Michael Barbella, Managing Editor09.21.23
The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and Arthritis Foundation (AF) have announced the recipients of the first-ever AF/AOFAS Ankle Arthritis Think Tank Research Grants. The grants provide substantial funding to support innovative clinical research that advances knowledge toward treatments to stop or slow ankle osteoarthritis.
Affecting more than 30 million Americans, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. This month, AF and AOFAS awarded three grants, each totaling almost $200,000 over a two-year period, to AOFAS members dedicated to furthering their ankle osteoarthritis research.
“This award represents a major step forward for our collaborative effort to understand the unique nature of ankle arthritis. Findings could lead to novel preventative measures and targeted treatments,” said grant recipient Kenneth J. Hunt, M.D., at the University of Colorado-Denver. “We are grateful to the Arthritis Foundation and AOFAS for supporting this work.”
Another grant award recipient, Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, M.D., at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said this grant gives his research team the opportunity to study bone quality in ankle arthritis patients in a multidisciplinary and meaningful way. “Our hope is that our research will lead to better treatment options for patients early on in the disease and improved decision-making and outcomes in our surgical interventions for patients with end-stage ankle arthritis,” he said.
The 2023 AF/AOFAS Ankle Arthritis Think Tank grant award recipients include:
The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) mobilizes the community of foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons to improve patient care through education, research, and advocacy. As the premier global organization for foot and ankle care, AOFAS delivers events and resources for continuous education, funds and promotes innovative research, and broadens patient understanding of foot and ankle conditions and treatments. By emphasizing collaboration and excellence, AOFAS inspires ever-increasing levels of professional performance leading to improved patient outcomes.
The Arthritis Foundation champions life-changing solutions and medical advancements, and it also provides ways for people to connect, break down barriers in healthcare, and join the fight for a cure.
Affecting more than 30 million Americans, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. This month, AF and AOFAS awarded three grants, each totaling almost $200,000 over a two-year period, to AOFAS members dedicated to furthering their ankle osteoarthritis research.
“This award represents a major step forward for our collaborative effort to understand the unique nature of ankle arthritis. Findings could lead to novel preventative measures and targeted treatments,” said grant recipient Kenneth J. Hunt, M.D., at the University of Colorado-Denver. “We are grateful to the Arthritis Foundation and AOFAS for supporting this work.”
Another grant award recipient, Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, M.D., at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said this grant gives his research team the opportunity to study bone quality in ankle arthritis patients in a multidisciplinary and meaningful way. “Our hope is that our research will lead to better treatment options for patients early on in the disease and improved decision-making and outcomes in our surgical interventions for patients with end-stage ankle arthritis,” he said.
The 2023 AF/AOFAS Ankle Arthritis Think Tank grant award recipients include:
- Determining the Traumatic Origins of Ankle OA and the Time to Joint Degeneration - Donald D. Anderson, Ph.D., University of Iowa and Cesar de Cesar Netto, M.D., Ph.D., Duke University
- The Impact of Bone Quality and Histopathology in Ankle Osteoarthritis - Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, M.D., and Jensen K. Henry, M.D., Hospital for Special Surgery
- Defining the Unique Synovial Transcriptome and Proteome of Ankle Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis - Kenneth J. Hunt, M.D., and Michael Zuscik, Ph.D., University of Colorado-Denver
The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) mobilizes the community of foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons to improve patient care through education, research, and advocacy. As the premier global organization for foot and ankle care, AOFAS delivers events and resources for continuous education, funds and promotes innovative research, and broadens patient understanding of foot and ankle conditions and treatments. By emphasizing collaboration and excellence, AOFAS inspires ever-increasing levels of professional performance leading to improved patient outcomes.
The Arthritis Foundation champions life-changing solutions and medical advancements, and it also provides ways for people to connect, break down barriers in healthcare, and join the fight for a cure.
