Dr. Maria Podsiedlik, a faculty member in small animal orthopedic surgery at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has been awarded a prestigious 2024 AO/ARI VET Collaborative Research Grant. This grant will support groundbreaking research to improve orthopedic surgical techniques and continues MSU’s legacy of excellence in veterinary orthopedics.

The funded project, led by Podsiedlik, will evaluate “pulse drilling,” a technique that could revolutionize orthopedic drilling methods in both human and veterinary surgery. This multi-institution collaboration includes MSU (Principal Investigator Podsiedlik and Co-Investigator Dr. Loic Déjardin), Texas A&M University (Co-Investigator Dr. Kati Glass), and the AO Research Institute in Davos, Switzerland (Co-Investigator Dr. Boyko Gueorguiev). The team begins their work in 2025.

The AO Foundation, the largest orthopedic foundation in the world, has established specialty areas for trauma, spine, craniomaxillofacial, veterinary and reconstructive surgery. Its mission is to promote excellence in patient care and outcomes in trauma and musculoskeletal disorders. To this end, the foundation advances the education of human and veterinary orthopedic surgeons, hosting more than 850 educational events each year around the world.

Improving Drilling Methods

In human and veterinary orthopedic surgery, proper bone drilling is crucial to provide implant stability. However, the heat generated by conventional drilling methods can damage bone tissue, potentially compromising implant stability and leading to repair failure. Pulse drilling offers a promising solution by minimizing heat production and enhancing surgical outcomes.

“Finding the safest, most reliable drilling method is a key focus of our study,” says Podsiedlik. “The AO/ARI grant will allow us to explore this important issue further.”

Podsiedlik joined MSU in 2021 as an assistant professor in small animal orthopedic surgery. “Working at MSU, with its world-renowned orthopedic history and surgeons like Dr. Gretchen Flo and Dr. Déjardin, motivates me to strive for excellence every day,” she says. “Research efforts are never a one-person job. The role of mentors in our careers is crucial, every step of the way.”

Continuing Contributions

As the first and currently only Polish veterinary graduate to achieve Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), Podsiedlik exemplifies the dedication and innovation that define MSU’s orthopedic program.

“To receive this prestigious AO VET Foundation grant gives us an opportunity to push boundaries and carry forward MSU’s rich orthopedic heritage,” Podsiedlik says. “The international team from multiple institutions embodies the spirit of collaboration and discovery that defines the AO Foundation’s mission.”

Podsiedlik’s passion for orthopedic surgery extends beyond research. She trains veterinary students, interns, and residents at MSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital and contributes to international education through AO VET courses. Her recent research includes contributions to an experimental study pioneering compaction drilling (recipient of the 2025 VOS Gretchen Flo Award) and a clinical evaluation of minimally invasive elastic plate osteosynthesis. Both studies have been presented at leading surgical conferences in the US and Europe.

The AO/ARI VET Collaborative Research Grant funds experimental research in veterinary and comparative orthopedics conducted at the AO Research Institute in Davos, Switzerland.