Special Issue: New Horizons in Spine Research – Part 1: Disc Biology, Spine Biomechanics, and Pathomechanisms of Back Pain

August 2016

Volume 34, Issue 8

Pages 1283–1491

Issue edited by: James C. Iatridis, James Kang, Rita Kandel, Makarand V. Risbud

To advance novel spine science and collaborations, the 3rd International Spine Research Symposium, co-sponsored by the Philadelphia Spine Research Society (PSRS), NIAMS/NIH and the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), was held to enhance understanding of the clinical problems associated with degenerative disc disease, and to highlight cutting-edge scientific research in areas of basic biology, epidemiology, disease mechanisms, biomechanics, tissue engineering and imaging of the intervertebral disc (IVD).[4] This special issue on ‘New Horizons in Spine Research’ and a second issue to follow at a later date are outcomes from that meeting, with articles selected from the strong response to the ‘call for papers’. This issue focuses on the fundamental topics of disc ageing and cell biology, spine biomechanics, anatomy and imaging, and pathomechanisms of spine pain. A second special issue will focus on repair and regeneration. This growing passion for advancing spine research and improving spinal health has ignited the spine research community to coalesce within the Orthopaedic Research Society as the newly formed Spine Section (http://www.ors.org/spinesection/) in order to enhance communication and collaboration. Read the issue.