Hall of Fame

Pioneer of Innovation

Founders’ Award

50 Career Highlights

A Hub for Comparative Research

“Learning about tendon properties through the use of rat tail tendons in the lab has allowed me to better understand how human tendons work, not something that is incorporated into our medical school curriculum.”

- Andrew Brooks
Works in LCOR; student in the MSU College of Human Medicine

“Dr. Arnoczky brought greatness out of me that I didn’t even know was in me. He taught me the importance of intellectual integrity and that one should strive for no less than perfection.”

- Jennifer Fowlie, DVM
Master’s student in LCOR; Veterinarian, Moore Equine, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

“He took a chance on me and has been a great teacher, mentor, and a true friend. I honestly owe my career to him because he provided the foundation of all I have accomplished.”

- Answorth Allen, MD, MA, Diplomate NBME, ABOSR
Medical student mentee at Cornell in 1982; Associate attending orthopedic surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery; Associate professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College; Team physician for the New York Knicks basketball team

“His interest in teaching has deepened my understanding of medicine, helping to answer my questions of why and how the human body works. He inspires a continual curiosity."

- Emma Klosterman, MA
Student in the MSU College of Human Medicine

“You know when you reach the status of being internationally known by a single name—‘Arno’ in his case—that you have transcended to a level of respect and recognition that few attain. Dr. Arnoczky is quite simply a legend!”

- James L. Cook, DVM, PhD, DACVS, DACVSMR, OTC, OT-SC
William & Kathryn Allen Distinguished Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery; Director, Comparative Orthopaedic Laboratory, Orthopaedic Research Division & Mizzou BioJoint Center; Interim Senior Associate Dean for Research, School of Medicine; University of Missouri, Missouri Orthopaedic Institute

“LCOR is where I learned the ‘art’ of developing a successful research program. A successful program also requires organization, attention to detail, dedicated staff, a little showmanship, and constant enthusiasm for the work.”

- Jean Nemzek, DVM
Former Master’s student in LCOR; Clinical Associate Professor, Assistant Director of Research Services; Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School 

“Imaging is used to support our research data as a visual representation and it gives the research a ‘wow’ factor. A spectacular event in the lab was the discovery of primary cilia on tendon cells and the ability to image them for future analysis with regard to their biomechanical properties.”

- Keri Gardner, LVT, MS
Manages the LCOR Tissue Culture and Imaging Laboratory

“I had the honor of being Dr. Arnoczky’s first post doctoral fellow. My work with Steve both confirmed and motivated my career as a clinician-scientist. He has an amazing ability to capture an audience and send them home with a scientific pearl, regardless of their level of expertise.” 

- Jo Hannafin, MD, PhD
SPA’s first post-doctoral fellow; Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery; Weill Medical College of Cornell University; Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service Hospital for Special Surgery

“Steve’s lab was one where students would be exposed to OR and surgical thinking. It was a great opportunity to see how translational research can be used to improve the care of patients. He was willing to share his experience, his time, his willingness to be a mentor.”

- Joseph Minei, MD  
Research student, Cornell Medical College in 1981; Professor and Chair – Division of Burn, Trauma and Critical Care, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Surgeon-in-Chief, Parkland Health and Hospital System

“I was a junior at Cass Technical HS in Detroit when I entered the summer research program at MSU. Working in Dr. Arnoczky’s lab gave me exposure to a side of science that I had not considered. My experience in his laboratory helped me to begin cultivating critical thinking skills that I use today as a clinician.”

- Khiana K. Willis, PharmD
High school research program, 1994; Pharmacist Clinician, VA Medical Center Outpatient Pharmacy, Detroit, MI Computational Biology Laboratories

“Dr. Arnoczky without a doubt instilled a healthy respect for the animals’ contributions to the research process. Their care was ultimately our first and only concern. My experience in the lab and in writing a research publication ultimately taught that healthy skepticism isn’t a bad thing, and that asking ‘why’ is good.”

- Dina (Hartzel) Wild, DVM  
Worked in LCOR during DVM program; Cascade West Veterinary Hospital, Centralia, WA

“After I completed my master’s at the Orthopaedic Research Laboratories at the University of Michigan, I was interested in pursuing orthopaedic research outside of a degree program. I was excited to be able to work for Dr. Arnoczky and in generating the high-quality research he was known for in orthopaedics.”

- Michael Lavagnino, PhD
Manager of LCOR’s Biomaterial Testing and Computational Biology Laboratories

“I met Dr. Arnoczky in 1979 after he’d become a diplomate of ACVS. He opened my eyes at an early stage to translational abilities from animals to humans. His demonstration in the dogs represents the original pioneering work in translational research in orthopaedics. At CSU, we followed similar pathways in the horse.”

- C. Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, PhD, DSc, FRCVS, DACVS, DACVSMR
University Distinguished Professor; Barbara Cox Anthony University Chair in Orthopaedics; Director, Orthopaedic Research Center, Colorado State University

“Dr. Arnoczky got me interested in research. During my orthopaedic rotation, I was interested in diagnostics—the hunt. Of all the rotations during my internship, cardiology stuck. At UC Davis, I’m honestly living my dream—balancing research, teaching, clinical work. I have an impact on students and helping animals—on a grander scale because of clinical research.”

- Lance Visser
Lance Visser, DVM, MS, MS, Diplomate ACVIM Assistant Professor of Clinical Cardiology, UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital

"By training, I am a DVM, like Dr. Arnoczky, and we are both living examples of veterinarians doing something other than what people usually assume veterinarians do. Dr. Arnoczky’s scientific achievements inspired and encouraged me to leave my comfort zone (clinical veterinary medicine) to do biomechanical research on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction."

- Janne Nurmi, DVM
Sales Director at Inion Oy, a medical device company developing, manufacturing, and marketing bioabsorbable orthopaedic implants in Tampere, Finland

“Professor Arnoczky showed me that excellent scientists are those who have a reasonable, superior, and unique hypothesis. At Gunma University School of Medicine, I participate in the clinical procedures in the rehabilitation unit for motor organs, central nerve system, and mental disorders, including analysis of steroid hormone in saliva to evaluate mental depression.”

- Kenji Shirakura, MD, PhD
Professor, Gunma University Faculty of Medicine; Director, Rehabilitation Center Saiseikai Hospital