Harry McKellop, Ph.D., Named 2018 Recipient of the Orthopaedic Institute for Children’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. McKellop currently serves as professor emeritus at the UCLA-Orthopaedic Hospital Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and is the former director of the J. Vernon Luck, Sr., (JVL) Orthopaedic Research Center at the Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) in downtown Los Angeles. His research through the years has covered many aspects of orthopaedic implants for joint replacement and fracture stabilization, including the development and testing of new materials, implant designs, surgical instrumentation and techniques and the evaluation of their clinical performance. In addition to numerous publications and multiple prestigious awards, his prolific work has resulted in 12 patents on novel methods to reduce polyethylene wear in orthopaedic implants.

“As a teacher and mentor, Dr. McKellop has touched the lives of countless orthopaedic fellows, residents and volunteer student workers who spent time in his labs over the past three decades,” said Edward Ebramzadeh, Ph.D., the current director of JVL Orthopaedic Research Center. “Many of these pupils have gone on to become noteworthy clinicians and bioengineers in their own right, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor him at our gala for the many contributions he has made to the field and to his profession.”

For more than 30 years, the JVL Orthopaedic Research Center has advanced the understanding of joint arthroplasty implant biomechanics, clinical performance, fixation, implant retrieval analysis and tribology. During the past three decades, the center’s faculty has published an extensive number of manuscripts in leading orthopaedic journals; and their research has been recognized with many of the industry’s most prestigious awards. Funding for the center is provided by granting agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health; from private foundations, including the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation; and through contracts and research grants sponsored by the orthopaedic industry.

The annual Stand for Kids Gala is the organization’s signature event of the year and celebrates OIC’s international impact in the field of orthopaedic medicine. Held this year at the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, the gala will be hosted by actress Debby Ryan with Tony-, Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated performer Matthew Morrison as the headline entertainer. In addition to honoring the achievements of Dr. McKellop, the gala will also honor the Automobile Club of Southern California and UCLA Health. Proceeds from the event will help ensure that children with orthopaedic conditions have a future where they can grow well and play well. Further information and tickets may be obtained at standforkidsgala.org.

About Orthopaedic Institute for Children

Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) was founded in 1911 as Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital. Focused solely on musculoskeletal conditions in children, OIC receives nearly 70,000 patient visits each year. In alliance with UCLA Health and with the support of the OIC Foundation, we advance pediatric orthopaedics worldwide through outstanding patient care, medical education and research. Our locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Westwood and Calexico treat the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedic disorders and injuries. For more information, visit us at ortho-institute.org.

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