Michael Heggeness, MD, is director of the spine surgery fellowship program at Baylor College of Medicine, where he also serves as professor of orthopedic surgery. He currently serves as president of the North American Spine Society.
"Right now, NASS is a place where one goes to teach and learn about things in spine," Dr. Heggeness said in an article for Becker's Spine Review. "We have our annual meeting where people want to present their research and hear about cutting-edge opportunities in spine care. We also have The Spine Journal and Spine Line as a medium for the exchange of information. I'm interested in seeing that these things grow over the next few years. We're lucky to have an absolutely astonishing group of people donating a huge amount of time and energy to keep NASS going forward."
He is a member of the Cervical Spine Research Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Society for Bone and Mineral Research. Dr. Heggeness' clinical practice focuses on cervical spine reconstruction and treatment of inflammatory arthroplasties. He is also very active in research and has written extensively on the anatomy and biomechanics of the spine.
Most recently, Dr. Heggeness has been active in developing new techniques for tissue engineering of bone, seeking to use molecular genetic techniques to stimulate spinal fusion and fracture healing. One of the major challenges facing spine surgeons is funding for research projects.
"Those of us who devote time to clinical research are suffering, like all musculoskeletal specialists are suffering, from a lack of research funding," Dr. Heggeness says. "If you look at the frequency and the amount of human suffering and disability due to musculoskeletal injury and disease, the amount of funding provided by the National Institute of Health is ridiculously low."
Dr. Heggeness earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Toronto General Hospital in Canada.
If there is a spine surgeon leader in your community you would like to see profiled, please contact Laura Miller at laura@beckershealthcare.com.
More Articles on Spine Surgeon Leaders:
20 Surgeon Leaders in Independent Spine & Neurosurgical Groups
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He is a member of the Cervical Spine Research Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Society for Bone and Mineral Research. Dr. Heggeness' clinical practice focuses on cervical spine reconstruction and treatment of inflammatory arthroplasties. He is also very active in research and has written extensively on the anatomy and biomechanics of the spine.
Most recently, Dr. Heggeness has been active in developing new techniques for tissue engineering of bone, seeking to use molecular genetic techniques to stimulate spinal fusion and fracture healing. One of the major challenges facing spine surgeons is funding for research projects.
"Those of us who devote time to clinical research are suffering, like all musculoskeletal specialists are suffering, from a lack of research funding," Dr. Heggeness says. "If you look at the frequency and the amount of human suffering and disability due to musculoskeletal injury and disease, the amount of funding provided by the National Institute of Health is ridiculously low."
Dr. Heggeness earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Toronto General Hospital in Canada.
If there is a spine surgeon leader in your community you would like to see profiled, please contact Laura Miller at laura@beckershealthcare.com.
More Articles on Spine Surgeon Leaders:
20 Surgeon Leaders in Independent Spine & Neurosurgical Groups
10 Spine Surgeons & Specialists Engaging in Spinal Biomechanics Research and Development
20 Spine & Neurosurgeon Inventors to Know