The UW Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Pilot Award Program was created to support novel and developing research of department faculty and trainees who are early in their professional careers. Awarded three times per year, these grants target research areas that advance the fields of orthopedics and rehabilitation, including basic discovery research, patient-based clinical research, patient-centered outcomes research, dissemination and implementation research, and community engagement research.

We are excited to share the names of the two members of our team who were selected to receive a Pilot Award in summer 2025:

Eric Cotter, MD, an assistant professor in the UW Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, has been awarded a $25,000 Pilot Award to support his promising research into reducing the risk of shoulder periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) caused by Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes).

C. acnes is the most common pathogen responsible for PJIs following shoulder surgeries. These infections are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat due to the bacteria’s slow growth in culture and ability to evade conventional detection methods. Infections can lead to costly implant removal and extended antibiotic treatment – averaging over $100,000 per case.

Dr. Cotter’s research explores the use of blue light therapy (BLT) as a novel preoperative skin preparation technique. BLT, currently used in dermatology to treat inflammatory acne, may offer deeper penetration into sebaceous glands than traditional skin preps, potentially reducing C. acnes bioburden more effectively.

This lab-based study aims to help clarify the mechanism of BLT and its potential as a selective or broad-spectrum antimicrobial strategy. It may also pave the way for combining BLT with photosensitizing agents to enhance its effectiveness.

We congratulate Dr. Cotter on this important recognition and look forward to the impact his research may have on improving patient outcomes after shoulder joint replacement surgery.

Josh Choe, MD, PhD, an orthopedic surgery resident in the UW Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and an affiliate of The Murphy Group, was awarded a $23,000 Pilot Award in support of his innovative research on gene delivery in the context of digit regeneration.

Dr. Choe’s project addresses a pressing and underserved medical challenge: complex tissue and limb loss. With over 2.3 million Americans currently living with limb loss and annual amputations projected to exceed 761,000 by 2060, there is an urgent need for therapies that restore natural limb function. His work explores a promising path forward by leveraging the body’s own regenerative biology with therapeutic mRNA delivery.

In collaboration with bioinformatics expert Peng Jiang, Dr. Choe aims to identify microRNA (miRNA) profiles unique to non-regenerating digits. His project will develop an innovative mRNA-miRNA circuit designed to activate only in the microenvironment of proximally amputated digits, thereby promoting tissue regeneration with precise, tissue-specific gene expression. This non-viral mRNA delivery method builds on recent advances in mRNA vaccine technology, offering a safer and more targeted therapeutic strategy than traditional gene therapies.

This exciting project represents a critical step toward future regenerative therapies for multi-tissue regeneration and limb loss, and we congratulate Dr. Choe on this well-deserved recognition and support.