Mercy Medical Center Opens Orthopedic Innovation Center
Mercy Medical Center’s Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction (IFAR), recognized as a leading destination for specialized foot and ankle care, has introduced the Center for Orthopedic Innovation. The advanced research and education facility is designed to speed the development of orthopedic technologies, expand scientific research, strengthen physician training and support the creation of new foot and ankle implants and biologic treatments.
The new center represents the result of a seven-year initiative spearheaded by internationally recognized foot and ankle surgeon Lew C. Schon, M.D., FAAOS, who serves as IFAR’s Director of Orthopedic Innovation. Situated on the second floor of Mercy’s McAuley Plaza, the 3,728-square-foot facility contains three specialized laboratory suites along with dedicated office areas. The space brings together surgeons, researchers, fellows, residents and industry collaborators to develop improved approaches for treating foot and ankle conditions.
According to Dr. Schon, the facility opens a new phase for IFAR by creating an environment in which promising ideas can progress more efficiently from initial concepts to research and, ultimately, clinical applications. The center provides the infrastructure required to investigate emerging technologies, study biologic treatments and develop implant solutions tailored to foot and ankle disorders.
Dr. David N. Maine, President and CEO of Mercy Health Services, described the center as a significant investment in the future of orthopedic medicine. He noted that Mercy’s established expertise in orthopedics and foot and ankle reconstruction will be strengthened by the new facility, which will also contribute to physician education and improved patient care for years to come.
A key component of the center is its Orthobiologic Lab, a fully equipped facility focused on cell culture and molecular biology research. Researchers can process tissue obtained during surgery, isolate tendon progenitor cells, investigate the biological processes involved in healing and assess therapies intended to promote recovery following foot and ankle injuries.
Orthobiologics use biological materials and processes to support tissue repair and healing. By combining laboratory research, tissue banking, anatomical education and surgical innovation in one location, the center creates an integrated environment for advancing regenerative medicine, implant design and minimally invasive surgical procedures.
The Orthobiologic Lab contains specialized equipment, including a Class II Biological Safety Cabinet for sterile tissue handling, CO₂ incubators for cell cultivation and several centrifuges for cellular and protein studies. Researchers also have access to a SpectraMax iD3 Multi-Mode Microplate Detection Platform for quantitative biological testing, as well as ZEISS upright, inverted and dissection microscopes equipped for fluorescence-based tissue and cellular investigations.
A dedicated Tissue Processing Room supports the laboratory and houses Mercy’s IRB-approved tissue bank focused on foot and ankle disorders. Tissue samples collected during surgical procedures can be processed, documented and preserved for future translational research. This resource enables investigators to study disease mechanisms and explore potential new approaches to treatment.
The facility also includes a specialized Anatomy Laboratory designed to closely reproduce the conditions of an operating room. It is equipped with fluoroscopic imaging, an operating table, cadaver storage facilities, digital video systems, dissection tables and specialized surgical instruments.
Dr. Schon said the Anatomy Laboratory will provide a setting where physicians can teach advanced anatomy and operative methods, fellows can develop surgical expertise, and experienced surgeons can assess new implants, instruments and procedures before they enter routine clinical use.
The laboratory will additionally serve as a collaborative environment for physician innovators, emerging companies and medical device manufacturers. These groups can work together to develop, test and refine orthopedic implants, surgical instruments and procedural technologies specifically intended for foot and ankle reconstruction.
Education remains a major focus of the Center for Orthopedic Innovation. Fellows enrolled in IFAR’s internationally recognized Foot and Ankle Fellowship Program, orthopedic surgery residents and medical students will have opportunities to participate in research, biomechanical investigations, cadaver-based surgical training and medical product development. These activities will be conducted alongside experienced physician-researchers.
Dr. Schon emphasized that research and education are closely connected, noting that the facility will allow trainees to learn not only advanced surgical techniques but also the processes through which new medical technologies are developed, investigated and improved.
The center also brings together IFAR physicians, research fellows, administrators and clinical personnel, including operating room staff. This integrated structure is intended to help translate observations and discoveries made in the operating room into laboratory research and eventually into improved patient treatments.
Dr. Schon, a former president of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, has established an international reputation for his contributions to orthopedic innovation. Over several decades, his work has encompassed biomechanics, orthobiologics, clinical research, medical device development and new treatment approaches. His research has produced more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to advances in orthopedic patient care around the world.
Established in Baltimore in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a nonprofit Catholic health care organization and teaching hospital. The institution has received national recognition from U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek for its work in orthopedic surgery.
Click here to know more.
The new center represents the result of a seven-year initiative spearheaded by internationally recognized foot and ankle surgeon Lew C. Schon, M.D., FAAOS, who serves as IFAR’s Director of Orthopedic Innovation. Situated on the second floor of Mercy’s McAuley Plaza, the 3,728-square-foot facility contains three specialized laboratory suites along with dedicated office areas. The space brings together surgeons, researchers, fellows, residents and industry collaborators to develop improved approaches for treating foot and ankle conditions.
According to Dr. Schon, the facility opens a new phase for IFAR by creating an environment in which promising ideas can progress more efficiently from initial concepts to research and, ultimately, clinical applications. The center provides the infrastructure required to investigate emerging technologies, study biologic treatments and develop implant solutions tailored to foot and ankle disorders.
Dr. David N. Maine, President and CEO of Mercy Health Services, described the center as a significant investment in the future of orthopedic medicine. He noted that Mercy’s established expertise in orthopedics and foot and ankle reconstruction will be strengthened by the new facility, which will also contribute to physician education and improved patient care for years to come.
A key component of the center is its Orthobiologic Lab, a fully equipped facility focused on cell culture and molecular biology research. Researchers can process tissue obtained during surgery, isolate tendon progenitor cells, investigate the biological processes involved in healing and assess therapies intended to promote recovery following foot and ankle injuries.
Orthobiologics use biological materials and processes to support tissue repair and healing. By combining laboratory research, tissue banking, anatomical education and surgical innovation in one location, the center creates an integrated environment for advancing regenerative medicine, implant design and minimally invasive surgical procedures.
The Orthobiologic Lab contains specialized equipment, including a Class II Biological Safety Cabinet for sterile tissue handling, CO₂ incubators for cell cultivation and several centrifuges for cellular and protein studies. Researchers also have access to a SpectraMax iD3 Multi-Mode Microplate Detection Platform for quantitative biological testing, as well as ZEISS upright, inverted and dissection microscopes equipped for fluorescence-based tissue and cellular investigations.
A dedicated Tissue Processing Room supports the laboratory and houses Mercy’s IRB-approved tissue bank focused on foot and ankle disorders. Tissue samples collected during surgical procedures can be processed, documented and preserved for future translational research. This resource enables investigators to study disease mechanisms and explore potential new approaches to treatment.
The facility also includes a specialized Anatomy Laboratory designed to closely reproduce the conditions of an operating room. It is equipped with fluoroscopic imaging, an operating table, cadaver storage facilities, digital video systems, dissection tables and specialized surgical instruments.
Dr. Schon said the Anatomy Laboratory will provide a setting where physicians can teach advanced anatomy and operative methods, fellows can develop surgical expertise, and experienced surgeons can assess new implants, instruments and procedures before they enter routine clinical use.
The laboratory will additionally serve as a collaborative environment for physician innovators, emerging companies and medical device manufacturers. These groups can work together to develop, test and refine orthopedic implants, surgical instruments and procedural technologies specifically intended for foot and ankle reconstruction.
Education remains a major focus of the Center for Orthopedic Innovation. Fellows enrolled in IFAR’s internationally recognized Foot and Ankle Fellowship Program, orthopedic surgery residents and medical students will have opportunities to participate in research, biomechanical investigations, cadaver-based surgical training and medical product development. These activities will be conducted alongside experienced physician-researchers.
Dr. Schon emphasized that research and education are closely connected, noting that the facility will allow trainees to learn not only advanced surgical techniques but also the processes through which new medical technologies are developed, investigated and improved.
The center also brings together IFAR physicians, research fellows, administrators and clinical personnel, including operating room staff. This integrated structure is intended to help translate observations and discoveries made in the operating room into laboratory research and eventually into improved patient treatments.
Dr. Schon, a former president of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, has established an international reputation for his contributions to orthopedic innovation. Over several decades, his work has encompassed biomechanics, orthobiologics, clinical research, medical device development and new treatment approaches. His research has produced more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to advances in orthopedic patient care around the world.
Established in Baltimore in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a nonprofit Catholic health care organization and teaching hospital. The institution has received national recognition from U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek for its work in orthopedic surgery.
Click here to know more.
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