Clinical Research Scholars (KL2) Program Visiting Professorship Seminar

Derek Amanatullah, MD, PhD, FAAOS
Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Vice Fellowship Director Stanford University, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Over the past seven years, I developed into an expert in revision joint replacements – most of my practice consists of fixing the failed surgeries, primarily for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Essentially, I live on the front line of a silent, costly, and unappreciated epidemic affecting patents with total joint replacements. I am trained to remove implants (sometimes by intentionally breaking bones), place custom molded cement spacers laden with antibiotics, and replace affected joints with even bigger implants that are unfortunately susceptible to re-infection. As a result, the surgical process of treating PJI is not without morbidity and mortality. I published extensively on the clinical outcomes of primary and revision joint replacements including PJI, and the scope of my current practice has focused my research on understanding the clinical and basic science challenges of biofilm-mediated infections. My laboratory developed an assay to study bacteria that live within biofilm. I lead the Stanford Orthopedic Microbiology Laboratory, and we are poised to address many of the deficiencies in the diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment of PJI.

Dr. Amanatullah is participating in a CTSA Visiting Professorship Program across KL2 institutional hubs to provide an opportunity for KL2 scholars to give lectures at participating institutions with the goal of enhancing trainee experience, sharing science across disciplines, networking, and encouraging new team science collaborations. Dr. Amanatullah is currently a KL2 scholar with the Stanford program.