Research

The Duke Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is committed to research excellence, driving innovation to advance rehabilitation and musculoskeletal care for people worldwide. Our mission is to generate new knowledge and translate discoveries into improved patient outcomes.

Our research community includes:

  • Faculty dedicated primarily to research
  • Practicing clinicians who integrate research into patient care
  • Faculty from our Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) programs
  • Numerous trainees are contributing to cutting-edge projects

Our research spans the spectrum—from fundamental biological studies to population-based investigations. Many of our faculty maintain joint or secondary appointments with Duke’s basic science departments and research institutes, fostering collaboration and access to world-class resources and core facilities across campus.

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Discovery and Translational Science

Sam Adams Matt Hilton
Ben Alman Shihuan Kuang
Gurpreet Baht Neill Li
Todd Cade Amy McNulty
Joe Chakkalakal  Steven Olson
Malcolm DeBaun Thorsten Seyler 
Lou DeFrate Shyni Varghese
Will Eward Julia Visgauss
Leonardo Ferreira Colleen Wu

Clinical, Epidemiology, and Implementation

Ned Amendola, MD Kenzie Johnston, MD
Oke Anakwenze, MD Flavia Penteado Kapos, PhD
Antoine Bailliard, PhD Tally Lassiter, MD
Blake Boggess, DO Brian Lau, MD
Jeff Bytomski, DO Trevor Lentz, PhD
Kendall Bradley, MD Tim Lindsay, PhD (The K-Lab)
Brian Brigman, MD Cesar De Cesar Netto, MD
Anthony Catanzano, MD Amy Pastva, PhD
Anthony Ceraulo, MD Christian Pean, MD
Chad Cook, PhD Laura Pietrosimone, PhD 
Emily D'Agostino, PhD Emily Reinke, PhD
Jon Dickens, MD William Richardson, MD
Luting Eckensweiler, MD Brett Rocos, MD
Jody Feld, PhD Corey Simon, PhD 
Steve George, PhD Chris Shaffrey, MD
Christine Goertz, PhD Harry Stafford, MD
Adam Goode, PhD Dean Taylor, MD
Maggie Horn, PhD  Alison Toth, MD
William Jiranek, MD Rebecca Wadlinger, MD
Josh Johnson, PhD Jocelyn Wittstein, MD

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Message from Our Research Leadership

The Duke Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is committed to expanding our research programs and fostering collaboration across Duke University’s vibrant research community. We actively support projects that bridge shared interests among research and clinical faculty, driving innovation in musculoskeletal science and patient care.

To strengthen these efforts, we host a series of specialty research seminars that bring together experts in critical areas of musculoskeletal research. Our Clinical Research Unit facilitates patient-centered studies and partners with the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) to support large-scale, multisite clinical trials.

Our department also provides access to state-of-the-art core facilities, including:

  • Mechanical testing for musculoskeletal structures
  • Histology and radiographic analysis of tissues
  • The K-Lab, specializing in advanced motion analysis

Research Leadership Team

  • Chad Cook, PT, PhD, MBA, FAPTA – Director of Clinical Research Facilitation
  • Adam Goode, PT, DPT, PhD – Vice Chair of Clinical Research and Epidemiology; Director, Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Center
  • Matthew Hilton, PhD – Associate Chair of Research
  • Sean Ryan, MD – Clinical Research Unit Director
  • Shyni Varghese, PhD – Division Chief, Research Division; Vice Chair of Research