Basic Science Research
Orthopaedics Biomechanics and Advanced Surgical Technologies Laboratory
The Orthopaedics Biomechanics and Advanced Surgical Technologies Laboratory is in the Lauritzen Outpatient Center, adjacent to the Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty offices. Under Hani Haider, Ph.D.’s direction, researchers and engineers are performing cutting-edge orthopaedic implant simulation and testing that contributes to developing simulators that test in all directions. As a result, we are creating implants that perform better and last longer. Our innovative testing methods have standardized national and international knee replacement testing.
Our researchers and surgeons are also developing a novel surgical navigation system for knee replacement. This freehand system reduces bulky instruments and uses ‘GPS style technology’ to guide the hands of a surgeon’s hands. This allows for more accurate implant sizing and placement, as well as causing less trauma to result in faster recoveries.
Educational Labs
We not only train the brightest orthopaedic residents to be the next generation of surgeons, we also routinely host educational labs to train our orthopaedic residents and other orthopaedic surgeons on the new techniques.
The iEXCEL program at the Davis Global Center features 3D imaging, simulation, visualization, and surgery labs. These labs advance research using techniques with real-time testing in a safe environment.
The Center for Staphylococcal Research
Several of our faculty work with the UNMC Center for Staphylococcal Research to develop new treatments for Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA. The center is the nation’s first dedicated to staphylococcal research and translational treatment that takes findings from the lab to help our patients undergoing surgery. The focus is musculoskeletal infections caused by emerging multi-resistant bacterial strains.
Laboratory of Dong Wang, PhD
Dr. Dong Wang is an internationally renowned pharmaceutical chemist with an extensive research portfolio focusing on the development of a wide spectrum of therapeutic interventions for musculoskeletal, inflammatory/autoimmune, and dental/craniofacial diseases. Dr. Wang is an avid inventor, with over 110 pending patent applications and issued patents. Several of his technologies have been licensed to the pharmaceutical industry for further clinical translation and commercialization. As an academic entrepreneur, Dr. Wang has contributed to the formation of 3 startup companies. Given his intense interest in therapeutic intervention for musculoskeletal diseases, Dr. Wang has a long history of collaboration with faculty members of the Department of Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation. Specially, he has collaborated with Drs. Edward Fehringer, Kevin Garvin, and Curtis Hartman on an NIH-sponsored project focusing on early diagnosis of aseptic orthopaedic implant loosening and improved osteointegration. He has also explored a variety of interesting clinical problems in sports injuries with Dr. Mathew Tao. Most recently, Drs. Wang, Fehringer, and colleagues were awarded an NIH R01 grant to develop a novel treatment for delayed fracture union. Drs. Wang, Hani Haider, and colleagues were also awarded another R01 grant to study non-addictive opioid analgesics for better clinical management of musculoskeletal pain.
Laboratory of Tammy Kielian, PhD
Dr. Kielian’s research program explores why the immune system is not able to combat bacterial biofilm infections that form on implanted medical devices and native bone. Her laboratory utilizes a mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) prosthetic joint infection to explore the crosstalk between bacteria and the host immune response- a relationship that is co-opted by bacteria to promote infection persistence. Dr. Kielian has a longstanding collaboration with faculty in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation to explore immune attributes in patients with prosthetic joint infection with the goal of identifying aberrant immune signatures that may be targeted to facilitate biofilm clearance in combination with antibiotics.