NASS Grant Winners

  2007 Grant Winners  

• Young Investigator:  Percutaneous Gene-Delivery Mediated Intervertebral
  Body Fusion
  Matthew E. Cunningham, MD, PhD; Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, MD
• In-vivo Spine Biomechanics:  Application of an Innovative Combined MR and Dual Fluoroscopic Imaging Technique
  Kirkham B. Wood, MD; Guoan Li, PhD
• Biological Repair of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
  Fackson Mwale, PhD; John Antoniou, MD, PhD; Peter Roughley
• Proinflammatory Cytokine Profile of Intervertebral Disc Tissues from Patients with Discogenic Axial Back Pain Confirmed by Discography
  Yejia Zhang, MD, PhD; D. Greg Anderson, MD

   2006 Grant Winners  

• Cell Senescence and the Human Intervertebral Disc
  Helen E. Gruber, PhD; Edward N. Hanley, Jr., MD; H. James Norton, PhD
• Local Delivery of Small Inhibitory RNA (siRNA) and Radiation Therapy to Treat Metastatic Spine Tumors
  Daniel M. Sciubba, MD; Ziya Gokaslan, MD, FACS; Theodore L. DeWeese, MD
• The Regulation of Gene Expression by Compressive Stress in the Nucleus Pulposus
  Gwendolyn Sowa, MD, PhD; James Kang, MD; Patrick Smolinski, PhD
• The Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) for Spinal Disorders: Finding the Threshold of Clinically Significant Change
  Vedat Deviren, MD; Sigurd Berven, MD

  2005 Grant Winners  

• Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Injection for Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
  James D. Kang, MD; Lars Gilbertson, PhD; Gianluca Vadala, MD;
  James W. Larson III, MD
• C Fiber and Type II A-S Fiber Neurons Mediate Neuropathic Pain
  Jian-Guo Cui, MD, PhD; Gabriel Tender
  
  

• Developmental Therapeutic for Disc Abnormalities in a Mouse Model
  Xudong Li, MD, PhD; Frank Shen, MD; Gary Balian, PhD
• Prospective Cohort Study of the COMT val 158 met Genotype and Outcome from Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease
  David H. Kim, MD; Louis G. Jenis, MD; Robert J. Banco, MD; Mitchell Max, PhD
• Effects of Spine Surgery on Paraspinal Musculature
  Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD; Frederick D. Brown, MD; Edward D. Wirth, MD, PhD
  

• The role of the p75 Neurotrophin Receptor in the Death of Neurons and Glia after Spinal Cord Injury
  Michael G. Fehlings, MD, PhD, FRCSC
• Fatty Acid Mediated Transfection of Potentially Therapeutic Genes in Human Intervertebral Disc Chondrocytes
  Paul A. Anderson, MD; Ronjon Paul, MD; Wilmot Valhmu, PhD; Thomas A. Zdeblick, MD
• Tumor/stromal Interactions in a Bone Marrow Precursor Derived Bone Model of Metastatic Spinal Disease
  James M. Schuster, MD, PhD

• Early vs. Later Decompression of Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries with Spinal Cord Compression
  John B. Sledge III, MD; David G. Anderson, MD; Michael G. Fehlings, MD, PhD, FRCSC; Alexander R. Vaccaro, MD
• SOX9-Mediated Gene Therapy in a Degenerative Disc Model
  Frank M. Phillips, MD; Rex C. Haydon, MD, PhD
• BMP-Transduced Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Spine Fusion
  Tong-Chuan He, MD, PhD; Rex C. Haydon, MD, PhD; Frank M. Phillips, MD

• Integrin Medicated Mechanotransduction of Cyclic Hydrostatic Pressure in Rabbit Intervertebral Disc Cells Cultured In Vitro
  Albert JM Yee, MD, MSc, FRCS(C)
• Deformation Characteristics of the Vertebral Pedicle During Pedicle Screw Insertion: Characteristics of Deformation During Insertion of Tapered and Cylindrical Screws
  Robert F. McLain, MD; Brian K. Bay, PhD; Lisa A. Ferrara, MS; Edward C. Benzel, MD
• Localized Trabecular Damage Adjacent to Interbody Fusion Devices and Its Effect on Construct Stability
  Dwight T. Davy, PhD; Karen E. Warden, PhD Candidate

  2000 Grant Winners 

• Human Intervertebral Disc Cell Attachment, Proliferation and Matrix Production In Vitro: Experimental Studies with Selected Cell Carriers for Tissue Engineering
  Helen E. Gruber, PhD; Edward N. Hanley, Jr., MD
• Intratransverse Process Arthrodesis: Efficacy of DC Stimulation in Nicotine Exposure Model
  John C. France, MD; Timothy L. Norman, PhD
• The Effect of Anterior Wedge Fracture and Subsequent Augmentation on the Mechanical Stability of the Osteopenic Thoraco-Lumbar Spine
  Ron N. Alkalay, PhD; Brian D. Snyder, MD, PhD

  1999 Grant Winners 

• Gene Gun-Mediated Gene Transfer of Osteogenic Protein-1 (OP-1) to Promote Regeneration on the Intervertebral Disc in Rabbits
  Howard S. An, MD; Steven C. Chang, MD; Koichi Masuda, MD; Gunnar BJ Andersson, MD, PhD; Eugene J-MA Thonar, PhD
• Biochemical Effects of Laminoplasty, Laminectomy and Discectomy: Stenosis and Stability
  N.R. Crawford, PhD; N. Theodore, MS, MD; V.K.H. Sonntag, MD; C.A. Dickman, MD; R.H. Chamberlain; S. Baek; S. Safavi-Abbasi; M. Senoglu; V. Subramaniam
• Tissue Engineering for the Intervertebral Disc: Research with the Sand Rat Model
  Helen E. Gruber, PhD; Edward N. Hanley, Jr., MD
• The Effects of Doxorubicin on Spinal Fusion: An Animal Model
  Joseph M. Kowalski, DC, MD; John G. Heller, MD; Hideki Murakami, MD; Steven C. Ludwig, MD; Tim Yoon, MD, PhD

  1998 Grant Winners 

• The Effect of Regional Gene Therapy with Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 Producing Bone Marrow Cells on Spinal Fusion in Rats
  Jeffrey C. Wang, MD; Jay R. Lieberman, MD
• Stimulated Autologous Macrophages in Spinal Cord Injury
  Volker KH Sonntag, MD; Frederick F. Marciano, MD, PhD; Nicholas Theodore, MD, MS; Sam P. Javedan, MD
• In Vitro Models for Intervertebral Disc Tissue Engineering
  Richard M. Ozuna, MD; Myron Spector, PhD; Sonya Shortkroff, MS; Dawn M. Hastreiter, SM
• The Natural History of Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis: Age 5 to Late 40s
  Bruce E. Fredrickson, MD; Albert M. Murtland, MD; D. Baker; C. Sweeney; WJ Beutler, MD, FACS
• Cyclic Failure of Multi-Segmental Pedicle Screw Systems
  Scott A. Yerby, PhD; Eugene J. Carragee, MD; J. Sun; D. Kim; DR Carter

  1997 Grant Winners 

• Molecular and Cellular Effects of Nicotine on Posterior Lumbar Spine Fusion
  Michael A. Morone, MD, PhD; Scott D. Boden, MD; Edward C. Benzel, MD
• Five Year Outcomes of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery
  Jeffrey N. Katz, MD, MS; Steven J. Lipson, MD; Leon Grobler, MD; ME Husni, MD; AH Fossel; Gregory W. Brick, MD
• Anti-Apoptotic Effects of IGF-1 and PDGF on Human Intervertebral Disc Cells In Vitro
  Helen E. Gruber, PhD; Edward N. Hanley, Jr., MD; HJ Norton, PhD
• Real Time In Vivo Loading in the Baboon Lumbar Spine Using an Interbody Implant Load Cell
  Barton L. Sachs, MD; John B. Brunski, PhD; Eric H. Ledet, MS; Charles E. Gatto, MD

  1996 Grant Winners 

• Gene Expression During Posterolateral Lumbar Spine Fusion: Effect of BMP-2
  Scott D. Boden, MD; Michael A. Morone, MD, PhD; G Martin, MD; G Hair, PhD; M Racine
• Spine Fusions with Tissue Engineered Scaffolds
  Kenneth J. Kopacz, MD; Ken S. James, PhD; Joachim B. Kohn, PhD; JR Parsons, PhD
• Enhancement of Drug Delivery by Hypertonic Saline Solution Following Spinal Cord Injury
  William F. Young, MD; Ronald F. Tuma, PhD; Usha S. Vasthare, PhD
•  Localization, Reproducibility and Dosimetry for Spinal Radiosurgery
  Antonio AF De Salles, MD, PhD ; Timothy D. Solberg, PhD ; Paul M. Medin, MS

  1995 Grant Winners  

• The Role of Cultured Schwann Cell Grafts in the Repair of Gaps Within the Peripheral Nervous System of Primates
  Allan D. Levi, MD, PhD, FRCS(C); Michael E. Berens, PhD; Curtis A. Dickman, MD ; Volker KH Sonntag, MD; JP Mather, PhD; RH Li, PhD; S Cordova; B Bichard
• Relationship Between Pain and Vertebral Motion: A Neural Net Analysis
  Drew A. Bednar, MD, FRCS, FAAOS; James Dickey, MSc; Michael R. Pierrynowski, PhD; Victoria Galea, PhD; SX Yang
• Does Sagittal Pedicle Screw Insertion Angle Influence Axial Compressive Strength of the Construct?
  Peter M. Stutz, MD; Steven R. Garfin, MD; Jennifer B. Massie, MS; Vijay J. Goel, PhD; Christopher M. Bono, MD; P Yuan; JD Clausen; T Selz; JL Scifert

  1994 Grant Winners 

• Effects of Intradiscal Proliferant Solutions on Fibroplasia Growth
  Vert Mooney, MD; Jennifer B. Massie, MS ; Steven R. Garfin, MD ; CS Yu
• Combined Spinal Surgery and Tertiary Rehabilitation: A Prospective Evaluation Study of Treatment Efficacy
  Tom G. Mayer, MD; Robert J. Gatchel, PhD; P McMahon, BA; B Sparks, MA; P Pegues, RN
  

  1993 Grant Winners 

• Astrocyte Response and Transforming Growth Factor-B Localization in Acute Spinal Cord Injury
  Michael E. Joyce, MD; Michael F. O’Brien, MD ; Lawrence G. Lenke, MD ; Keith H. Bridwell, MD; J Lou
• Lumbar Spinal Instability: A Correlation Between Biomechanical, MRI and Anatomic Properties of the Motion Segment
  Howard S. An, MD; Tae-Hong Lim, PhD; Victor M. Haughton, MD; Bruce H. Nowicki, BS; JH Hong; L You; H Yoshida
• The Effect of Surgical Removal and Storage on the Hydration and Material Properties of the Intervertebral Disc
  Jeffrey C. Lotz, PhD

  1992 Grant Winners 

• Monitoring of Motor Tracts with Spinal Cord Stimulation
  Siavash S. Haghighi, DVM, PhD; John J. Oro, MD; Robert W. Gaines, MD; Donald H. York, PhD
• Biomechanical, Functional and Subjective Comparisons Between Halo Vests
  Martin H. Krag, MD
• Spinal Stenosis Research Grant
  Stephen I Esses, MD/Committee on Scientific Research

  1991 Grant Winners 

• Determination of the Ideal Strain for Lumbar Fusions: Biomechanical Validation of a Finite Element Model of the Sheep Spine
  Bruce E. Fredrickson, MD; WT Edwards, MD; Lisa A. Ferrara, MA; CY Zhang; M Itoh; Hansen A. Yuan, MD

  1990 Grant Winners 

• Vertebral Osteophytes: An Experimental Animal Model
  Casey K. Lee, MD; Monica Vuono-Hawkins; Noshir A. Langrana, PhD; MC Zimmerman; JR Parsons

  1989 Grant Winners   

• Biomechanical Assessment of Segmental Pedicle Screw Fixation of the Spine
  John P. Kostuik, MD
• Reactive Research Facility
  James N. Weinstein, DO, MS