The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) awarded its annual research grants to five promising foot and ankle research projects. With funding from the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation, the Research Grants Program gives AOFAS members and their research teams the resources to discover new foot and ankle treatments and advance patient care. More than $1.7 million in grants have been awarded since the program began in 1997.

“The AOFAS Research Grants Program improves patient care by helping surgeons determine the underlying basic, translational, and clinical science associated with foot and ankle problems,” said foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon, Jason T. Bariteau, MD. “This understanding enhances our ability to diagnose and treat complex conditions.”

This year, the AOFAS awarded three Small Project Grants (up to $20,000 each), and two Established Project Grants (up to $50,000). Congratulations to the 2021 Research Grant Recipients!

Creating Machine Learning Algorithms to Assess the Risk of Developing Venous Thromboembolism and Bleeding Adverse Events in Patients with Ankle Fractures
Daniel Guss, MD, MBA; Bart Lubberts, MD, PhD; Gregory R. Waryasz, MD; Christopher W. DiGiovanni, MD; Rohan Bhimani, MD, MBA; Soheil Ashkani-Esfahani, MD; Reza Mojahed-Yazdi, MSc; Takahisa Ogawa, MD, MPH; Haggai Schermann, MD, MPH

Small Project Grants

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes in Synovial Tissue of the Arthritic Ankle
Kenneth J. Hunt, MD; Michael Zuscik, PhD; Cheryl Ackert-Bicknell, PhD; Mary C. Hamati

Does the Synovial Fluid Fracture Hematoma after Intra-articular Ankle Fracture Cause Cartilage Damage?
Samuel B. Adams Jr., MD

Effect of Preoperative Mobility Device Training on Postoperative Fall Incidence in Foot and Ankle Surgery
Ashish Shah, MD; Nicholas Andrews, BS

The AOFAS Research Grants Program is funded by the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation, supported in part by a grant from Arthrex, Inc.

About Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Surgeons

Foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons are medical doctors (MD and DO) who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries of the foot and ankle. Their education and training consist of four years of medical school, five years of postgraduate residency, and a fellowship year of specialized surgical training. These specialists care for patients of all ages, performing reconstructive surgery for deformities and arthritis, treating sports injuries, and managing foot and ankle trauma.

About the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation

The Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), is a 501(c)(3) organization that advances the AOFAS mission to improve lives through exceptional orthopaedic foot and ankle care. Through its funding of humanitarian endeavors, educational outreach programs, and innovative research, the Foundation enhances foot and ankle care for patients around the world. For more information visit the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation online at aofas.org/foundation.

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