Gender Diversity in Facial Features: Implications for Gender Affirmative Facial Surgery

Background

Individuals with gender dysphoria, or transgender individuals, endure significant distress related to the incongruence between their gender identity and their assigned sex characteristics. Surgical treatments can help them to transition physically to their self-affirmed gender. In particular, transgender individuals have increasingly requested gender affirmative facial surgery (GAFS) to enhance their ability to be passable, defined as being perceived as their self-affirmed gender. Because GAFS has not yet been extensively studied, studies are needed to provide internationally accepted, evidence-based guidelines for GAFS.

Project

This research project consists of the assessment of gender diversity in facial features. Based on the results of this project, evidence-based treatment objectives for GAFS could be formulated. We are in need of a 3D measuring tool to perform cephalometric landmark-based skeletal and soft tissue facial feature measurements in adult males and females. The measuring tool should provide automation of cephalometric landmark placement. Subsequently, differences between male and female facial feature measurements should be assessed.

Profile

Information studies/Computer Science/Artificial Intelligence/Biomedical Technology and Physics student who is interested in the application of computational imaging in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and in gender affirmative facial surgery in particular.

· Proven: considerable experience in MATLAB and computational imaging;

· Ideally: experience in MeshMonk or other toolboxes for dense surface registration of 3D images;

· Ability to work in a team, to give oral presentations, and to write a comprehensive report.

Scope

Suitable as an internship or Master thesis project with a minimum duration of 20 weeks.