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Director of the MedStar Health Musculoskeletal Education and Research Institute
MedStar Health, US
Bryan W. Cunningham, PhD received his master’s degree in Neuroscience from The Johns Hopkins University in 1994 and his PhD in Neuroscience from the School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Brisbane Australia in 2014. Dr. Cunningham has worked in the field of orthopaedic and neurosurgical basic science and clinical research for over 35 years and holds two academic positions - 1) Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington D.C. USA and 2) Adjunct Professor, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia. Dr. Cunningham has published over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, 20 book chapters, and presented over 500 abstracts at orthopaedic and neurosurgical specialty society meetings. He has received 24 nationally recognized research awards, including the North American Spine Society Henry Farfan Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to orthopaedic research. He is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, Orthopaedic Research Society, North American Spine Society, Eurospine, and International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. Over the last 35 years, Dr. Cunningham has worked extensively as an orthopaedic research academician providing training and instructional guidance to medical school students, surgeons in training (residents and fellows), and attendings in the related basic scientific and clinical research projects. Furthermore, Dr. Cunningham has mentored 20 postgraduate students through the entirety of their doctoral course programs of study.
Dr. Cunningham considers this 35+ year period of orthopaedic research focus quite unique from a clinical and scientific standpoint in that it paralleled the evolution of spinal instrumentation which took foothold in the mid 1980’s and continues through today. According to Dr. Cunningham, spinal instrumentation originated from quite simplistic methods of flexible spinal stabilization and fusion technologies to advanced methods of dynamic spinal stabilization used in the surgical management of spinal pathology. Of particular interest is that coinciding with improved methods for treating spinal pathology in the clinical/surgical setting was a need for further development of the basic scientific methodologies utilized to evaluate these innovative technologies. To this end, Dr. Cunningham’s particular interests and role in developing new methods in the field of orthopaedic spinal research can be stratified into three categories: in-vitro cadaveric (benchtop) modeling, in-vivo animal modeling, and clinical outcomes-based studies. Dr. Cunningham’s current area of interest is studying the basic scientific and clinical outcomes of navigation and robotic-assisted spinal surgery. According to Dr. Cunningham, this area of technology is revolutionizing the art of spinal reconstructive surgery and presents a new paradigm in operative surgical techniques. In collaboration with the MedStar Health Research Institute, Dr. Cunningham’s primary role and focus is one defined by integration, development and expansion in an effort to develop and maintain a multidisciplinary research center with core areas of excellence across a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines. Dr. Cunningham’s fundamental belief that steadfast, concerted research efforts by clinicians, research staff, and fellows will build upon the scientific and clinical knowledge base of musculoskeletal disorders - improving the surgical care and quality of life for patients with musculoskeletal pathology.