. Lilas serves as the chair of the ethical council at the Swedish Nurses’ Association and is a board member. She also acts as an expert for the Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics (SMER).

Simon Larsson, Associate Professor and ST doctor in psychiatry. His research focuses on viral infections and comorbidity (somatic/psychiatry/substance use). It encompasses everything from experimental, molecular biology research to epidemiological studies and clinically relevant research. The emphasis is on research whose results can be beneficial in the near future (within the next 2-5 years). Among the ongoing projects, there is a prospective cohort study on long-lasting symptoms after COVID-19 infection, a follow-up study on hepatitis C treatment in people who inject drugs, and two projects aimed at improving access to care for drug users.

Örjan Falk, senior physician. He defended his doctoral thesis in 2016 in Forensic Psychiatry with a focus on Aggressive Antisocial Behavior; risk factors and personality. His previous focus was on epidemiology and registry-based research, but it has shifted towards more clinically oriented research. Currently, his main focus is on digital, interactive, patient-centered research. Research projects will include activity and sleep measurement in inpatients within the Bipolar Care Chain, with follow-up in outpatient care after discharge. A parallel project aims to develop computer-based testing, including assessments of cognition/perception as indicators of mental state and later as instruments for evaluating treatment effectiveness and recovery. The projects intend to apply machine learning algorithms for integrating multiple sources of information and developing decision support tools in psychiatry.

Tomas Larson, organizational developer, senior psychologist, MD, specialized in neuropsychology. He defended his doctoral thesis in 2013 at Lund University in the field of neuropsychiatry. His current research projects focus, among other things, on evaluating non-pharmacological treatment for autism and ADHD in adults, identifying personality factors to better tailor treatment for neuropsychiatric conditions, assessing the effects and side effects of various ADHD medications, and understanding patients’ experiences with ADHD treatment.

Zoltan Szabo, a doctoral graduate and senior physician. For several years, he has been involved in clinical studies in inpatient care, with a focus on depression.

The following doctoral students have ongoing research studies within the group:

Hanna Berggren, psychologist. The project aims to investigate whether the treatment interventions adults with ADHD (activity and attention deficit disorder) receive are effective and equivalent. The sub-studies investigate the effect and side effects of different ADHD drugs, how sick leave and co-morbidity develop over time, the effect of psychological treatment of co-morbidity, and how patients themselves experience their ADHD treatment.

Flavio Di Leone, senior physician. The latest edition of The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) has adopted a comprehensive diagnostic system, potentially improving the recognition of PD presence and facilitating treatment effectiveness evaluation. However, any new diagnostic system requires rigorous studies to ensure it surpasses its predecessors. This doctoral project aims to assess the learnability, reliability, and stability of ICD-11 in clinical practice.

Giuseppe Guerrero, senior physician. His primary research interest focuses on investigating the biological mechanisms behind emotional vulnerability and dysregulation, particularly within the context of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPS). His overarching goal is to enhance understanding in this area to facilitate the development of innovative and more effective treatments for individuals diagnosed with EUPS. Currently, he is exploring the possibility of improving emotional regulation using transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS).

Matilda Hamlin, research resident physician. Her focus is on digitalized care for depression. She reached the halfway point in 2023, and three articles have been published.

Maria Iloudi is a nurse conducting research on the use of a VR-based method for high anxiety levels in psychiatric inpatient care. By 2023, she had reached the halfway point in her project, and two articles have been published.

Michael Ioannou is a senior physician whose research focuses on rapid-acting and effective treatments for affective conditions, particularly within the context of inpatient psychiatry. His work involves clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and systematic literature reviews to evaluate treatment options, including chronotherapeutic interventions, the dopamine stabilizer OSU6162, and intravenous psychopharmacology. His research reached the halfway point in 2021.

Ylva Jerner, research resident physician, is conducting a doctoral project focused on healthcare accessibility for individuals who inject amphetamines. Through a systematic literature review and qualitative interviews at needle exchange clinics, the project aims to map and explore the group’s previous healthcare experiences, needs, as well as opportunities and barriers related to addiction care accessibility. Subsequently, the plan is to develop and pilot-test a model to enhance access to addiction care.

Almira Osmanovic-Thunström, project leader for the digital team at Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, focuses her research on the use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality in psychiatry. In addition to her doctoral studies, Almira has extensive experience in developing AI and VR solutions for psychiatric care. Her work delves into innovative ways to leverage technology for mental health treatment. By 2023, she had reached the halfway point in her research, and two articles related to her doctoral studies have been published.