Michael Barbella, Managing Editor10.18.22
The North American Spine Society (NASS) announced the winners of its 2022 Recognition Awards at its Annual Meeting in Chicago last week. Honorees are nominated by their peers for their outstanding contributions to NASS and the field of spine care at large. Three of the awards are named in honor of founding members of NASS who made significant contributions to the organization’s early success. Additionally, the Spine Advocacy Award recognizes contributions made by a physician who contributes to federal advocacy efforts.
This year’s winners are:
Henry Farfan Award: John A. Hipp, Ph.D.
To recognize outstanding contributions in spine related basic science research.
Dr. Hipp has been a NASS member since 2007 and has served on the The Spine Journal’s Peer Reviewers Committee since 2013. He received his doctorate degree in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, and then went on to complete a post-doctoral fellowship in the Orthopedics Biomechanics Lab at Beth Israel. For the past 33 years, he has devoted his work to orthopedic biomechanics and the spine in particular. He directed the Spine Research Lab at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston for more than a decade. In 2000, he founded Medical Metrics Inc, a medical imaging core laboratory, where he currently is chief scientific officer.
David Selby Award: Jamie Baisden, M.D., FACS
To recognize contributions to the art and science of spinal disorder management through service to NASS in a role other than NASS president.
Baisden is a 27-year NASS member. She has made extensive and under-recognized contributions to spine care science, the teaching of spine care, and spine care management. She has served on multiple NASS committees over many years, and participated in developing several NASS guidelines. Her research contributions include more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters. NASS has enabled her professional development since she first started going to Annual Meetings as a resident. She has been able to participate in multiple NASS committees focusing particularly on the development of evidence-based guidelines, coverage recommendations, and in ethics and professionalism.
Leon Wiltse Award: Virginie Lafage, Ph.D.
To recognize excellence in leadership and/or clinical research in spine care.
Dr. Lafage has been a NASS member since 2009 and has had more than 300 podiums and 150 posters accepted for presentation at the NASS Annual Meeting since 2007. After becoming a mechanical engineer in France, she pursued her doctorate degree in biomechanics, specializing in finite element analysis and biomechanical simulations of scoliosis surgery under the direction of Professors Jean Dubousset and Wafa Skalli. This led to extensive training in the clinical realm of spine surgery thanks to the mentorship of Jean-Pierre Farcy, M.D., and Frank Schwab, M.D. Together, their research interest evolved around sagittal spinopelvic alignment, adult spinal deformity, cervical deformity, and soft tissue analysis.
Spine Advocacy Award: R. Dale Blasier, M.D., FRCS(C), MBA
To recognize NASS members who have made exceptional contributions to the federal advocacy efforts on behalf of patients and members of the society.
Blasier is a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. He has been a member of NASS since 2006. He has served on many committees and councils in support of spine advocacy. He has served as the orthopedic advisor to the AMA Relative Value Update Committee from 2002-2008 and as a panel member of the committee since 2009. He has served as representative to the AMA House of Delegates for the American Orthopaedic Association from 2007-2013 and for NASS since 2013. He was the NASS representative to the AAOS Board of Specialties from February 2014 to 2016. He cochaired the NASS Coding Committee from 2011-2018 and is still an active committee member. He is an active member of both the Political Engagement and the Legislative Committees under the Advocacy Council, and is a longtime supporter of SpinePAC.
NASS is a global multidisciplinary medical organization dedicated to fostering the highest quality, ethical, evidenced-based and value-based spine care by promoting education, research and advocacy. NASS is comprised of more than 8,000 members from several disciplines, including orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, physiatry, neurology, radiology, anesthesiology, research and physical therapy.
This year’s winners are:
- Henry Farfan Award: John A. Hipp, Ph.D.
- David Selby Award: Jamie Baisden, M.D., FACS
- Leon Wiltse Award: Virginie Lafage, Ph.D.
- Spine Advocacy Award: R. Dale Blasier, M.D., FRCS(C), MBA
Henry Farfan Award: John A. Hipp, Ph.D.
To recognize outstanding contributions in spine related basic science research.
Dr. Hipp has been a NASS member since 2007 and has served on the The Spine Journal’s Peer Reviewers Committee since 2013. He received his doctorate degree in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, and then went on to complete a post-doctoral fellowship in the Orthopedics Biomechanics Lab at Beth Israel. For the past 33 years, he has devoted his work to orthopedic biomechanics and the spine in particular. He directed the Spine Research Lab at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston for more than a decade. In 2000, he founded Medical Metrics Inc, a medical imaging core laboratory, where he currently is chief scientific officer.
David Selby Award: Jamie Baisden, M.D., FACS
To recognize contributions to the art and science of spinal disorder management through service to NASS in a role other than NASS president.
Baisden is a 27-year NASS member. She has made extensive and under-recognized contributions to spine care science, the teaching of spine care, and spine care management. She has served on multiple NASS committees over many years, and participated in developing several NASS guidelines. Her research contributions include more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters. NASS has enabled her professional development since she first started going to Annual Meetings as a resident. She has been able to participate in multiple NASS committees focusing particularly on the development of evidence-based guidelines, coverage recommendations, and in ethics and professionalism.
Leon Wiltse Award: Virginie Lafage, Ph.D.
To recognize excellence in leadership and/or clinical research in spine care.
Dr. Lafage has been a NASS member since 2009 and has had more than 300 podiums and 150 posters accepted for presentation at the NASS Annual Meeting since 2007. After becoming a mechanical engineer in France, she pursued her doctorate degree in biomechanics, specializing in finite element analysis and biomechanical simulations of scoliosis surgery under the direction of Professors Jean Dubousset and Wafa Skalli. This led to extensive training in the clinical realm of spine surgery thanks to the mentorship of Jean-Pierre Farcy, M.D., and Frank Schwab, M.D. Together, their research interest evolved around sagittal spinopelvic alignment, adult spinal deformity, cervical deformity, and soft tissue analysis.
Spine Advocacy Award: R. Dale Blasier, M.D., FRCS(C), MBA
To recognize NASS members who have made exceptional contributions to the federal advocacy efforts on behalf of patients and members of the society.
Blasier is a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. He has been a member of NASS since 2006. He has served on many committees and councils in support of spine advocacy. He has served as the orthopedic advisor to the AMA Relative Value Update Committee from 2002-2008 and as a panel member of the committee since 2009. He has served as representative to the AMA House of Delegates for the American Orthopaedic Association from 2007-2013 and for NASS since 2013. He was the NASS representative to the AAOS Board of Specialties from February 2014 to 2016. He cochaired the NASS Coding Committee from 2011-2018 and is still an active committee member. He is an active member of both the Political Engagement and the Legislative Committees under the Advocacy Council, and is a longtime supporter of SpinePAC.
NASS is a global multidisciplinary medical organization dedicated to fostering the highest quality, ethical, evidenced-based and value-based spine care by promoting education, research and advocacy. NASS is comprised of more than 8,000 members from several disciplines, including orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, physiatry, neurology, radiology, anesthesiology, research and physical therapy.