Research is a very important component of the fellowship. The Beaumont Research Institute provides facilities and support personnel, including PhDs, veterinarians and statisticians, with clinical supervisory support available through the department faculty.
Fellow research has been presented at numerous national and international meetings and also has been published in all of the major orthopedic peer-reviewed journals.
The Orthopedic Research Laboratories are comprised of three separate lab spaces totaling nearly 4,000 square feet. The labs are staffed by graduate-trained engineers with backgrounds in biomedical, materials and mechanical engineering. Equipment for advanced
microscopy, materials testing, biomechanical testing, dissection, and cell/tissue culture are available to aid research. A high volume orthopedic implant retrieval program run by the Orthopedic Research Laboratories provides unique insight into the
physical and electrochemical failure modes of spinal implants, as well.
In addition to basic science research, the division of spine surgery is active in clinical research. At any one point, there are 12-15 clinical studies under way. Currently, patients are enrolled in 4 IDE (Investigational Device Exemption) trials. Areas of clinical research include disc replacement, cervical fusion, lumbar fusion, biologics, basivertebral nerve ablation etc.