BEST PAPER AND POSTER AWARDS

These awards are presented at the Annual Meeting for the two best papers and two best posters on the Program and are judged by the Program Committee. This is a non-monetary award. 


Best Special Posters 2023

Linking paraspinal muscle quality and biomechanical function during dynamic tasks in chronic low-back pain patients
K. Khattab, L. Dziesinski, J. Ornowski, C. O’Neill, J. Bailey (USA)

Patient-rated outcome for lumbar decompression surgery using the Far-Lateral Approach is associated with the involved level and coronal segmental angulation

Alina Jacob, Anne F. Mannion, Alexander Pieringer, Markus Loibl, François Porchet, Raluca Reitmeir, Frank Kleinstück, Tamas F. Fekete, Dezsö Jeszenszky, Daniel Haschtmann, (Switzerland)

Best Paper 2023

Synergistic effect of RG-7112 and o-Vanillin combination treatment for intervertebral disc generation
L. Haglund, J. Ouellet, P. Lee, M. Millecamps, M. Mannarino, E. Cousineau, L. Stone, H. Cherif, O. Wu-Martinez, (Canada)

Best Papers 2022
17. Infectious and auto inflammatory etiologies of Modic type 1 change have different cytokine profiles
Irina Heggli, S. Dudli, R. Schüpbach, N. Farshad-Amacker, M. Betz, J. Spirig, F. Wanivenhaus, C. Laux, F. Brunner, M. Farshad, O. Distler (Switzerland)

18. Progression of spinal degenerative changes in a group of chronic low back pain patients and patients 11-14 years after discography evaluation
Hanna Hebelka, K. Lagerstrand, V. Gunterberg, H. Brisby (Sweden)

Best Papers 2021
1. Human Lumbar Discs are not sterile! – Defining the Normal Intervertebral Disc Microbiome
Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran, S. Dilip Chand Raja, T. Chitraa, N. Sharon Miracle, M. Raveendran, M. Monica Steffi, K. Vijayanand 

29. The Nocebo Effects of an MRI Report on the Patient and the Benefit of Reassurance – Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial of 44 patients
Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran, S. Dilip Chand Raja , B. Pushpa, B. Anand, K. Rishi Mugesh, S. Ajoy Prasad 

Best Special Posters 2021
SP505. Axial loading during MRI induce lumbar foraminal area changes and may have the potential to improve diagnostics of nerve root compromise

Helena Brisby, N. Rydberg, H. Hebelka, J. Hutchins, K. Lagerstrand 

SP905. Can the COX-2 Inhibitor Celecoxib Influence Discogenic Pain Signals? An In Vitro Study with Inflamed Annulus Fibrosus Cells
Sibylle Grad, S. Häckel, S. Häne, J. Eglauf, J. Ma, Z. Li, J.J. Pfannkuche, M. Peroglio, S. Hoppe, L.M. Benneker, G.M. Lang, M. Alini

Best papers 2019
25. Is the terminal complement complex a possible target for therapeutic intervention in intervertebral disc degeneration?

Graciosa Q Teixeira, Zhiyao Yong, Raquel M Goncalves, Amelie Kuhn, Michael Ruf, Andreas Nerlich, Uwe M Mauer, Anita Ignatius, Rolf Brenner, Cornelia Neidlinger-Wilke

26. Endplate damage is heritable, is independently associated with low back pain and may trigger intervertebral disc degeneration: a longitudinal study from TwinsUK
Marinko Rade, Sabrina Munir, Maxim B Freidin, Juhani H Määttä, Gregory Livshits, Frances MK Williams

Best special posters 2019
SP02. Nutrient supply and nucleus pulposus cell function: effects of the transport properties of the cartilage endplate and potential implications for intradiscal biologic therapy

Aaron J Fields, Jason Wong, Sara L Sampson, Hildegarde Bell-Briones, Ann Ouyang, Jeffrey C Lotz

SP13. A network meta-analysis of effectiveness of specific modes of exercise for chronic low back pain
Daniel L Belavy, Patrick J Owen, Clint Miller, Niamh Mundell, Simone JJM Verswijveren, Scott Tagliaferri, Helena Brisby, Steven Bowe

Best papers 2018
23. Does lumbar disc degeneration predict facet joint changes or vice versa? A 5 year prospective MRI study
Dino Samartzis, Jeffrey Yu, Cora HY Bow, Keith Luk, Jason Cheung

29. Genome-wide meta-analysis of 158,000 individuals of European ancestry identifies two loci associated with chronic back pain
Pradeep Suri , Melody Palmer , Yakov Tsepilov , Maxim Freidin , Lennart Karssen , Gail Jarvik , Cindy Boer , Michelle Yau , Traci Bartz , Tuhina Neogi , Caroline Hayward , Blair Smith , Archie Campbell , Liubov Arbeeva , Joanne Jordan , Maria Nethander , Magnus Karlsson , Claes Ohlsson , Dan Mellstrom , Dan Evans , Nancy Lane , Carrie Nielson , Eric Orwoll , Lynn Marshall , Marc Hochberg , Rebecca Jackson , Braxton Mitchell , Joyce Van Meurs , Andrea Skelin , Ozren Polasek , Gordan Lauc , Nicholas Smith , Yurii Aulchenko , Frances M Williams

Best special posters 2018
SP32. Regional patterns of lumbar paraspinal muscle degeneration in astronauts after long-duration spaceflight on the international space station

Douglas G Chang, Robert M Healey, Jeannie F Bailey, JoJo V Sayson, Kristine Khieu, Scott Parazynski, Jeffrey C Lotz, Alan R Hargens

SP46. Features and problems of corrective long spinal fusion for adult spinal deformity with multiple vertebral fractures due to severe osteoporosis
Kotaro Nishida, Toru Takada, Kenichiro Kakutani, Takashi Yurube, Masaaki Ito, Yuji  Kakiuchi, Yoshiki Takeoka, Yutaro Kanda, Tetsuhiro Iguchi, Ryosuke Kuroda

Best Paper Presentations  2017
O10 Anabolic response of the intervertebral disc to exercise in humans
Daniel Belavy, Matthew Quittner, Nicola Ridgers, David Connell, Adnan Sheikh, Guy Trudel, Timo Rantalainen; Australia

O13 Stem Cell Seeded Injectable Hydrogels for Intervertebral Disc Regeneration in a Preclinical Animal Model
Sarah E Gullbrand, Thomas  P  Schaer, Justin  R  Bendigo , Zosia Zawacki, George  R Dodge, Edward J Vresilovic, Dawn M Elliott, Robert L Mauck, Neil R Malhotra, Lachlan J Smith; United States

Best Poster Presentations  2017
SP12 Q-space imaging is a novel technique to evaluate intervertebral disc degeneration
Daisuke Nakashima, Nobuyuki Fujita , Junichi Hata, Takeo Nagura, Kanehiro Fujiyoshi, Hideyuki Okano, Masahiro Jinzaki, Morio Matsumoto, Masaya Nakamura; Japan

SP27 BMP-2 carrier and interbody spinal fusion outcome: rabbit spinal fusion chamber study on BMP antagonist
Tao Hu, Mathanapriya  Naidu , Zheng Yang, Wing Moon Raymond Lam, Xiafei Ren, Felly Ng, Ramruttun Amit  Kumarsing , Ming Wang, Kim Cheng Tan ,  Kai Thong, Mariner Kwok, Stuart B. Goodman, Cho Hong, James  Goh, Hee Kit Wong; Singapore

Best Paper Presentations  2016
O95 Short (2 weeks) vs. long (6 weeks) postoperative restrictions following lumbar discectomy: a prospective randomized control study:
Christopher M. Bono, Dana A Leonard, Andrew J. Schoenfeld, Thomas D. Cha, Kevin J McGuire, Mitchel B. Harris; USA

O392 Disc regeneration using MSC transplanted via the endplate route
Gianluca Vadala, Fabrizio Russo, Maria Musumeci, Alessia Valentini, Marco Bernardini, Luca Denaro,Domenico D’Avella, Rosaria Giordano, Vincenzo Denaro; Italy

Best Poster Presentations  2016
SP15. Genetic attenuation of ATM signaling mitigates age-associated spine degeneration in mouse model of accelerated aging

Yingchao Han, Robert Hartman, Qing Dong, Laura Niedernhofer, Gwendolyn Sowa, James Kang, Vo Nam; United States

SP27. Early effects of Medicare’s Bundle Payment for Care Improvement program for lumbar fusion on episode costs, volume, and safety.
Brook Martin, Anna Tosteson, Jon Lurie, Farrokh Farrokhi, Kevin McGuire, Sohail Mirza; USA

The ISSLS Best Papers 2015
O36 Does provocative discography cause clinically important injury to the lumbar intervertebral disc? A ten-year matched cohort study

Cuellar JM, Stauff MP, Herzog R, Carrino JA, Baker G, Carragee EJ; USA

O39 The effect of incidental durotomy on cost and length of stay in primary, short, posterior lumbar fusion for lumbar spinal stenosis: An analysis of 17,232 cases.
Buck JS, Yoon T;  USA

The ISSLS Best Posters 2015
SP08 Nucleus pulposus Cells inhibit Osteogenesis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Chan SCW,  Benneker LM, Heini P, Gantenbein B; Switzerland

SP29 Metastatic spine tumour surgery: a comparative study of minimally invasive approach using percutaneous pedicle screws fixation versus open approach
Kumar N, Wu PH, Zaw AS, Malhotra R, Makandura M, Liu G, Thambiah J, Wong HK; Singapore

The ISSLS Best Papers 2014
07 Accelerated DDD in young adults is associated with polymorphisms in MMP 7, CALM 1 and Cox 2 genes Analysis of 58 single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in 580 individuals based on Total Degenerative Disc Score
Rajasekaran S, Kanna RM, Cheung K, , Chan D, Kao P, Yee A, Raveendran M, Senthil N; Hong Kong, India

45 Long-Term Results of Total Lumbar Disc Replacement: A Prospective Analysis with 5-10 Year Follow-Up
Siepe CJ, Wiechert K, Heider F, Korge A, Mehren C, Mayer HM; Germany

The ISSLS Best Posters 2014
SP50 Mechanobiology of complex loading in functional spinal units: Flexion/extension with combined torsion
Hartman RA, Ngo K, Yurube T, Schneider MJ, Debski RE, Kang JD, Sowa GA; USA

SP59 CT Exposure and Energy Effects on Bone Mineral Density Estimation from Calibration Phantoms Giambini H, Nassr A, Huddleston PM, Dragomir-Daescu D, An K-N; USA