News Release

November 3, 2006

Contact: Maureen McGuire, 860-679-4523
e-mail: mmcguire@nso.uchc.edu

Dr. Jay R. Lieberman Joins UConn Health Center

Nationally Recognized Joint Replacement Surgeon Leads the New Musculoskeletal Institute and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

FARMINGTON, CONN. – Jay R. Lieberman, M.D., a nationally prominent orthopaedic surgeon with expertise in joint replacement surgery, is the new director of the Musculoskeletal Institute and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Connecticut Health Center. He is accepting new patients.

Dr. Lieberman joins the UConn Health Center from UCLA Medical Center where he was a professor of orthopaedic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine and director of both the total joint replacement service and the resident education program for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He has enjoyed a very successful career in orthopaedic surgery, is widely published in scholarly journals and is considered a national expert in joint replacement surgery.

“Total hip or knee replacement surgeries were once thought of only for patients aged 70 or older. Now, we are doing the procedure on much younger patients and helping them to continue active lifestyles,” Dr. Lieberman said. “We are asking the joint replacements to do more and to last for longer periods of time. At the same time, we are working to develop less invasive surgical techniques, novel pain management protocols and more aggressive physical therapy to further improve outcomes.”

In addition to his interest in total joint replacement, Dr. Lieberman has extensive experience in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the hip and knee, a leading cause of pain and loss of mobility. His research interests include outcomes after total joint replacement surgery, deep vein thrombosis prevention and gene therapy to promote bone repair. Dr. Lieberman is a pioneer in the field of musculoskeletal gene therapy. Although not yet available for patients, the focus of his research is to enhance the body’s ability to heal difficult bone loss problems associated with fractures, total joint replacement and bone tumors.

Dr. Lieberman has contributed more than 100 articles and book chapters to academic literature. In addition, he is a consultant reviewer for publications including the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and the New England Journal of Medicine and serves on the editorial board of several prominent orthopaedic journals including the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Journal of Arthroplasty. He is actively involved with many national orthopaedic organizations and has been invited to present hundreds of lectures nationally and internationally about joint replacement surgery and other orthopaedic topics.

“We are most pleased to have someone of Jay Lieberman’s skills leading both our Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and our vibrant program in musculoskeletal health,” said Peter J. Deckers, M.D., executive vice president for health affairs at the UConn Health Center and dean of the UConn School of Medicine. “Musculoskeletal disorders, from osteoporosis and arthritis to fractures and other injuries, affect millions of Americans every year. Our goal, through the Musculoskeletal Institute, is to offer today the best quality care for our patients while, at the same time, vigorously pursuing novel research initiatives that may soon be translated into new treatments and approaches to care,” he added.

Dr. Lieberman brings new leadership to the Musculoskeletal Institute, a consortium of services to help men and women gain mobility and maintain overall health. Programs include state-of-the-art orthopaedic surgery, including orthopaedic sports medicine, joint replacement, a hand and wrist program and an ankle and foot program. Also within the Musculoskeletal Institute is a comprehensive spine center and expert care for osteoporosis, rheumatologic conditions and more. Services are offered in one building on the Farmington campus that includes everything from imaging, physical therapy, same-day surgery and doctor’s offices to modern lab space for research and innovations in care.

“One of the most attractive things about the UConn Health Center and the Musculoskeletal Institute is that we offer world class care, from nationally and internationally known experts, in one convenient location. This is a tremendous resource for the people of Connecticut,” Dr. Lieberman added.

“I’m delighted to be working with a team of successful physicians and surgeons who are committed both to teaching the next generation of providers and discovering new research advances,” Dr. Lieberman said. In particular, Dr. Lieberman thanked Lawrence Raisz, M.D., director of the UConn Center for Osteoporosis, who previously served as director of the Musculoskeletal Institute and is now the associate director.

Dr. Lieberman is a graduate of Cornell University and received his medical degree from Albany Medical College. He completed a residency in surgery at Montefiore Medical Center at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, as well as residencies in surgery and orthopaedic surgery at Albany Medical Center Hospital. In addition, Dr. Lieberman completed a fellowship in total joint arthroplasty at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and a fellowship in medical education at the UCLA School of Medicine.

Dr. Lieberman has received numerous awards including the Physician-Scientist Award from the National Institutes of Health, the Otto Aufranc Hip Society Award and the prestigious ABC Traveling Fellowship, a program of the American Orthopaedic Association.

For more information, call 800-535-6232.

Download a high resolution photo of Dr. Lieberman at: http://www.uchc.edu/ocomm/images/images_news/lieberman.jpg

The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, John Dempsey Hospital, the UConn Medical Group and University Dentists. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. To learn more about the UConn Health Center, visit our website at www.uchc.edu.

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