Scoliosis Research Society Announces New L.E.A.D. SRS Cohort

As the Scoliosis Research Society nears 60 years of success as one of the premier spine societies, it launches the next-generation of leaders with a comprehensive program for members focusing on Leadership, Education and Development (L.E.A.D.).

The L.E.A.D. SRS cohort is selected from a very impressive group of members who have already made significant contributions to the Society.

Over the course of the next year, the program aims to support goals to become better leaders and have a better understanding of how to enhance and nurture leadership and communication skills. The curriculum is combined virtual and live sessions, covering topics critical to leadership including coaching, leading a research team, communication within teams, owning your leadership and developing a personal brand. This is set within the backdrop of understanding leadership within the Scoliosis Research Society.

Previous cohort members have shared rave reviews about being part of this elite leadership group.

“This was a truly life changing endeavor that will help me, my family, and my practice for the better -- now and moving forward. I needed this in the middle of my career more than I realized. I feel so privileged to be a part of this team and the Society.”

“Leadership means different things to different people but is critical in all environments whether it be in hospitals or health systems, clinics, operating rooms, research groups or organizations such as the SRS,” said Serena S. Hu, MD, 2022-23 SRS President and one of the architects of this program. “We are excited to participate in their leadership journey.”

Congratulations to the members of the 2024-25 L.E.A.D. SRS

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Scoliosis Research Society Announces Recipients for the Lifetime Achievement Award

During the 59th SRS Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) announced two recipients for the Lifetime Achievement Award -- Charles E. Johnston, MD and Nana Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II.

The SRS Lifetime Achievement Award honors a member for distinguished service to the Society, as well as significant contributions to spinal deformity care.

Charles E. Johnston, MD (Charlie) is assistant chief of staff emeritus at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Nana Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II is the President and Founder of the Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS).

Read more about the award winners on the SRS Annual Meeting website

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The 2024 Walter P. Blount Award Named during SRS 59th Annual Meeting

During the 59th SRS Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) announced Richard M. Hodes, MD, as the Walter P. Blount Humanitarian award winner.

The Walter P. Blount Award is given to an individual who has provided outstanding service for those with spinal deformities, through their generous actions out of a sense of service to larger social and professional goals.

Dr. Hodes is an American physician who has lived and worked in Ethiopia for over 35 years. Rick is an internist who never did an orthopedics or neurosurgery rotation and had no interest in spine. In 1999, he met two abandoned orphans with severe Pott’s Disease at Mother Teresa’s Mission in Addis Ababa. He adopted them and brought them to Texas for surgery.

He started a spine practice in 2006, partnering with Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei and FOCOS. That year he had 20 new deformity patients, with 11 operations at FOCOS in Ghana. Since then, they have done more than 1600 surgeries, including 50 surgeries May through June 2024, in Ethiopia with SRS partners from Dallas, Stanford, Phoenix, and Lithuania.

Read more about the 2024 Walter P. Blount Award Winner

Scoliosis Research Society and Fondation Yves Cotrel – Institut de France Announce Recipient of 2024 Research Grant

In 2018, the Scoliosis Research Society and Fondation Yves Cotrel – Institut de France announced their partnership to jointly fund basic science research with a focus on pediatric scoliosis. This award supports projects that will be performing work in pediatric scoliosis. Projects investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms, medical imaging as well as characterizing biomechanical aspects underlying the disease are eligible. Basic science research using human populations or animal models are highly encouraged.

Both the SRS Research Grant Committee and a group of representatives from the Fondation Yves Cotrel – Institut de France review all full submissions to the SRS-Cotrel Foundation Basic Science Research Grant.

Jason Pui Yin Cheung, MBBS, MMedSc, MS, MD was awarded this year’s $50,000 grant for the topic “Impact of central pattern generator defects in early diagnosis of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.” His ambitious study aims to develop a biomarker panel to identify central pattern generator (CPG) defects, hypothesized as a common underlying cause of AIS, with the goal to achieve an early diagnosis of AIS with these specific genetic alterations, and the long-term objective is targeted therapy for this subgroup of patients.

This grant – combined with all research grants this year – contributes to nearly $400,000 dedicated to innovation in spinal research. Winners of the SRS-Cotrel Foundation Basic Science Research Grant are required to provide progress reports for review and share their findings at the Cotrel Foundation Annual Meeting in the final year of the grant award.

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Scoliosis Research Society Announces 2024 Biedermann Innovation Award Winner

During the 59th Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) announced this year’s recipient of the Lutz Biedermann award recognizing innovation in the field of spinal deformity.

The Biedermann Innovation Award is designed to support innovative research by a young clinical investigator in the field of spinal deformity. The award is available to SRS members age 45 or younger at the time of the award. Award winners will have demonstrated clinical or translational research promise and submit a research proposal designed to enhance innovation in spinal deformity treatment. All applications are reviewed and selected by the SRS Research Grant Committee.

SRS is pleased to announce this year’s Biedermann Innovation Award Winner: Marcus Mazur, MD, of Salt Lake City, USA for research on Robotic Cervical Management System. He was awarded $50,000 over two years.

For more information on SRS Grant opportunities, visit our website. To contribute to grant research funding, review all the ways you can donate to SRS.

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