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This year’s awardees are tackling some of the most urgent life science challenges with projects spanning novel therapeutics to AI-powered medical solutions.

As baseball teams prepare for opening day with the highly anticipated return of pitchers and catchers, the spotlight shines brightly on the rigorous demands placed on a pitcher’s arm. One injury that has become all too common among pitchers is known as a Tommy John injury, or a career-threatening condition that requires ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear treatment. Associate Professor for Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, Jim Hsu, MD, is very familiar with not only this term, but the mechanism of injury, treatment, and recovery process as well. As a surgeon specializing in sports medicine, the ligaments of the elbow have been a foundation in his educational training and clinical practice.

Connecticut emergency room doctors say they don't need to watch the weather to know when ice strikes. That's when they treat the consequences of falls, particularly among older adults who are most at risk. Slipping on a piece of ice is a particularly dangerous fall because the ice adds to the velocity and rotation with which a patient hits the ground, said Dr. Michael Leslie, an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Yale New Haven Hospital. “The biggest issue we have is that (these falls) happen very fast and very violently. You wind up having a ground level fall plus the speed. We’ve had a number of people who are taking the garbage out in their T-shirt or slippers and the slippers so now we are dealing with an injury plus hypothermia,” he said.

Dr. Peter Whang, Yale Medicine orthopedic spine surgeon and professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine, joined Good Morning Connecticut to talk about protecting your back while shoveling, the impact of seasonal affective disorder on the body, and when to seek medical attention following winter-related activity.

Does your back often hurt? Thirty-nine percent of adults and 45 percent of people ages 65 and older said in a survey that they had back pain in the previous three months, according to a 2021 report from the National Center for Health Statistics. And for many people, back pain can last a long time. A systematic review published in 2022 in the Journal of Pain found that about 36 percent of adults ages 60 and up had chronic lower back pain (meaning it continued for at least 12 weeks).

Gwyneth Paltrow is known for her commitment to wellness. But in 2010, the Oscar-winning actress revealed a surprising health diagnosis at just 37—osteopenia. This condition leads to lower-than-normal bone density and can increase the risk of fractures, particularly in women. We spoke with healthcare professionals to understand what osteopenia is, what causes it and how to protect your bone health at any age.

Chair and Ensign Professor of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, Lisa Lattanza, MD appeared on NBC Connecticut to share some safety precautious during this weekend’s winter storm. According to Dr. Lattanza, parents should manage their children’s’ time in the snow, make sure they are dressed appropriately, and take breaks after prolonged exposure to the elements. She added that there is also a noticeable uptick in accidents during the colder months, particularly ankle and wrist injuries resulting from falls, or back, neck, and shoulders strains from clearing heavy snow.

David Frumberg, MD appeared on this episode of Nailed It: The Orthopaedic Surgery Podcast where he talked about bone defect classifications, the role of host factors, and groundbreaking treatments like the Masquelet technique, vascularized fibula grafts, and distraction osteogenesis. He also offered his expert perspective on when amputation might be the best option and the importance of preserving joint function and stability in treatment planning.

Surgeons are collaborating with obesity medicine physicians, turning to GLP-1s to help high BMI patients qualify for surgery.