JORDAN BROBERG
Postdoctoral Fellow
Division:
Orthopaedic Research
Site:
Vancouver General Hospital – Research Pavilion
Dr. Jordan Broberg is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia, specializing in orthopaedic biomechanics and advanced medical imaging. With a PhD in medical biophysics from Western University, his research bridges the gap between engineering principles and clinical orthopaedics, focusing on joint mechanics following meniscal injuries and repairs. His work aims to improve long-term outcomes for patients and reduce the burden of arthritis.
Dr. Broberg’s journey in orthopaedics began with a six-week undergraduate research project that sparked a lasting passion for orthopaedic science. He works alongside leading experts using MRI to study joint function in both cadaveric and living subjects. His work is driven by a commitment to improving long-term outcomes for patients and reducing the broader healthcare burden of arthritis. A strong believer in serendipity and collaboration, Dr. Broberg brings curiosity, resilience, and a patient-centered mindset to every aspect of his research.
Can you share a little bit about your educational background and journey, and how you got to where you are today?
My educational journey started in London, Ontario, where I studied medical biophysics at Western University. The turning point came in my third year when a course required me to find a supervisor for a six-week research project. Drawn to orthopaedics, I joined Dr. Matthew Teeter’s group. My first project was a relatively simple validation study that involved using a stereo X-ray technique called radio stereometric analysis (RSA) to image a total knee replacement phantom. It proved to be a pivotal moment that ignited my passion for orthopaedic research and set me on my current path.
This initial project grew into a long-standing relationship with Dr. Teeter, as I continued to work with him for seven more years throughout my final undergraduate year and into graduate school. My research progressed to working with knee replacement patients, studying their implant fixation and joint kinematics with advanced tools like RSA, MRI, and wearable sensors.
Near the completion of my PhD in Medical Biophysics, when it was time to start considering the next chapter, Dr. Teeter connected me with Dr. David Wilson, which ultimately brought me to UBC to begin my postdoctoral fellowship in September 2023. Now, working alongside both Dr. Wilson and Dr. Parth Lodhia, I’m excited to be exploring a new area of research. We’ve begun to investigate cartilage and meniscus mechanics following meniscal tears and repairs, using ultra-high-field MRI for cadaveric studies and the Upright Open MRI scanner for in vivo studies of living participants.
What inspired you to explore the intersection of orthopaedics and biophysics, and was there a defining moment when you realized the two could come together in your work?
A love of sports, coupled with a few football and hockey injuries, sparked my initial passion for orthopaedics. A good family friend, who is an orthopaedic surgeon, suggested that I pursue medical biophysics, believing it would be a perfect fit for my interests. He was right. The program provided a deep understanding of the physics and mathematics behind biological systems, including a wealth of knowledge in medical imaging and biomechanics.
While I appreciated both orthopaedics and biophysics, it wasn’t until I began my six-week research project in the third year of my undergraduate degree that the two truly converged. This project was a defining moment for me. I finally had the chance to apply the biophysics principles that I had learned to orthopaedic applications.
In that moment, the connection between my personal interests and my academic pursuits clicked into place, setting me on the research path I’m on today. My research focuses on using medical imaging techniques to visualize joints—whether healthy, injured, or repaired—to study their mechanics.
What impact would you like to see your work have on patients, communities and society at large?
My hope is that the work I am doing will significantly improve the long-term outcomes for individuals who suffer a meniscal root tear. These injuries often occur traumatically in young, active people and can have life-changing consequences, ultimately leading to the premature onset of arthritis, severe mobility limitations, and a significant decline in their quality of life.
By gaining a better understanding of how these injuries affect joint mechanics and how well current surgical techniques restore those mechanics to normal, we aim to inform better clinical strategies and interventions. Ultimately, I want our research to help these individuals remain active and healthy for a lifetime, preventing a devastating cascade of health issues.
On a larger scale, this work could reduce the long-term healthcare burden associated with treating severe arthritis and, by keeping people active, inspire healthier and more mobile communities.
What excites you most about your work? What are you most proud of?
What excites me most about my work is the people I get to work with. Collaborating with my highly knowledgeable mentors, Dr. Wilson and Dr. Lodhia, is a tremendous opportunity to learn from and grow alongside leaders in the field. Equally exciting is the opportunity to work directly with patients who have meniscal injuries, using our specialized imaging techniques to gather novel biomechanical information. The prospect of contributing to improved outcomes for these individuals is highly motivating, and knowing that I have the support of a great team makes this work even more thrilling.
What I am most proud of is how I’ve been able to hit the ground running in this new chapter of my research career. It was a significant pivot, as I not only moved across the country to a new province but also transitioned into a new subfield of orthopaedics and adopted new medical imaging methods. I am grateful for the guidance of my mentors here, without whom I would not have been able to successfully navigate this transition and earn prestigious recognition, including an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship.
What is one piece of advice that you would give to new researchers?
A piece of advice I’ve always tried to live by was put perfectly into words by Dr. Indira Samarasekera during her keynote at the 2025 UBC Orthopaedic Update. She spoke about the value of serendipity—the idea of making your own luck by being open to new experiences and possibilities.
This is a concept that I strongly connected with and have always been a proponent of—saying yes to opportunities like a new collaboration or a chance to serve on a committee. You never really know where these experiences might take you, but you certainly won’t know if you’re not open to them.
The idea of serendipity has also given me self-confidence. It is easy to feel like an imposter in research and academia. I often thought it was just luck that got me to where I am today, and perhaps to some extent that remains true, but thanks to Dr. Samarasekera, I now realize I have made my own luck by being serendipitous. And so, my advice to new researchers is to embrace serendipity in their own careers.
When you’re not working, where can we find you?
When I’m not in the lab, you can often find me exploring Vancouver’s many amazing breweries, usually with a flight of craft beer in hand, or I can be found at the rink in Burnaby playing hockey. My wife and I also love to spend time at our favourite shops and patios with our pet chihuahua, Winnie. I still somehow enjoy tuning in to watch one of my favorite sports teams lose again—a testament to my enduring, if occasionally painful, loyalty as a long-suffering Buffalo Sabres fan. And if I am nowhere to be found in BC, it’s likely because I’m back in Ontario, spending some quality time with family at our cottage on the lake.
