Rosemont, Ill. (March 31, 2022) – The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) awarded its annual research grants to six 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 $1.8 million in grants have been awarded since the program began in 1997.
“I am both humbled and honored to be a recipient of this grant,” said foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon Michael C. Aynardi, MD, from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania. “Research grants will improve our effectiveness of treatments, improve patient outcomes, and aid in improved diagnosis and prognosis of orthopaedic conditions.”
This year, the AOFAS awarded one Pilot Project Grant (up to $5,000), three Small Project Grants (up to $20,000 each), and two Established Project Grants (up to $50,000). Congratulations to the 2022 Research Grant Recipients!
Established Project Grants
- Shared-Decision Making in Orthopedic Surgery: Field-Testing a Patient Decision Aid for Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture
Brad Meulenkamp, MD; Dawn Stacey, RN, PhD
- FK-506 as Adjuvant to Improve Healing of Ankle Arthrodesis
Jason Bariteau, MD; Jay Patel, PhD
Small Project Grants
- Exosomes for Treatment of Tendinopathy
Daniel Grande, PhD; Adam Bitterman, DO
- Biological and Mechanical Factors That Underpin the Development and Progression Charcot Neuropathy
Michael Aynardi, MD
- Nitinol Staples vs Traditional Plate Osteosynthesis for Primary Arthrodesis of Lisfranc Injuries: A Retrospective Analysis
Samuel Ford, MD; Alex Dombrowsky, MD; Carson Strickland, MD
Pilot Project Grant
- Weight Bearing CT Scans to Evaluate Contact Surface Area Deviations, Rational Overlap, and Medial Rotational Changes in Weber SER 4a Ankle Fractures
Timothy Charlton, MD; Max Michalski, MD
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.
Contact:
Christie Petrucci
Marketing and Communications Senior Specialist
Office: 847-430-5127
cpetrucci@aofas.org