Arthritis Foundation and AOFAS Award $1 Million to Advance Ankle Arthritis Research

 Schaumburg, Illinois (November 4, 2026) – The Arthritis Foundation and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society® (AOFAS) announced the recipients of the AF/AOFAS Ankle Arthritis Think Tank Research Grants Program, awarding $1 million to support innovative clinical research to advance treatments to stop or slow the development of ankle osteoarthritis (OA).

Now in its second award cycle, the program supports AOFAS members pursuing research to deepen understanding of ankle OA and advance potential approaches to treatment. Four grants will provide a total of $1 million over two years. One grant is supported in part by the Sigvard T. Hansen Pillar Research Grant, named in honor of Sigvard T. Hansen, MD, a world-renowned pioneer in orthopaedic traumatology and reconstructive surgery.

"Continued investment in ankle arthritis research is essential to improving outcomes for patients," said Jonathon D. Backus, MD, President-Elect of the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation. "We're proud to continue collaborating with the Arthritis Foundation to support innovative work that has the potential to shape the future of treatment and care."

The 2026 AF/AOFAS Ankle Arthritis Think Tank Research Grant recipients are:

• A Paradigm Shift in Ankle Osteoarthritis: Synovial Fibrosis and Aberrant Innervation as Core Drivers of Pain — Lew Schon, MD, and Zijun Zhang, PhD, MD, Mercy Medical Center
• The Advancing Mitochondrial Interventions for Ankle Arthritis — Bopha Chrea, MD, and Mitchell Coleman, PhD, University of Iowa
• Investigating Synovial Immune Cell Dynamics in Response to Ankle Joint Injuries and Their Clinical Implications — Natalia Harasymowicz, PhD, Justin Haller, MD, and Megan Campbell, MD, University of Utah
• Ankle-Specific Clinical Validation and Therapeutic Targeting of the 15-PGDH/CD200 Axis to Enable Disease-Modifying Treatment for Ankle OA* — Jason Bariteau, MD, Emory University

*Funded in part by the Sigvard T. Hansen Pillar Research Grant.

"Through our partnership with AOFAS, we're investing in innovative research to deepen understanding of ankle osteoarthritis and accelerate progress toward treatments that can slow or stop disease progression," said Paul Larkin, vice president of science at the Arthritis Foundation. "We're proud to support these researchers as they work toward meaningful advances for patients."

The Arthritis Foundation and AOFAS launched the Ankle Arthritis Think Tank Research Grants Program in 2023, awarding nearly $600,000 to support innovative clinical research. The organizations also partnered on the Foot and Ankle Arthritis Development Program, which provides medical students and residents with valuable training and mentoring in ankle arthritis research and treatment.

Acerca de la Arthritis Foundation
La Arthritis Foundation es la principal organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a la lucha contra la artritis, la causa número 1 de discapacidad en el país. Through groundbreaking scientific research, patient-centered programs, advocacy at all levels of government and robust community engagement, the Foundation is relentlessly pursuing a cure while empowering people to live their best lives. Con presencia en comunidades de todo el país, amplificamos las voces de los afectados y trabajamos para impulsar un cambio duradero. Learn more at arthritis.org.

Acerca de los cirujanos ortopédicos de pie y tobillo
Los cirujanos ortopédicos de pie y tobillo son médicos (MD y DO) que se especializan en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de trastornos musculoesqueléticos y lesiones de pie y tobillo. Su educación y formación constan de cuatro años de facultad de medicina, cinco años de residencia de posgrado y un año de beca de formación quirúrgica especializada. Estos especialistas atienden a pacientes de todas las edades, realizan cirugías reconstructivas de deformidades y artritis, tratan lesiones deportivas y traumatismos en pie y tobillo.

Acerca de la AOFAS
La American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) moviliza a nuestra dinámica comunidad de cirujanos ortopédicos de pie y tobillo para mejorar la atención al paciente a través de la educación, la investigación y la defensa. Como principal organización mundial para el cuidado del pie y el tobillo, la American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ofrece eventos y recursos excepcionales para la formación continua, financia y promueve la investigación innovadora y amplía el conocimiento de los pacientes sobre las afecciones y los tratamientos del pie y el tobillo. Al hacer hincapié en la colaboración y la excelencia, AOFAS inspira niveles cada vez más altos de rendimiento profesional que conducen a la mejora en los resultados de los pacientes. For more information, visit aofas.org.