Recognizing Recent Achievements in the UPMC Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

The UPMC Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is a leader in orthopaedic care, with its team of award-winning physicians, researchers, and faculty. From innovative studies to cutting-edge treatments, the Department continues to advance in both clinical and research environments.

Read about recent achievements, events, and more happenings within the Department.

• The Hip Preservation research group, led by Craig Mauro, MD, and Michael McClincy, MD, shared multiple pieces of research and studies that addressed a broad range of topics within hip preservation at ISHA 2024 – The Hip Preservation Society meeting, held in Washington, D.C., October 17-19, 2024. 
  • ISHA is an international organization dedicated to advancing hip preservation surgery and improving patient care by promoting education, research, and global collaboration.

• The Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC) labs and orthopaedic research teams displayed their work at the 2024 ORS PSRS International Spine Research Symposium, held November 10-14 in Skytop, Pa. The PSRS is a biennial symposium, bringing together spine researchers from around the world.
  • The BMRC proudly served as a sponsor of the 2024 PSRS Diversity Travel Fellowship Awards, dedicated to fostering inclusivity in spine research. This initiative supports underrepresented individuals attending the ORS/PSRS International Spine Research Symposium for the first time, providing both financial assistance and invaluable personal mentoring opportunities.

• The BMRC BioBank collected its first patient tissue sample. This major step moves the BMRC closer to personalized treatment options for common ailments like arthritis and back pain.

• Micky Collins, PhD, Clinical and Executive Director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, and Anthony Kontos, PhD, Research Director, Vice-Chair Clinical Research and Professor, UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, along with their staff from the Concussion Research Laboratory, kicked off the Military Brain Risk Assessment for Individual Neurological (BRAIN) Health research program with a series of site initiation and training visits with military partners at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, Ft. Cavazos in Texas, and Ft. Moore in Georgia.
  • The 4-year study, which is funded by the U.S. Army, will evaluate the role of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and occupation-related repetitive head impacts (RHI) from weapons systems on multidomain brain health outcomes.

• In November, Dr. Micky Collins returned to his alma mater of Michigan State University to deliver a grand rounds lecture on concussion clinical profiles and targeted treatments to the department of neurology. Dr. Collins was recognized for his pioneering work in concussion over the past 25 years.

• UPMC Orthopaedic Care hosted residency interviews, providing a meaningful opportunity to connect with more than 90 applicants in person. Candidates came from over 59 medical schools from across the nation and world.