Fellowship of Orthopaedic Researchers

Dr. Stephen Cook is the Founder of the Fellowship of Orthopaedic Researchers (FOR) and serves as its Executive Director and Chief Scientist. Dr. Cook holds adjunct Professorships in the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, and is the former Lee C. Schlessinger Professor in Orthopaedics and Director of Research at the Tulane University School of Medicine, where he was on the faculty for over 25 years. He is a Trustee of the Marshall Heritage Foundation.

Dr. Cook has published over 200 articles in refereed, peer-reviewed journals and has been invited to lecture nationally and internationally on numerous occasions. He is the recipient of a number of research awards and recognitions, including those from the Hip Society, Scoliosis Research Society and the Society for Biomaterials Clemson Award. Dr. Cook’s laboratories have been awarded over $50 million in funded research. He is also on the editorial board of various clinical and research journals, and has served as a reviewer for the National Institutes for Health, National Science Center, and Veterans Administration research programs.

Dr. Cook founded FOR in April 2000 with the purpose of developing and testing medical devices to cure pathologies of the spine.

Education
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Biomaterials Laboratory, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
M.S., Chemical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana

Previous Positions
Board of Directors, Precision Spine, Inc., Parsippany, NJ – 2012 to 2017
Board of Directors, Ascension Orthopaedics, Inc., Austin, TX – 1996 to 2007
Lee C. Schlesinger Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA – 1992 to 2006
Director of Orthopaedic Research, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA – 1983 to 2006
Adjunct Professor, Department of Anatomy, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA – 1986 to 2006
Adjunct Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA – 1987 to 2006

Expertise
Biological attachment mechanisms
Mechanics and histology of implant interfaces
Spine motion preservation devices
Orthopaedic and dental implant design
Cartilage repair and regeneration
Bone morphogenetic proteins and growth factors
Bone, bone graft biology, and bone graft substitutes

Professional Organizations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American Association for Dental Research
American Society of Biomechanics
Biomedical Engineering Society
The Hip Society
International Association for Dental Research
International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine
North American Spine Society
Orthopaedic Research Society
Society for Biomaterials

Honors
John Charnley Award, The Hip Society, 2003
Clemson Award, Society for Biomaterials, 2003
John Brown/Stryker Research Award, 2001
Otto Aufranc Award, The Hip Society, 2000
Russell A. Hibbs Research Award, Scoliosis Research Society, 1993
International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine Research Award, 1993
Young Scientist Award, Sigma Xi, 1986
Russell A. Hibbs Research Award, Scoliosis Research Society, 1983
IADR/NIH International Travel Award, Sydney, Australia, 1983
IADR/NIH International Travel Award, Tokyo, Japan, 1980

Patents
9,668,865 – Trochlear implants and methods of use
9,579,135 – Plate and screw apparatus and methods thereof
9,173,748 – Toroid-shaped spinal disc
8,920,499 – Method of use of trochlear implants
8,876,902 – Methods of articular cartilage implants
8,876,901 – Articular cartilage implants
8,852,286 – Trochlear implants and methods of use
8,690,956 – Talar implants and methods of use
8,591,581 – Methods of use of cartilage implants
8,177,842 – Implants and methods of use
8,152,847 – Methods of use of cartilage implants
8,092,530 – Cartilage implants
8,043,375 – Cartilage implants
8,012,217 – Talar implants and methods of use
5,004,476 – Porous coated hip replacement system

Publications*
*Only publications since 2000 to present are listed due to extensive publication history.

Salkeld SL, Patron LP, Lien JC, Cook SD, Jones DG. Biological and functional evaluation of a novel pyrolytic carbon implant for the treatment of focal osteochondral defects in the medial femoral condyle: assessment in a canine model. J Orthop Surg Res. 2016 Dec; 11(1): 155-66. Published online 2016 Dec 1. doi: 10.1186/s13018-016-0488-5. PMCID: PMC5133767

Cook SD, Patron LP, Salkeld SL, Smith KE, Whiting B, Barrack RL. Correlation of computed tomography with histology in the assessment of periprosthetic defect healing. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2009 Dec;(467):3213-20. doi: 10.1007/s11999-009-1087-0. PMID: 19756903

Lavernia CJ, Baerga L, Barrack RL, Tozakoglou E, Cook SD, Latta L, Rossi MD. The effects of blood and fat on morse taper disassembly forces. Am J Orthop 2009 Apr;38(4):187-90. PMID: 19440574

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Patron LP, Doughty ES, Jones DG. The effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on autologous osteochondral plugs in a canine model. Am J Sports Med. 2008 Sep;36(9):1733-41. doi:10.1177/0363546508316766. Epub 2008 May 15. PMID: 18483198

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Patron LP. Bone defect healing with an osteogenic protein-1 device combined with carboxymethylcellulose. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2005 Oct;75(1):137-45. PMID: 16035032

Cook SD, Mont MA, Ragland PA, Biggins B, et al. Use of bone morphogenetic proteins for musculoskeletal applications. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2004;86-A Suppl 2, 41-55.

Cook SD, Barrack RL, Patron LP, Salkeld SL. Osteogenic protein-1 in knee arthritis and arthroplasty. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004 Nov;(428):140-5. PMID: 15534534

Barrack RL, Cook SD, Patron LP. Osteogenic proteins: a little dab will do ya. Orthopedics. 2004 Sep;27(9):947-8. PMID: 15487410

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Stanley T, Faciane A, Miller SD. Biomechanical study of pedicle screw fixation in severely osteoporotic bone. Spine J, 2004 Jul-Aug;4(4):402-8. PMID: 15246300

Cook SD, Patron LP, Christakis PM, Bailey KJ, Banta C, Glazer PA. Comparison of methods for determining the presence and extent of anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Spine. 2004 May 15;29(10):1118-23. PMID: 15131440

Cook SD, Patron LP, Christakis PM, Bailey KJ, Banta C, Glazer PA. Direct current stimulation of titanium interbody fusion devices in primates. Spine J. 2004 May-Jun;4(3):300-11. PMID: 15125854

Cook SD, Barrack RL, Patron LP, Salkeld SL. Osteoinductive agents in reconstructive hip surgery: a look forward. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2003 Dec;(417):195-202.

Barrack RL, Cook SD, Patrón LP, Salkeld SL, Szuszczewicz E, Whitecloud TS 3rd. Induction of bone ingrowth from acetabular defects to a porous surface with OP-1. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2003 Dec;(417):41-9.

Brunet ME, Brinker MR, Cook SD, Christakis P, Fong B, Patron L, O’Connor DP. Patellar tracking during simulated quadriceps contraction. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2003 Sep;(414):266-75.

Cook SD, Patron LP, Salkeld SL, Rueger DC. Repair of articular cartilage defects with osteogenic protein-1 (BMP-7) in dogs. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2003;85-A Suppl 3:116-23.

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Patron LP, Barrack RL. The effect of demineralized bone matrix gel on bone ingrowth and fixation of porous implants. J Arthroplasty. 2002 Jun;17(4):402-8.

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Patron LP, Sargent MC, Rueger DC. Healing course of primate ulna segmental defects treated with osteogenic protein-1. J Invest Surg. 2002 Mar-Apr;15(2):69-79.

Cook SD, Barrack RL, Shimmin A, Morgan D, Palacios Carvajal J. The use of osteogenic protein-1 in reconstructive surgery of the hip. J Arthroplasty, 16 (8) Supplement 1, 88-94, 2001.

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Popich-Patron LS, Ryaby JP, Jones DG, Barrack RL. Improved cartilage repair after treatment with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2001 Oct;(391 Suppl):S231-43.

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Patron LP, Ryaby JP, Whitecloud TS. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound improves spinal fusion. Spine J. 2001 Jul-Aug;1(4):246-54.

Cook SD, Barbera J, Rubi M, Salkeld SL, Whitecloud TS. Lumbosacral fixation using expandable pedicle screws: an alternative in reoperation and osteoporosis. Spine J. 2001 1(2):109-14.

Salkeld SL, Patron LP, Barrack RL, Cook SD. The effect of osteogenic protein-1 on the healing of segmental bone defects treated with autograft or allograft bone. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001 Jun;83-A(6):803-16.

Cook SD, Friedlaender GE, Perry CR, Cole JD, Cierny G, et al. Osteogenic protein-1 (bone morphogenetic protein-7) in the treatment of tibial nonunions: a prospective, randomized clinical trial comparing RHOP-1 with fresh bone autograft. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001 83-A Suppl 1(2):151-58.

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Whitecloud TS, Barbera J. Biomechanical testing and clinical experience with the OMEGA-21 spinal fixation system. Am J Orthop 2001 30(5):387-94.

Cook SD, Barrack RL, Santman M, Patron LP, Salkeld SL, Whitecloud TS 3rd. The Otto Aufranc Award. Strut allograft healing to the femur with recombinant human osteogenic protein 1. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2000 Dec;(381):47-57.

Cook SD, Salkeld SL, Whitecloud TS, Barbera J. Biomechanical evaluation and preliminary clinical experience with an expansive pedicle screw design. J Spinal Disorders 2000 13(3):230-6.

Cook SD, Wolfe MW, Salkeld SL. Bone morphogenetic proteins in the treatment of nonunions and bone defects: historical perspective and current knowledge. U of PA Orthop J 1999 12:1-6.

Cook SD. Preclinical and clinical evaluation of osteogenic protein-1 (BMP-7) in bony sites. Orthopedics 1999 22(7):669-71.

Cook SD, Beckenbaugh RD, Redondo J, Popich LS, Klawitter JJ, Linscheid RL. Long-term follow-up of pyrolytic carbon metacarpophalangeal implants. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1999 May;81(5):635-48.

Book Chapters
“Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation of Osteogenic Protein-1 (BMP-7) in Bony Sites” SD Cook, SL Salkeld, LP Patron, DC Rueger, In: Biomaterials Engineering and Devices: Human Applications, Vol. 1, DL Wise ed., Humana Press, Inc., Totowa, NJ, 2000.

“Pyrolytic Carbon as an Implant Material for Small Joint Replacement” SD Cook, LP Patron, SL Salkeld, JJ Klawitter, RD Beckenbaugh, In: Biomaterials and Bioengineering Handbook, DL Wise ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY, 2000.