Learn more about the ORS Ambassadors! ORS encourages you to personally connect with an ORS Ambassador in your area directly to find out more on the local level. You may also email ORS at [email protected].
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
I fell in love with biomechanics as a result of a senior design project and just kept finding more to love as I dug deeper into orthopedic biomechanics and medical device design. More specifically, I like working on hard problems that have the potential to positively impact the health and well-being of others.
Three words how others describe you:
Kind
Patient
Eclectic
Favorite Quote:
“Creativity is intelligence having fun” – attributed to Albert Einstein
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
The ORS has been my research home for almost 15 years, and I love the great interdisciplinary science, the networking, and the honest and open feedback on my research. Through the ORS I have found collaborators, mentors, and lifelong friends.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Institution/Organization: University of Wisconsin – Madison
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
I developed an interest in childhood and adolescent sports medicine the hard way – by being a patient and being friends with many other patients. During my undergraduate and graduate trainings my research interests have become increasingly refined, but at the core my passion for improving treatments young athletes stems from the frustrations of first hand experiences with painful injuries and long rehab processes.
Three words how others describe you:
Confident, Innovative, Personable
Favorite Quote:
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. “– Michael Jordan
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
I have been a member of the ORS attending annual meetings since my second year of graduate school. Over the past 5 years I have made many professional connections and friendships, had the opportunity to present my work to many clinicians and scientists, and received generous funding to pursue my research interests through the ORS community.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
Like many others in our field, I originally got interested after my surgeon told me I’d have arthritis in 10 years due to a sports-related total knee blowout. I chose to pursue a career in the field because here I am 13 years later still playing competitive volleyball and fascinated by how many questions have yet to be answered.
Three words how others describe you:
Passionate, Honest, Loyal
Favorite Quote:
“The days that challenge us the most are the days that end up defining us.” – Unknown
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
From my first conference as a young graduate student to starting my own laboratory, the ORS has continually supported my career by providing opportunities for networking through annual meetings, funding my work through collaborative grants and awards, and teaching me how to be a better mentor, leader, and scientist through workshops and webinars.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
Tissue engineering has always fascinated me. I did a couple of great postdocs in osteochondral engineering and mechanobiology, which inspired me to focus on the challenge of understanding the processes that produce the unique properties of these tissues. I believe that, by working at the intersection of biology and engineering, musculoskeletal research provides the opportunity to make a real difference to the health and quality of life of people everywhere.
Three words how others describe you:
Enthusiastic, interested, helpful
Favorite Quote:
“Every brilliant experiment, like every great work of art, starts with an act of imagination.” – Jonah Lehrer
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
The ORS is a fantastic community to share research, connect with other researchers, and build great collaborations and friendships with the worldwide orthopedic research community. The annual meeting is always a great environment to learn about cutting edge science, meet leaders in the field and get great advice.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
Since I was young, I always been fascinated by the idea of designing and generating new tissues. As a graduate student, I found this interest was well rooted in the field of musculoskeletal research, where I immersed myself in the study of how skeletal muscle and bone heals following injury. This foundational experience developed me into the translational scientist and medical educator I am today. It opened my eyes to all that was possible in the filed of musculoskeletal research, from basic to clinical research, and how I could also be part of training the next generation of clinicians and scientist to continue to realize these goals.
Three words how others describe you:
Energetic, Diligent, Conscientious
Favorite Quote:
“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.” – Dolly Parton
“I’m a very strong believer in listening and learning from others.”-Ruth Bader Ginsburg
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
ORS has been part of my scientific journey for many years- through graduate school and into my postdoctoral training, ORS has helped shape me into the scientist and mentor I am today. Through ORS, I was given my first glimpse of science at a national level. ORS showed me what could be possible when the best minds are brought together to solve problems. How these minds can synergistically work together, yet still compete to propel the field forward. ORS has shown me that no matter your age, your demographics, or your background – you can have a voice and play a role in the larger mission! Together, the scientific support as well as the mentorship I have received through ORS, have truly shaped my career as a translational scientist and as a medical educator.
IRACDA Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
In my Junior Year of college, I took a Tissue Engineering course that opened my eyes to the fascinating world of regenerative medicine. I was completely hooked after a semester of undergraduate research and knew I would pursue my PhD in tissue engineering. Directing this interest in tissue engineering towards the musculoskeletal system began while completing my PhD with Dr. James Iatridis at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His contagious passion for orthopaedics inspired me to enter the field, and I continue to be inspired by my current advisor, Dr. Joel Boerckel, at the University of Pennsylvania. As a musculoskeletal researcher, I’ve had the opportunity to explore creative solutions to healing tissues with poor intrinsic healing capacity, which can impact millions of lives. I’m excited to continue conducting musculoskeletal research and one day lead my own research lab that integrates musculoskeletal development and regeneration for advanced therapies.
Three words how others describe you:
Energetic, Witty and Compassionate
Favorite Quote:
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” –Maya Angelou
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
My long-term goal is to become a Principal Investigator at a university that values research and teaching, where I could split my time between researching musculoskeletal tissue engineering and teaching biomedical engineering coursework. The ORS has allowed me to interact diverse faculty who have these types of roles, hear their experiences and learn from them as I develop my own path. Connecting with other trainees through the ORS has given me new perspectives on what my career could look like and what opportunities I can pursue to achieve my goals.
Assistant Professor
Emory University
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
As a fan of both sports and medicine, I wanted to combine the two for my career. In particular, I wanted to study and design therapeutics for common musculoskeletal injuries.
Three words how others describe you:
Easy-going, charismatic, positive
Favorite Quote:
One step short of crazy, what do you get? Passionate.
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
ORS has allowed me to connect with researchers from around the world, directly building relationships and networks that have helped me obtain my postdoctoral and faculty positions. Furthermore, my scientific knowledge and curiosity have both expanded tremendously due to annual meetings and the community.
Assistant Professor
Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
Since a young age, I have been fascinated with engineering and its ability to provide innovative solutions to real-world problems. This led me to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Therewithal, I have been always very interested in human anatomy. When the time came to go after a master’s degree, I decided to shape my career in biomechanics, combining my engineering background with my interest in human anatomy. During my graduate school time, I took several musculoskeletal biomechanics-related courses. Also, I engaged with musculoskeletal research for the first time in my life. Since then, I have been amazed at research in this field, and this ultimately led me to dedicate my career in musculoskeletal research.
Three words how others describe you:
Meticulous, Dedicated, Tactful
Favorite Quote:
“Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” – Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (Rumi)
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
I joined the ORS in 2016 when I was a doctoral student. Thenceforth, I have regularly attended the annual meeting, and attended the ORS Sun Valley Workshop in 2016 and 2017. I received the ORS Osteoarthritis Young Investigator Award and Alice J. Lee Young Investigator Award, and I was a NIRA finalist as well. I served as a member of the ORS Scientific Communications Committee from 2018 to 2021. I even found my postdoctoral researcher position at one of the ORS meetings. All these help me a lot made many professional connections, friendships, and collaborations. The ORS has shaped my academic career deeply by supporting me on reaching my current academic stage through awards, workshops, networking, and other activities.
Research Instructor
Department of Orthopedics
Colorado Program for Musculoskeletal Research
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Why did you choose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research?
I chose to pursue a career in musculoskeletal research because of my athletic and engineering background, coupled with my passion for science, math, and the human body. Stemming from my athletic-related joint injuries, I became fascinated with applying engineering principles to solve biological problems in musculoskeletal research, particularly by using histology, non-invasive imaging, and machine learning. Once I realized how far our field’s research had advanced with so many unknowns remaining, I became dedicated to developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for musculoskeletal diseases.
Three words how others describe you:
Collaborative, Inquisitive, Persistent
Favorite Quote:
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” ~Albert Einstein~
How has ORS become an instrumental part of your career?
Since the junior year of my undergraduate degree, ORS has played a critical role in my scientific journey. Over the years, ORS has supported my research and communication growth while fostering new relationships and career opportunities. Moreover, attending ORS-sponsored events at the annual conference and virtually has meaningfully impacted my career and broadened my network of colleagues.
