Meet Our International Collaborators

  • Dr. Cooper specializes in limb lengthening and reconstruction, hip deformities, and trauma. He runs the multidisciplinary Pediatric Limb Reconstruction clinic and research program. His research involves studies on patient reported outcomes, quality of life, complications of limb reconstruction, genetics of rare orthopaedic conditions, geometrical modelling and medical imaging studies. He has research collaborations with orthopaedic surgeons and researchers across Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, India, Nigeria, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, UK and the USA.

  • Dr. Flanagan is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She has built an exceptional OI program and community in Atlanta, a field which she is extremely passionate about. She has also experienced OI clinics and collaborated on research initiatives in Nebraska, Georgia, Wilmington, Vancouver, and Montreal. Her endeavors make her an important physician sponsor for the OI foundation. Dr. Flanagan will be contributing to the OI sub registry of ILDN.

  • Dr. Stockler is a biochemical geneticist at BC Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. She has particular interest in bone disease caused by inborn errors of metabolism. She has performed literature reviews and natural history studies on Morquio B disease which is caused by certain mutations in the GLB1 gene. In collaboration with Dr. Cooper and the International Limb Differences Registry Team, she has developed a database for Morquio B disease. The ultimate aim of this Morquio B registry is to collect data about the course of the condition which will inform the design of future clinical trials with newly developed therapies for this unique genetic condition.

  • Dr. Wallace is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and practices pediatric orthopaedic surgery at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. A native of Nebraska, she graduated from Missouri State University with a BS in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training and the University of Nebraska Medical Center with her medical degree. She completed her orthopaedic surgery residency at Saint Louis University and her pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship at AI duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. She is the director of the Osteogenesis Imperfecta clinic at Children’s hospital in Omaha and serves as a board member for the Jansen’s Foundation. She has committed a significant portion of her clinical practice to OI and the majority of her academic practice to OI.

  • Jeanne M. Franzone, MD is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at the Nemours Alfred. I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. She is the Co-Director of the Multidisciplinary Osteogenesis Imperfecta Program. At Nemours, the multidisciplinary OI team provides comprehensive OI care from the prenatal period through the age of 35 years. Dr. Franzone is a member of the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society and serves on the Faculty for the OIF OI TeleECHO series. Dr. Franzone is on the Scientific Advisory Board for the OIF’s Preparing Adults with Osteogenesis Imperfecta to Engage in Research on Access and Quality of Care for Their Rare Disease PCORI project.

  • Dr. Juergen Messner is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and was the first fellow at the Limb Lengthening and Reocnstruction Program. He now has his own practice in Edinburgh, Scotland and is the first in the UK to use the Orthex Frame as studied with Dr. Cooper.

  • Dr. Jessica Burns is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Arizona with special interest in musculoskeletal infections. She is the assistant program director for the pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and serves on multiple committees regarding infection policy. She is engaged in research regarding acute and chronic musculoskeletal infection in children. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding, hiking, and spending time with her husband and children.

  • Dr. Shah is a professor and the head of the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India. He is also the treasurer of the Paediatric Orthopaedics Society of India (POSI). Dr. Shah makes international contributions to orthopaedics as the south zone representative executive member of POSI, a travelling fellow of COUR POSNA and APOA, and has published 75 original articles in international index journals.

  • Dr. Joseph is a consultant paediatric surgeon at Aster Medicity in Kochi, India with 40 year of clinical, teaching, and research experience. He is one of the most sought doctors for paediatric orthopaedics and specializes in perthes disease, skeletal dysplasia, developmental dysplasia of the hip, spina bifida, clubfoot, and other congenital foot anomalies. Dr. Joseph is the former president of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of India. He also has over 76 published articles and authored chapters in various textbooks.

  • Dr. Belthur is an associate professor, in the Department of Child Health & orthopedics, at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Director of Pediatric Limb reconstruction at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Arizona, as well as the Co-director of the Bubba Watson & Ping Human Motion Analysis Laboratory. He has an established publication record with over 60 peer-reviewed publications focusing on patient-related outcomes, patient safety & quality, pediatric limb reconstruction, neuromuscular disorders, gait analysis, musculoskeletal infections, trauma and clubfoot. Dr. Belthur’s significant research influence stems from his development of many research protocols and implementation of the Ponseti method in India. He is committed to providing holistic orthopedic care and service to his patients, by being compassionate, competent, and conscientious. He strives relentlessly to improve the quality of life of children, adolescents, and young adults with musculoskeletal problems by engaging, empathizing, educating, enlisting their help, and empowering them and their families. He is involved in clinical research projects that are impactful and make a difference to the lives of disabled children. He is passionate about teaching and mentoring learners from all walks of the health profession. He is interested in promoting global health and works with non- profit organizations to reduce the burden of childhood musculoskeletal disorders in low- and middle-income countries.

  • Dr. Liam Johnson is a Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. He has a broad practice in lower limb conditions and trauma and is excited to be part of the growing research team in Brisbane and collaborate with friends and colleagues.

  • Dr. Izuagba is a senior consultant orthopedic surgeon at the National Orthopedic Hospital in Igbobi, Lagos, Nigeria. He has over 20 years of experience in provision of quality health care, mentorship, and training of other doctors in various hospitals and environment settings. Dr. Izuagba began and developed a rare orthopedic subspecialty that has benefitted over 250 patients. He has also trained 6 active surgeons, reducing orthopedic medical tourism. Dr. Izuagba is highly committed to research and professional development and will contribute to the ILDN Blount’s disease sub-registry.

  • Dr. Anirejuoritse Bafor is an orthopedic surgeon with 13 years of post-residency experience. He has dedicated most of his practice to pediatric orthopedics and lower limb reconstruction. He completed an AO trauma fellowship at the AO Trauma centre, Universitatsklinik fur Unfallchirurgie, Innsbruck, Austria and a research fellowship at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. He has over 40 publications in peer reviewed journals including a book chapter. He currently serves as an International Research Scholar/Research Scientist in the Department of Orthopedics at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH), Columbus Ohio.

  • Dr. Ranade is one of the top Consultant Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeons in Pune and India. He is currently attached to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and has been awarded FRCS (Glasg) by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Dr. Ranade’s expertise includes Club-foot, Scoliosis, Cerebral Palsy, Fractures, Developmental Dysplasia of Hip, Perthe’s Disease, Limb Deformity, Torticollis, Trigger Thumb, Rickets, Genu Varum, Knock Knees or Genu Valgus, Blount’s Disease, Bone Cyst, Fibrous Dysplasia, Leg Length Inequality, Congenital Pseudoarthrosis, Osteogenesis Imperfecta etc. He has been part of an outreach program with a charity organization for the last few years for the assessment of children with deformities in rural areas.

  • Dr David Bade is a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon based in Brisbane, Australia. He is the Director of Orthopaedics at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. Dr Bade’s main interests are in the surgical treatments of lower limb and neuromuscular conditions including limb deformity. Dr Bade has a passion for collaborative research and is honoured to be a member of the International limb Differences Network.

  • Mr. Fernandes is a substantive consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Sheffield Children's Hospital (SCH) for the last 22 years. Mr. Fernandes did his orthopaedic training in India and furthered his training in the United Kingdom. He completed double fellowships in Paediatric Orthopaedics and limb reconstruction at Sheffield and as senior registrar at Alder Hey, Liverpool. He does teaching and charitable operating in India, Sri Lanka and Africa. He was the previous Chairman and President of the 4th World Congress of the combined Societies of ASAMI-Br & ILLRS and previous Secretary of the British Society for Children's Orthopaedic surgery as well as the previous President of BLRS,UK. . He also served as Examiner and International Examiner for the Intercollegiate Board examinations FRCS (TR & Orth) and the ISTP clinical lead for the RCS of England. His expertise is in limb reconstruction, Skeletal Dysplasia, DDH and general orthopaedics. Mr. Fernandes’ site is also actively involved in recruitment and data collection for field testing of the LIMB-Q Kids questionnaire.