Dr. James Iatridis, professor in the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences' School of Engineering and the UVM College of Medicine's Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, received the AO Research Fund Prize for his grant entitled "Effects of cyclic compression on intervertebral disc metabolism." The prize was presented on June 20, 2009 at the annual trustees meeting of the AO Foundation in Chicago, IL.

The AO Foundation is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of patient care in general trauma, spine, craniomaxillofacial, and veterinary surgery. In his remarks, Dr. Iatridis acknowledged the important role the AO Foundation has played in his career through the funding of exploratory projects and the development of international collaborations.

Iatridis' team has a variety of expertise that spans from engineering to orthopedics to cell biology, all of which aid in the understanding of how mechanical events produce biological responses within the fragile intervertebral discs of the spine. Intervertebral discs are made of very tough material but, biologically, they are very slow to repair. Iatridis' group investigates the intervertebral disc response to injury and treatment.

Iatridis recently was awarded a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. This research aligns with UVM President Dan Fogel's vision for UVM to be the nation's premier small public research university.