NASS News: NASS Announces $152,059 in Research Funding Awards

The North American Spine Society (NASS) recognized the winners of its 2024 Research Funding Program this week during its 39th Annual Meeting in Chicago. These grants and traveling fellowships provide funding for promising projects by qualified investigators in spine care.
 
NASS has funded more than $5.1 million in grants and traveling fellowships for spine-related research over the past 35 years. A total of $159,059 was awarded to this year’s recipients based on scientific merit, project significance, approach, and feasibility. Award recipients were selected by the NASS Research Funding Committee and Evidence Analysis & Research Council, and approved by the NASS Executive Committee. 

2024 Research Funding Recipients

• Grant (Young Investigator – Basic): “Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Tie2-enhanced Nucleus Pulposus Progenitor Cells: An Innovative Cell-free Therapy for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration”
  Principal Investigator: Luca Ambrosio, M.D.
  Amount: $20,000
   
• Grant (Basic): “Manipulating Ventral Spinocerebellar Tract Neurons for Promoting Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury”
  Principal Investigator: Joshua Chalif, M.D., Ph.D.
  Amount: $40,000
   
• Grant (Clinical): “Improving Patient Health Literacy through Gamification of Medicine using Augmented Reality-Powered Tools for Common Spinal Conditions: A Proof-of-Concept Study”
  Principal Investigators: Safdar N. Khan, M.D., and Hania Shahzad, M.D.
  Amount: $13,000
   
• Grant (Clinical): “Examining CSF Hydrodynamic Changes in Stenotic Patients Using 4D Flow MRI”
  Principal Investigator: Numaira Obaid, Ph.D., 
  Amount: $25,059
   
• Grant (Young Investigator – Translational): “Rib Fixation for Prevention of Proximal Junctional Kyphosis (PJK) in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery”
  Principal Investigator: Daniel Bonthius, M.D., Ph.D.
  Amount: $40,000
   
• Fellowship (Clinical Traveling Fellowship)
  Award Recipient: Ahmed Rizk, M.D.
  Participating Institutions: Barrow Neurological Institute, Swedish Medical Center, Inspired Spine Health, Duke Health System
  Amount: $7,000
   
• Fellowship (Clinical Traveling Fellowship)
  Award Recipient: Yunus Kuntawi Aji, M.D., Ph.D.
  Participating Institutions: Technical University of Munich (Germany), Yonsei University Health System (South Korea), Korea University College of Medicine (South Korea)
  Amount: $7,000 

NASS is a global multidisciplinary medical organization dedicated to fostering the highest quality, ethical, evidenced-based and value-based spine care by promoting education, research and advocacy. NASS is comprised of nearly 8,000 members from several disciplines, including orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, physiatry, radiology, anesthesiology, research and physical therapy.