CORI Hosts Leading US Surgeons from Scottish Rite for Children Hospital

As part of our ongoing commitment to global collaboration and innovation in paediatric orthopaedics, CORI was proud to welcome Dr Anthony Riccio, MD, and Dr Jacob Zide, MD, from Scottish Rite for Children in Dallas, Texas last November. Scottish Rite is one of the world’s most respected institutions in the field, and their visit provided a valuable day of exchange, reflection, and connection.

The visit marked a significant step in developing international relationships with key global leaders. CORI used the opportunity to showcase our research programmes, engineering facilities, and clinical partnerships, while gaining valuable insight into Scottish Rite’s approach to care delivery, research leadership, and the challenges faced by large orthopaedic centres.

We began with a guided tour of UCD’s engineering facilities, highlighting the infrastructure behind our translational research. Following this, CORI researchers Ms Hannah Kane, Dr Mariam Mtchedlishvili, and Mr Páraic Ó Ciaruáin delivered a series of flash presentations. Their work addressed key areas of the group’s focus, including machine learning models for Perthes prognosis, physeal development and mechanoregulation, and the design of a novel guided growth implant.

The session also featured contributions from small animal veterinary specialists Dr Marie Pauline Maurin and Dr Jorge Espinel Ruperez, who spoke about the role of animal models in biomechanics research and the importance of veterinary collaboration in translational orthopaedics.

The discussion broadened with the participation of leading Irish orthopaedic surgeons Prof. Damian McCormack, Mr Conor Green, Mr Mike O’Sullivan, and Mr Paul Connolly, alongside Professors Niamh Nowlan and Brendan Murphy. Patient advocacy representative Diane Hodnett of OrthoKids Ireland also offered an invaluable perspective, grounding the conversation in lived experience and real-world impact.

Our guests from Scottish Rite for Children shared insights into their hospital’s clinical model and research ethos, sparking thoughtful exchanges around shared priorities, differences in health system structures, and opportunities for future collaboration.

This visit reinforced CORI’s commitment to engaging meaningfully with the international paediatric orthopaedic community, not only to strengthen our own work, but to contribute actively to the global conversation on how best to care for children.

We look forward to deepening this relationship with Scottish Rite for Children and continuing to learn from and with the global leaders shaping the future of paediatric orthopaedic care.

By Páraic Ó Ciaruáin