Board of Scientific Advisors
John Kostuik, MD
Chairman of the Board and Chief Scientific Officer
- K2M Chairman & Chief Medical Officer
- Previously held the position of Chief of Spine Surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
- Past President of the Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society
- Authored numerous papers
- Trained over 150 International Fellows
Jean-Jacques Abitbol, MD
The CA Spine Group, San Diego, California
- Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in spinal disorders at Sharp Memorial Hospital and Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego, California
- Past President of the North American Spine Society (NASS)
- Board member of the Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS)
- Authored numerous published articles and book chapters
Behrooz Akbarnia, MD
San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders, La Jolla, CA
- Medical Director at the San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders
- Clinical Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of California San Diego & Director of the San Diego Spine Fellowship Program
- President of the Scoliosis Research Society & Chairman of the San Diego City Wide Spine meetings since 1997
- Graduate of the John H. Moe Scoliosis Fellowship Program
Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, MD
Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY
- Started the foundation, F.O.C.O.S. (Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine) to provide orthopedic medical care to underserved populations in West Africa and other third world nations
- Chief of the Scoliosis Service, Hospital for Special Surgery
- Published and lectured extensively on Spine Surgery, with special emphasis on surgery to correct spine deformity
John Carbone, MD
Harborview Reconstructive Spine & Orthopedic Specialists, Baltimore, MD
- Orthopedic Spine Surgeon & Engineer specializing in Cervical and Low Back Reconstruction
- Interests in Biomechanics & Design and improvement of spinal implants
- Member of the K2M Board of Scientific Advisors
Allen Carl, MD
The Orthopedic Group, Albany, NY
- Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery & Pediatrics Head, Spine Section, Albany Medical College
- Member, New York State Spinal Cord Injury Research Board, AAOS, AOA, NASS, SRS
- Recipient of the Scoliosis Research Traveling Fellowship
- Associate Book Editor; Spine Deformity: The Comprehensive Text
Patrick Connolly, MD
UMASS Memorial Department of Orthopedics & Physical Rehabilitation, Worcester, MA
- Chief of Spinal Surgery, Department of Orthopedics University of Massachusetts
- Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery, Upstate Medical University, 1993-2003
- Co-Editor OKA III Spine
- John Kostuik Adult Spine Fellow, 1990-1991
Gordon Donald, MD
NJ Spine Group, LLC, Shrewsbury, NJ
- Founder & Medical Director, Spine Center of the Northeast
- Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery specializing in spinal surgery
- Instructor & Developer of Spinal Motion Preserving & Fixation Systems
Matt Gornet, MD
Missouri Bone & Joint Center, St. Louis, MO
- Specialist in Lumbar, Minimally Invasive and Cervical Surgery
- Former Fellow at Johns Hopkins University
Richard Guyer, MD
Texas Back Institute, Plano, TX
- President of the North American Spine Society (NASS)
- Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedics, University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine
- Co-Director Texas Back Institute Spine Fellowship
- Chairman, Texas Back Institute Research Foundation
Larry Khoo, MD
UCLA Comprehensive Spine Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Graduated from Yale University School of Medicine with Magna Cum Laude honors
- Resident member of the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- Member of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Spine & Peripheral Nerve Surgery and the North American Spine Society
George Miz, MD
Bone & Joint Physicians, Oak Lawn, IL
- Founder and Co-Medical Director, Ingalls Spine Center
- Clinical Investigator in numerous clinical trials involving spinal implants, biologics and motion preservation technology
- Extensive clinical experience in use and development of spinal implants
Mr. M. H. Hilali Noordeen, FRCS
London, UK
- Consultant Spinal Surgeon to The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, The Children's Hospital Great Ormond Street, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Harley St Clinic, The Wellington Hospital, The Princess Grace Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Senior Lecturer to Institute of Orthopaedics, and The Institute of Child Health, University College London
- Graduate of the University of Oxford, England and The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London
Pierce Dalton Nunley, MD
The Spine Institute of Louisiana, Shreveport, LA
- Internationally fellowship trained in Switzerland and a fellowship with internationally renowned David K. Selby at the Dallas Spine Group
- Successful private practice dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of spinal disorders and trauma
- Trained in Microscopic Surgery, Spinal Reconstructions, IDET, Kyphoplasty & Vertebroplasty, and many other types of spinal surgery
John Peloza, MD
Center for Spine Surgery, Dallas, TX
- Internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine care
- Pioneer in Minimal Access Spinal Technology (MAST)
- Clinical investigator on numerous medical research studies related to the spine
George Picetti, MD
Sutter Neuroscience Medical Group, Sacramento, CA
- Highly specialized in Minimally Invasive, adult and pediatric spine surgery
- Known internationally for his Minimally Invasive approach to Scoliosis treatment pioneering an Endoscopic instrumentation for the treatment of Scoliosis
- Widely recognized as the expert in highly complex adult deformity and reconstruction
- Completed Orthopaedic Spine Fellowship at the Texas Back Institute
- Serves as the Director of Spine Overseas, a volunteer-based program for Orthopedic and Neurosurgeons to treat complex spinal pathologies in developing countries
Faheem A. Sandhu, MD
Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Georgetown University Hospital
- Neurosurgeon specializing in Degenerative Spine, Spinal Deformity, Trauma, Tumor-Infections, neck, and back surgery and treatment
- Complex and Minimally Invasive Spine Fellowship with Dr. Richard Fessler at the University of Chicago
- Special Interests in minimally invasive discectomy and spinal decompression, minimally invasive spinal fusions, endoscopic spinal and brain surgery, Kyphoplasty, and General neurosurgery
Alexis P. Shelokov, MD
Consulting Orthopedists, Plano, TX
- President of Consulting Orthopedists
- Completed three fellowships at the Texas Scottish Rite in Dallas, Southwestern Medical School/Texas Back Institute
- Recipient of the Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation traveling fellowship grant
- Written and/ or presented more than 30 medical and scientific papers
- Orthopedic spine surgeon who treats spinal diseases: specifically pediatric and adult scoliosis, spinal tumors, degenerative conditions of the spine and one of only a few dozen surgeons in the United States who regularly perform scoliosis revision surgery on children and adults
Dr. Shelokov (1954-2009) will be remembered by K2M for his valuable contributions to the Board of Scientific Advisors.
Gil Tepper, MD
Valley Spine Group, Sherman Oaks, CA
- FDA Investigator for Stryker / Spinecore Artificial Disc
- Developed outpatient protocols for full gamut of Cervical & Lumbar reconstruction techniques with approximately 13 years experience
- Owner & Operator of MMMC- 17 bed boutique, general hospital in Los Angeles, CA
Charles Theofilos, MD
The Spine Center, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- Founder and Director of The Spine Center, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a fully integrated comprehensive spine center
- FDA national investigating site for Stryker/Flexicore artificial disc, Stryker Cervicore artificial disc, Synthes syn-cage interbody fusion device and others
- Performed the first live internet spine surgery using BAK Interbody Fusion in conjunction with SpineTech. National instructor for BAK interbody device for Spinetech, National M.E.D. Instructor (Micro Endoscopic Discectomy), Sofamer-Danek, Inc., MED Systems
- Special interests include total disc replacement, motion preservation & minimally invasive interbody fusion devices
John Williams, MD
Orthopedics Northeast, Ft. Wayne, IN
- Clinical Investigator in multiple studies involving spinal implants, spine fusion outcomes, osteobiologics and motion preservation technologies
- Associate Clinical Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Member of numerous spine societies
- Active in Animal Basic Science Spine Research at Indiana University, Purdue University - Fort Wayne
