Spine Virtual Reality Laboratory

Laboratory Focus

The Spine Virtual Reality Laboratory in the Sonntag Spine Center was established by surgeons for surgeons to allow neurosurgery residents and attendings to design and test innovative surgical training in virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality. We maintain a tight feedback loop between the personnel creating the experience and the surgeons who use the experience to practice and learn.

The field of extended reality offers many innovative benefits to surgical training including repeated usability, technical rehearsal, and estimation of surgeon performance during surgery—with no risk of patient harm.

Virtual reality also offers opportunities to greatly reduce costs, increase the availability of neurosurgical care, and increase equitable access to surgical training.

Mission: Surgical Excellence through Anatomical Practice

Mixed reality modules allow us to bring tactile feedback into our virtual surgical environments. Integrating our virtual surgical environments with tactile feedback using real-world surgical tools and 3D-printed surgical models provides in-depth physical simulation. While more dependent on location than VR, this system is still a fraction of the cost of cadaveric programs. It has far greater resource efficiency while more accurately conditioning the mind and muscle memory of neurosurgical trainees.

It is our experience that surgeons know best how to train surgeons. Therefore, our staff works directly with surgical residents in an iterative process to ensure the best training outcomes for our end users. Our residents test the applications during the development cycle, verifying and improving our program’s methods to hone it into the finest possible tool for education.

Email Us: VRlab@BarrowNeuro.org

Faculty Leadership

Juan S. Uribe, MD, is the Chief of the Division of Spinal disorders, Volker K.H. Sonntag Chair of Spine Research, and Vice Chairman of Barrow Neurological Institute. He spearheads the development and operations within our laboratory.

His exceptional aptitudes for critical and innovative thinking have paved the way for multiple advancements at the Sonntag Spine Center, including the establishment of the Spine Virtual Reality Laboratory.

Dr. Uribe’s, dedication and leadership are key to the continued evolution and progress of the laboratory. His visionary guidance and expertise serve as the driving force behind our research endeavors.

Staff

Leadership

Juan Uribe, MD

Director

Chief, Spinal Disorders
Sonntag Chair of Spine Research
Vice Chair, Neurosurgery

Resident Leadership

Research Fellow

Juan Pedro Giraldo, MD

Research Fellow
Sonntag Spine Center & VR Laboratory

Developers

Ryan B. Ehredt, MS

Principal VR Developer
Spine VR Laboratory

D.J. Fotias

VR Developer
Spine VR Laboratory

Volunteering and Internships

The Spine Virtual Reality Laboratory presents an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in immersive technology to explore collaborations on a volunteer or internship basis. Our laboratory is developing cutting-edge research within the dynamic field of virtual reality and mixed reality. This is not part of our Research Fellowship and those who have completed medical school and are on the path of residency match are not a good fit for these opportunities. 

Collaborating with experts in the VR lab offers a unique chance to delve into the virtual reality environments, develop valuable skills, and contribute to groundbreaking projects that are shaping the future of neurosurgical technology and human-computer interaction.

If you are an undergraduate or highschool student with experience in virtual reality, mixed reality, augmented reality, spatial computing, computer science, programming, 3D modeling, medical 3D modeling, Unity, Unreal Engine, please click the links below to find out more about the application process.

Undergraduate Internship Program

Volunteer Opportunities

External Collaborations

We are open to collaborations with companies and other research institutes interested in forging partnerships relevant to spinal neurosurgery training.

Positions

We do not have any open positions and are not actively recruiting at this time.  

The Spine VR Lab Research Fellowship will not be open for applications until late 2025. 

If you are interested in applying to the fellowship position the following documents are required for consideration and will be reviewed during position openings:

• Resume/CV
• Background statement of experience in research and general description of intent and proposed work at the laboratory
• Proposed timeframe and arrival date

Any applications sent outside of position openings will not be reviewed.