Research & Policy


Research Grants Program

 

Congratulations to the 2023 AOFAS Research Grant recipients! Funded projects are listed below. Watch for information on the 2024 Research Grants Program in the fall.

 

Since 1997, AOFAS has awarded more than $2 million in grant funding for AOFAS members and their research teams. These grants provide vital resources to discover new treatments and advance patient care.

View the full list of past AOFAS Research Grant recipients.


2023 Research Grant Recipients

 


Established Project Grants

Pilon Fractures: An Ideal Model to Understand Biological Factors Implicated in the Pathogenesis of Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis
Arun Aneja, MD, PhD; David Landy, MD, PhD; Arjun Srinath, MD, MPH; John McCarthy, PhD

Foot and Ankle Ligament Mechanics and Foot Function Throughout Pregnancy
Josh Baxter, PhD; Casey J. Humbyrd, MD, MBE


Small Project Grants

Evaluation of Congruency of the Peritalar Joints With and Without Weightbearing Using 3D Surface Mapping Augmented With 3D CT Scan Remodeling Techniques
Shuyuan Li, MD, PhD; Mark S. Myerson, MD

Prediction of Short-Term Postoperative Complications and Total Healthcare Cost Following Open Reduction Internal Fixation and Acute Hindfoot Nail Fixation of Acute Ankle Fractures
Joseph M. Liu, MD; Avinesh Agarwalla, MD; Anirudh K. Gowd, MD; Elizabeth A. Cody, MD; Alexander Peterson, MD; Eric W. Tan, MD

Research on Determining Bony Landmarks for Accurate Tibiofibular Syndesmotic Fixation: Cadaveric Validity and Safety Analysis of Angle Bisector Method
Soheil Ashkani-Esfahani, MD; Gregory Waryasz, MD; Bedri Karaismailoglu, MD; Siddhartha Sharma, MD; Matthias Peiffer, MD

Long-Term Outcomes for Modified Oblique Keller Capsular Interposition Arthroplasty (MOKCIA) for the Treatment of Hallux Rigidus
Jonathon D. Backus, MD; Jeffrey E. Johnson, MD; Jeremy J. McCormick, MD; Andrew P. Thome Jr., MD

Bone Marrow Aspirates versus Cancellous Bone Graft Harvest Cellular and Cytokine Comparison for Use in Bone Healing
Edward T. Haupt, MD

Evaluating Peroneal Tenosynovitis in Various Tendinopathic Conditions: Not All Peroneal Pathologies Are the Same
Kenneth J. Hunt, MD; Daniel Ross, MD; Sara Buckley, DO; Michael Zuscik, PhD

Optimization of the Leg Elevation Height After Ankle Fracture Fixation Using Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Physiological Parameters
Amir Kachooei, MD, PhD; Tara Moncman, DO; Ashkan Sedigh, MSc


Pilot Project Grants

Quantification of Gait Disturbances in a Murine, Charcot Neuroarthropathic Model: Utilization of a Novel, Cost-Effective, and Efficient Method
Michael C. Aynardi, MD; Shelby Alwine, BS


Research Grants Program Information

Grant Categories

The AOFAS awards one-year research grants (May 1 to April 30) in three categories:

Pilot Project Grants (up to $5,000)
Grant recipients are expected to use data obtained from the projects to develop future grant applications. No more than four pilot grants will be awarded in any grant cycle.

Small Project Research Grants (up to $20,000)
The core grant category, providing seed funding for promising research projects.

Established Project Research Grants (up to $50,000)
This competitive grant category is intended to support innovative research for basic science, a clinical trial, or pre-trial work that could be used to obtain additional grants from national funding sources. Applications must be backed by preliminary work, data, and/or publications or abstracts to demonstrate feasibility of projects and capabilities of the research team.


Review Process

Applications are reviewed and ranked by the Research Committee on a competitive basis using a blinded NIH-style process. Any committee member or reviewer, including the Board liaisons, with any real or perceived conflict of interest with respect to a grant application is recused from deliberations and scoring of the application.

Grant recipients are announced in the spring.


Eligibility

Access to AOFAS Research Grants is a benefit of AOFAS membership. Either the principal investigator or co-investigator on an application must be an AOFAS member in good standing in one of the following membership categories:

  • Active Member

  • Candidate Member

  • International Member

Surgeon in Training, International Surgeon in Training, MD Affiliate, Honorary, and Allied Health/Associate-Basic Science Members may apply with an AOFAS Active, Candidate, or International Member as a primary investigator or co-investigator. To determine your eligibility, please see the AOFAS Research Grants Program Policy and Guidelines. 


Questions?

Please contact the AOFAS by email at research@aofas.org or by phone at 800-235-4855 or +1-847-698-4654 (outside US)