Stavros Thomopoulos, Ph.D.

In the annals of shoulder surgery, NFL quarterback Drew Brees is an anomaly. In 2005, Brees was tackled and the rotator cuff tendon in his throwing shoulder was severely torn, a potentially career-ending injury. But after surgery and rehab, Brees returned the next season, led his team to the playoffs, and went on to win the 2010 Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, rotator cuff repairs don’t always go so well, especially among seniors, the age group most susceptible to these injuries. The failure rate of this surgery ranges from 20% in younger patients with minor tears to 94% in older patients with major tears.

“We repair rotator cuff tears using a technology that’s 3,000 years old,” says Stavros Thomopoulos, Ph.D., a biomedical engineer in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons… Continue reading.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has announced the induction of Stavros Thomopoulos, Ph.D., Professor of Biomechanics (in Orthopedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering), Orthopedic Research, Columbia University, to its College of Fellows. Dr. Thomopoulos was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows for outstanding contributions to our understanding of tendon enthesis development, structure-function, repair, and regeneration