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2023 Research Award Papers

1st Place Basic Science
Ex vivo gene therapy using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells to deliver synaptic organizer CPTX for spinal cord injury: Yusuke Saijo, MD

1st Place Clinical Research
Surgical outcomes of extensive dome-like laminoplasty using en bloc resection of the C2 inner lamina for patients with severe cord compression behind the C2 body: Kyung-Chung Kang, MD

2nd Place Clinical Research
Adjunctive Use of Bone Growth Stimulation Increases Cervical Spine Fusion Rates in Patients at Risk for Pseudarthrosis: Vikas Patel, MD

3rd Place Clinical Research 
Factors associated with repeat surgery in cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: An 8-year follow-up study: Hyun Jun Jang, MD

1st Place Resident/Fellow Research 
Opioid-free Analgesia is Safe and Effective in Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial: Michael Schallmo, MD

2nd Place Resident/Fellow Research
MRI vertebral bone quality correlates with interbody cage subsidence after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: James Bernatz, MD

3rd Place Resident/Fellow Research
Cervical Spine Surgery following COVID-19 Infection: When is it Safe to Proceed? Justin Chan, MD

4th Place Resident/Fellow Research 
Anterior Cervical Disc Replacement (ACDR) versus Minimally Invasive Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy (MI-PCF) in the Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy: A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis: Stuart Changoor, MD

Clinical Research General Poster Award
Assessing the Economic Benefit of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocols in Adult Cervical Deformity Patients: Is the Initial Additive Cost of Protocols Offset by Clinical Gains: Peter Tretiakov, BS

Basic Science General Poster Award
Pretreatment with hepatocyte growth factor enhances human iPSC-NS/PC transplantation-mediated functional recovery after spinal cord injury: Yu Suematsu, MD

1st Place Resident/Fellow Poster Award
Intraoperative ultrasound using a linear (minimally invasive) transducer during anterior cervical surgery: description of a new technique: Timothy Chryssikos, MD, PhD

2nd Place Resident/Fellow Poster Award
Comparison of complication frequency after anterior cervical spine surgery - CSM vs OPLL: Motonori Hashimoto, MD 

Awards Info

2023 Annual Meeting Full Travel Scholarship Recipients

Sponsored by Medtronic 

Jeffery Choi, MD
Jonathan Dalton, MD
Takashi Hirase, MD, MPH
Kosei Nagata, MD, PhD
Ken Porche, MD, MA
Micheal Raad, MD
Gabrielle Santangelo, MD
Karim Shafi, MD
William Waddell, MD
Timothy Yee, MD

2023 Annual Meeting DEI Scholarship Recipients 

Sponsored by Medtronic

Kelly Wackerle (Murphy)
Ricardo Fernandez-de Thomas

2023 Annual Meeting Level 1 Scholarship Recipients 

Sponsored by CSRS 

Joshua Adjei, MD
Ascher Kaufmann, MD
Mark Lawlor, MD
Neelan Marianayagam, MD, PhD
Jason Meldau, MD
Emily Mills, MD
Neil Mohile, MD
Dil Patel, MD
Justin Vickery, MD
Samer Zammar, MD, MBA, MPH
 

Nominations Now Accepted for CSRS Vice President & Treasurer

CSRS is formally soliciting nominations for the office of Vice President and Treasurer. Nominees must be CSRS active members in good standing. Nominations will be accepted through August 31, 2023.

Nomination form
Self-nomination form

CSRS Accepting Volunteers for 2024 Committees

Do you have interest in serving on a CSRS Committee in 2024? Complete an interest form here. Committee appointments will be made based upon space available in each committee, so we may not be able to honor all requests. Click here to view Committee descriptions.

Submit Interest

21st Century 

Surgical Approaches for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Impact of Radiographic Characteristics on Pain, Disability, Functional Status, and Quality of Life via an Analysis of the Quality Outcomes Database   
Columbia University
Primary Investigator: Andrew Chan, MD

Does Axial Cervical Pain Improve with Surgical Fusion? 
Thomas Jefferson University
Primary Investigator: James Harrop, MD, MSHQS

Seed Starter

Investigation of the Altered Lipid Metabolism in the Intervertebral Disc Under Dyslipidemia
University of Maryland
Primary Investigator: Joe Kodama, MD, PhD

Defining the Severity and Need for Advanced Swallow Studies for Dysphagia After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion and Cervical Disc Replacement
Virginia Mason Medical Center
Primary Investigator: Philip Louie, MD

In Vivo Changes in Disc Stress and Stiffness After One- and Two-Level Cervical Arthrodesis
University of Pittsburgh
Primary Investigator: Jeremy Shaw, MD, MS

Resident/Fellow                          

Exploration of Appropriate Combinatorial Rehabilitation With Neural Circuit Modification Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury
Krembil Research Institute
Primary Investigator: Soichiro Takamiya, MD, PhD

Use of Tractography and Diffusion Tensor Imaging in the Treatment of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital 
Primary Investigator: Adam Leibold, MD

Accuracy and Safety of Robot-Assisted Cervical Pedicle Screw Placement: A Cadaveric Study
Hospital for Special Surgery
Primary Investigator: Greg Kazarian, MD 

Spinal Cord Injury Research

The Potential Association Between the APOE Ɛ4 Gene and the Development of C5 Palsy After Surgical Treatment for Degenerative Cervical myelopathy: A Pospective Case-control study. 
KITE Resarch Institute (University Health Network), University of Toronto
Primary Investigator: Julio Furlan, MD, LLB, MBA, MSc, Ph

Past Grants   More Grant Info

CSRS would like to thank all who submitted their abstracts for the 51st Annual Meeting. The selection process was extremely competitive as the Annual Meeting Abstract Review Subcommittee reviewed 477 abstracts! It is this continued excellence from the cervical spine community that has allowed CSRS to remain the recognized authority on diseases of the cervical spine since 1973. The top abstracts will comprise our abstract podium sessions for the 51st Annual Meeting in Las Vegas later this year. Our full meeting program will be released soon!

Find more information about the 2023 Annual Meeting here!

In person, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Time: TBD
*This presentation is only available in-person.

“When Life Takes Your Breath Away”

Rex Marco was born and raised in California. His academic training began with undergraduate studies, followed by a research fellowship and medical school. His residency in orthopaedic surgery led to a deep interest in spine surgery, as well as a passion for treating patients with orthopaedic oncologic disorders. This passion led Dr. Marco to complete two fellowships - musculoskeletal oncology and reconstructive spine surgery. Dr. Marco is one of the only surgeons in the world with training and expertise in the treatment of both adult and pediatric patients with complex spinal disorders and musculoskeletal tumors.

Dr. Marco’s unique training provided many career opportunities including positions as Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery; Chief of Spine Surgery, Spine Trauma, and Musculoskeletal Oncology; and Co-Director of the Spine Service at Shriner’s Hospital for Children. He previously served as the Vice-Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital and is currently the Director of The Houston Methodist Hospital Spine Surgery Fellowship. Dr. Marco has been involved in many professional associations, including being an Active member of the Cervical Spine Research Society for the past 12 years, since 2011.

In 2019, Dr. Marco sustained a C3-4 fracture-dislocation and began living with C3 quadriplegia. He currently serves as the Chief Medical Ambassador for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation where he is dedicated to raising money to find a cure for spinal cord injury (SCI) and improving the quality of life for those living with SCI.

Dr. Marco is known to be creative and transformative in his practice and teachings but says that his real transformation came when he was forced into recovery and experienced difficulties related to his severe codependency. He will share his story of recovery for the CSRS Henry H. Bohlman Presidential Guest Lecture at this year’s Annual Meeting, titled, “When Life Takes Your Breath Away.”      

Learn more about the 51st Annual Meeting here.