Orthopedic Surgery

John Claude Elfar

Department Head, Orthopaedic Surgery
Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Member of the General Faculty
Member of the Graduate Faculty
Primary Department
Department Affiliations
Contact
(520) 626-4024

Work Summary

My lab focusses on drug repurposing to treat nerve injury, and nerve dependent manifestations of disease. We have found striking effects of two drugs, erythropoietin and 4-aminopyridine in the treatment of a large group of nerve dependent disorders ranging from traumatic peripheral nerve injury to gut dysmotility and wound healing.

Research Interest

John Elfar, MD, FAAOS, FAOA, FACS is an Orthpaedic Surgeon with subspecialty certifications in hand and upper extremity surgery as well as orthopaedic sports medicine. He directs a laboratory focussed on regenerative medicine as applied to severe trauma. The laboratory is interested in translational research in orthopaedics. The group specifically focuses on adjuvant therapy to assist in regenerative recovery from severe mangling trauma. The group has recently undertaken clinical translational trials on nerve injury and wound healing with the overall goal to treat some quite intractable consequences of trauma and surgery. Current focusses include nerve recovery, amputation salvage, gastrointestinal dysmotility, and wound healing soft tissue defects and burns. This work has met with some favor at both the United States Department of Defense (DOD) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). Pre-clinical (translational) work is driven by extramural funding, as well as the clinical trial work that results. We have obtained two Investigational New Drug Approvals from the United States Food and Drug Administration, and have several more applications planned. Our overarching goal is to use our discoveries to improve outcomes using an adjuvant model of trauma care.

David Margolis

Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Physiology
Member of the General Faculty
Member of the Graduate Faculty
Primary Department
Department Affiliations
Contact
(520) 626-4024

Work Summary

Dr. Margolis is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon with sub-specialty certification in hand surgery. In addition to treating patients he oversees the Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Laboratories within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Research Interest

Dr. David Margolis MD, PhD, is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon with sub-specialty certification in hand surgery. In addition to treating patients, he oversees the Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Laboratories within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He collaborates with colleagues across campus in the departments of biomedical engineering, systems engineering, pharmacology and chemistry. His research specifically focuses on bone and cartilage tissue regeneration and development of implantable sensors that continuously monitor fracture healing and bone health. His research interests also include carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoporosis and bone cancer pain.

Kristen Renner

Research Assistant Professor
Research Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Primary Department
Department Affiliations
Contact
520-626-8229

Work Summary

Dr. Kristen Renner, PhD is a biomedical engineer who specializes in human movement biomechanics. Dr. Renner uses a multidisciplinary approach to promote the restoration of normal, functional movement as a means of improving the overall health and quality of life of individuals across their lifespan. Dr. Renner’s current research interests focus on optimizing total joint replacement outcomes and developing models to assess and mitigate sports injury risk and return to sport criteria after injury.

Research Interest

Dr. Kristen Renner, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the College of Medicine – Tucson with a joint appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Renner received her PhD from Virginia Tech before completing 2 years as a clinical biomechanist at the Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital before joining the University of Arizona. Dr. Renner’s research interests focus on optimizing human performance and rehabilitation strategies in sports medicine and total joint replacement population to promote movement and improve the quality of life of individuals across their lifespan. Dr. Renner has published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented research at regional and national meetings including the American College of Sports Medicine, American Society of Biomechanics, Biomedical Engineering Society and the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy.

Zong-Ming Li

Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery (Banner)
Associate Director, Research
Vice Chair, Research
Professor, BIO5 Institute
Primary Department
Department Affiliations
Contact
(520) 626-6060

Work Summary

Zong-Ming Li, PhD, is currently the William and Sylvia Rubin Endowed Chair of Orthopedic Research at The University of Arizona, and a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Li is also the Vice Chair for Research in Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Director of Robert G. Volz, MD Orthopedic Research Laboratories, Associate Director of University of Arizona Arthritis Center, and Director of the Hand Research Laboratory. Prior to moving to University of Arizona, Dr. Li was a Professor in Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and held appointments as Full Staff in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Orthopedic Surgery, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Cleveland Clinic. While in Cleveland, Dr. Li was an Adjunct Professor in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the Cleveland State University where he served as the Co-Chair of the Applied Biomedical Engineering PhD Program, a joint educational establishment between Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland State University. Dr. Li has more than 30 years of experience in musculoskeletal research and education, including (1) his current position as an Endowed Chair of Orthopedic Research (2019-); (2) Professor and Staff at the Cleveland Clinic in Biomedical Engineering, Orthopedic Surgery, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (2009-2019); (2) Assistant/Associate Professor in Orthopedic Surgery, Bioengineering, and Occupational Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh (2001-2009); (3) Assistant Professor in Physical Therapy at Walsh University (1998-2001); (4) doctoral studies in biomechanics at the Pennsylvania State University (1995-1998); (5) research experience in orthopedic biomechanics at the Shanghai Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of Ruijin Hospital (1992-1995); (6) graduate studies for a Master’s degree in musculoskeletal biomechanics from the Sichuan University (1989-1992); and (7) undergraduate studies in engineering mechanics and a bachelor’s thesis in sports biomechanics from the Southwest Jiaotong University in China (1985-1989). As an enthusiastic supporter and contributor to his profession, Dr. Li has served on the editorial boards of 18 journals related to bioengineering and orthopedics and has reviewed manuscripts for more than 30 professional journals. He has extensively contributed to organizing national and international conferences related to orthopedics, bioengineering, rehabilitation, kinesiology, and biomechanics. In his service to professional societies, Dr. Li was the President of the World Association for Chinese Biomedical Engineers (WACBE, 2013-2015), a member of the Executive Board of the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB, 2009-2012), Co-Chair of the Upper Extremity Topic Committee of the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS, 2007-2009), and a Member of the Research Management Committee of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH, 2014-2017). He is currently a member of the Board of Directors, Asian-American Institute for Research and Education (ASIAM 2017-), and the President of Hand and Wrist Biomechanics International (HWBI, 2012-).

Research Interest

Dr. Li has broad research interests in musculoskeletal biomechanics, with a particular focus on the hand and upper extremity. He has published more than 120 peer-reviewed articles in 50+ journals, given 100+ invited lectures worldwide, and presented over 300 podium and poster presentations in professional conferences. His research work has resulted in significant impact on biomechanics and motor control of the musculoskeletal function and dysfunction, particularly for the hand and upper extremity. In recognition of his "seminal contributions to hand and wrist biomechanics that impact better outcomes for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome”, Dr. Li has been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).

John A Szivek

Adjunct Associate Professor, Aerospace-Mechanical Engineering
Adjunct Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Professor, BIO5 Institute
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Professor, Physiological Sciences - GIDP
Primary Department
Department Affiliations
Contact
(520) 626-6094

Research Interest

John A Szivek, PhD, is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine and the Director of the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory in the Arizona Arthritis Center. He holds the William and Sylvia Rubin, Chair of Orthopaedic Research and serves as the Chair of the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Interdisciplinary Program. Dr. Szivek is a member of the Physiological Sciences Graduate interdisciplinary Program as well as an adjunct faculty member of Materials Science and Engineering and Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. He is internationally recognized for his research on the development of implantable measurements systems to characterize the effect of implants on tissue and on activity induced musculoskeletal tissue regeneration (specifically bone and cartilage). Recently he has utilized adult stem cells on 3D printed scaffolds to regenerate joint cartilage in efforts to develop techniques to help athletes and osteoarthritis patients. He has published over 180 research articles, several in collaboration with investigators from around the world, and authored 2 book chapters. As part of the sensor and transmitter systems developed in his lab, computer software programs for hand held devices (including tablets, hand held computers and smart phones) have been written to allow portable monitoring of tissue while it heals. He is a frequent presenter at national and international meetings, and has been an invited speaker at the Arizona Rheumatology Society; the Musculoskeletal Transplant Society Board meetings and the research forums at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital in the University of Toronto. He has won more than 165 grants, specifically to provide support to undergraduate minority students, allowing them to do hands on research on a range of activity induced tissue engineering topics. He has trained graduate students with federal grant support and has had support through a number of regional and national foundations to train top tier undergraduates and medical students. Dr. Szivek believes it is essential to effectively train the next generation of bioengineering researchers, clinicians and clinician scientists, in cutting edge topics so that the progress that his lab has made in developing tissue regeneration approaches and sensor/transmitter systems used to design patient specific therapies will become widely utilized.