Seven-Year Vision Led by Orthopedic Innovator Dr. Lew Schon Expands Mercy's Leadership in Foot and Ankle Care featuring cutting-edge Orthobiologic Lab

Baltimore, MD –  Mercy Medical Center's Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction (IFAR), one of the nation's premier centers for foot and ankle care, features The Center for Orthopedic Innovation, a state-of-the-art research and education facility designed to accelerate orthopedic innovation, advance research, enhance physician education and support the development of next-generation foot and ankle implants and biologic therapies.

The Center for Orthopedic Innovation is the culmination of a seven-year effort led by internationally renowned foot and ankle surgeon Lew C. Schon, M.D., FAAOS, Director of Orthopedic Innovation at IFAR. Located on the second floor of Mercy's McAuley Plaza, the 3,728-square-foot center includes three specialized laboratory suites and dedicated office space that provide an integrated environment where surgeons, researchers, fellows, residents and industry partners collaborate to improve treatments for patients with foot and ankle disorders.

Deborah and John Anderson pose for a photograph with Dr. Lew Schon, the director of orthopedic innovation at Mercy. The Andersons credit Dr. Schon with enabling Deborah to walk again after he performed surgery on her left foot 15 years ago.

"The opening of the Center for Orthopedic Innovation marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our Institute," said Dr. Schon. "For seven years, we have envisioned a space where ideas can move more quickly from concept to investigation and, ultimately, to patient care. This facility provides the resources and infrastructure needed to develop and evaluate new technologies, advance biologic therapies and create implant solutions designed specifically for foot and ankle conditions."

"The Center for Orthopedic Innovation represents an extraordinary investment in the future of orthopedic medicine," said Dr. David N. Maine, President and CEO, Mercy Health Services.  "Mercy has long been recognized as a leader in orthopedics, including foot and ankle reconstruction. This facility expands our abilities to best serve patients and educate future orthopedic surgeons, enhancing care for generations to come."

At the heart of the new center is the Orthobiologic Lab, a fully equipped research laboratory dedicated to cell culture and molecular biology. The laboratory enables investigators to process surgical tissue specimens, isolate tendon progenitor cells, study regenerative healing mechanisms and evaluate biologic therapies that may improve recovery from foot and ankle injuries.

Jonathan Day, a research fellow with the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy, (far right) gives a tour of the new Orthobiologic Lab at Mercy Medical Center.

Orthobiologics are biologic substances that help injuries heal more quickly and effectively. By bringing together laboratory research, tissue banking, anatomy education and surgical innovation within a single facility, the Center for Orthopedic Innovation provides a comprehensive platform for advancing regenerative medicine, implant development and minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Advanced equipment includes a Class II Biological Safety Cabinet for sterile tissue processing, CO₂ incubators for cell culture, multiple centrifuges for cellular and protein analysis, a SpectraMax iD3 Multi-Mode Microplate Detection Platform for quantitative biologic testing, and ZEISS upright, inverted and dissection microscopes capable of fluorescence microscopy for advanced tissue and cellular analysis.

Supporting the Orthobiologic Lab is a dedicated Tissue Processing Room that houses Mercy's IRB-approved tissue bank for foot and ankle disorders. Surgical specimens collected during procedures are carefully processed, cataloged and preserved for future translational research, allowing investigators to better understand disease processes and develop new treatment strategies.

The Center also features a fully equipped Anatomy Laboratory designed to replicate an operating room environment. The laboratory includes fluoroscopic imaging, an operating table, cadaver specimen storage, digital video technology, dissection tables and specialized surgical instrumentation.

“The facility serves as a training center where physicians teach advanced anatomy and surgical techniques, fellows refine operative skills and surgeons evaluate new implants, instruments and procedures before they are introduced into clinical practice,” Dr. Schon said.

The Anatomy Laboratory also provides a collaborative workspace for physician innovators, startup companies and medical device manufacturers to design, evaluate and refine new orthopedic implants, surgical instruments and procedural technologies specifically for foot and ankle reconstruction.

The Center for Orthopedic Innovation strengthens Mercy's longstanding commitment to physician education. Fellows in IFAR's internationally recognized Foot and Ankle Fellowship Program, orthopedic surgery residents and medical students will participate in research projects, biomechanical studies, cadaver-based surgical training and product development initiatives under the guidance of nationally recognized physician-investigators.

Dr. Andrew Hresko, a fellow with the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy; Dr. Daniel Choi, a fellow with the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy; Dr. Vandan Patel, a foot and ankle surgeon at Mercy; Harry Auster, a fellow with the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy; Dr. Brady Williams, a fellow with the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy; and Dr. Julia McCann, a fellow with the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy.

"One of the most important aspects of this facility is its educational value," said Dr. Schon. "Innovation and education go hand in hand. Our fellows, residents and students will have access to a unique environment where they can learn not only how to perform advanced surgical procedures, but also how new technologies are conceived, studied and refined."

The Center integrates the expertise of IFAR physicians, research fellows, administrators and clinical personnel, including the Institute's operating room staff, enabling discoveries made during surgery to move into research and, ultimately, back into patient care.

Dr. Schon, a former president of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society and an internationally recognized leader in orthopedic innovation, has spent decades advancing the field through research, teaching and the development of numerous orthopedic devices and treatment techniques. His work in biomechanics, orthobiologics and clinical research has resulted in more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and innovations that have improved patient care worldwide.