Our mission at The Steadman Clinic and the Steadman Philippon Research Institute is to keep people of all ages physically active through orthopaedic medical research and education. We particularly focus on arthritis, tissue, and wound healing, along with rehabilitation, and injury mechanisms and prevention.
Dr. Johnny Huard recently joined us. A former colleague of mine and a world-renowned expert in the field of regenerative medicine focused on stem cell research, Dr. Huard has taken The Steadman Clinic and SPRI’s core belief about the body’s ability to heal itself and is running with it. He is now using scientific research to prove that theory in our labs.
Ultimately, our goal is to help you live a more active life longer than ever imagined through regenerative medicine. To do this, Dr. Huard and his team of researchers are focused on science and research that extends the timeframe for joint replacement, whether it be knee, shoulder, or hip, to delay the degeneration of muscle tissue due to osteoarthritis.
The latest developments in medical stem cell usage are driving those efforts. Dr. Huard’s research aims to confirm that stem cells can function as the body’s ultimate repair kit. Dr. Huard has been instrumental in discovering the use of adult muscle-derived stem cells for this purpose. This work is not only well regarded, but also well supported. He is one of the most funded stem cell researchers by the National Institutes for Health (NIH), and also collaborates with NASA and other national organizations. In addition, his stem cell research extends beyond his work in orthopaedics to include areas of study in muscular dystrophy, along with cardiac and bladder studies currently undergoing clinical trials.
In orthorpaedics alone, creating and developing cost-effective methods to treat injuries and arthritis could have a huge financial impact on the productivity of the nation. According to the Bone & Joint Initiative USA, $461.5 billion in earnings is lost annually to arthritis alone. Advancements and discoveries by SPRI could significantly reduce that huge loss each year.
The promise for the future is nothing short of extraordinary. As I look back, I marvel at the vision and direction that Dr. Steadman provided for the field of orthopaedic medicine. When I look into what lies ahead for The Steadman Clinic and SPRI, I see how Dr. Huard and our exceptional staff of physicians, clinicians, and scientists have targeted ways to improve lives by taking the Steadman Philippon Research Institute’s philosophy and applying it to the new generation of medicine and science.
Marc Philippon, M.D. is the managing partner of The Steadman Clinic and Co-Chairman of the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colo.
