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Continuous Learning From Bench To Bedside

No other facility in the world offers this degree of immediate interaction among scientists,
physicians and patients ó or this extraordinary opportunity for collaboration on research studies.

The Big Picture

The ultimate goal of this NIH-funded study is to reduce loosening and increase the longevity of joint replacements such as this hip prosthesis.

With a $524,000 grant from the National Institutes for Health (NIH), bioengineer Kenneth A. Mann, PhD, and orthopedic surgeon David C. Ayers, MD, are collaborating on research that explores how artificial joint replacements adhere to bone.

By tracking the loosening of artificial joints, they can evaluate new joint designs, materials and surgical techniques. Their ultimate goal is to reduce loosening and increase the longevity of joint replacements, which currently last about 15 years.

Dr. Mann began his NIH research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham but moved to the Institute for Human Performance, attracted by its unique potential for collaboration. "The Institute ties together the various elements of the research process," he explains. "This building offers clinical care facilities where we can meet the patients we study, plus state-of-the-art research laboratories and some of the most advanced imaging and motion analysis instrumentation available in this country."

Collaboration with Dr. Ayers and other members of Upstate Medical University's Department of Orthopedics ó rated by US News and World Report as one of the nation's top 40 orthopedic practices ó also convinced Dr. Mann to relocate his research to the Institute for Human Performance. "The Institute's unique mix of professionals means there will be great potential for multidisciplinary studies," he explains. "I chose a career in biomedical research because I was very interested in the relationship between mechanics and biology — and I enjoy having both surgeons and engineers as colleagues. At the Institute, we can integrate our efforts and look at problems from many different angles.

Dr. Ayers, associate professor of orthopedic surgery and director of the Joint Replacement Service at Upstate Medical University, says the Institute offers a surgeon unique advantages: the opportunity to provide on-site follow-up care to patients, plus access to highly advanced imaging equipment, such as radiostereometric analysis (RSA) which detects minute changes in the relationship between prosthesis and bone. The Institute for Human Performance is one of the first facilities in the nation to install the Swedish-made RSA technology.

Dr. Ayers and Dr. Mann are also involved in a variety of other joint-related research projects at the Institute for Human Performance. "We continue to build upon Upstate Medical University's long history of excellence in joint replacement surgery," reports Dr. Ayers. "This is where the first Central New York hip and knee replacements were performed and where the first variable axis knee replacement was designed. Our patients can rest assured that they are coming to a center that is on the leading edge, in terms of both surgical technique and technology."

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