Bryan W. Cunningham, MSc
Director of Spinal Research

Bryan W. Cunningham has been the Director of the Spinal Research Laboratory since its inception in 1988. His current projects incorporate the most advanced technologies in spinal implants, instrumentation and biological outcomes of spine surgery using various materials and methods. His articles have been published in SPINE, The Spine Journal, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research as well as several chapters in academic textbooks over the years. He frequently lectures internationally in spinal symposiums around the globe.

Paul C. McAfee, M.D.
Medical Director

Dr. McAfee supports the Spine Training Program at Johns Hopkins and Union Memorial Hospitals, and has a traveling fellowship to teach other spine surgeons around the world. Dr. McAfee serves as the Medical Director of the laboratory at St. Joseph Medical Center and has conducted research and published extensively on biomechanics of the spine. He has been head of the Johns Hopkins spinal reconstructive surgery program and serves as Associate Professor of Orthopaedics, with a joint appointment in Neurosurgery. For more information please visit www.drmcafee.net. Click here for a list of his disclosures.

Nianbin Hu, M.D.
Orthopaedic Research Fellow

Dr. Nianbin "Jim" Hu is a graduate of Tianjin Medical University in Tianjin, China. He has been an attending physician in Tianjin, in the Department of Orthopaedics since the year 2000. He joined the staff of the Spinal Research Lab in 2001 in order to expand his area of expertise in the field of Lumbar and Cervical Disc Arthroplasty, and to share cutting edge spinal technology with his professional colleagues in China. Dr. Hu has been a co-author on many journal publications both in the U.S. and China.

Jun Kikkawa, M.D.
Orthopaedic Research Fellow

Dr. Jun Kikkawa comes to the Research Laboratory courtesy of an ongoing foreign medical exchange program with Saitamo Medical College, Near Tokyo, Japan. Dr Kikkawa's research focus during his two year visit (2006-2008) will based in new technologies of dynamic spinal stabilization and bone graft substitutes.

Colleen Lease
Administrative Coordinator

Colleen, the newest member of the Spinal Research Laboratory, joined the staff in 2007. She is the organizational hub of all activity; from maintaining the laboratory's paperwork and scheduling projects to assisting in surgery. She has two years experience as an administrator in the clinical setting of the Orthopaedic Research Foundation, and is also studying to become a registered nurse.