The Stepping Strong Innovator Awards program supports groundbreaking projects that address well-defined clinical problems in areas including bone, wound, and skin healing; limb transplant and reconstruction; bone and muscle regeneration; advanced stem cell technology; orthopaedic and plastic surgery; bioengineering, emergency preparedness and injury prevention.
The Stepping Strong Center’s model—bestowing seed grants to research teams that show great promise—has a proven track record, having resulted in significant federal funding to many research teams, leading to better patient outcomes and the potential for commercialization. To date, 21 physician-scientist teams have received grants totaling $3.3 million. In aggregate, Stepping Strong Center awardees have raised an additional $17.6 million in outside funding for their research.
Matthew Carty, MD, is an extraordinary case study. In 2016, he received the inaugural Stepping Strong Innovator Award for his project, Recovering Limb Function: A New Surgical Approach for the 21st Century, which sought to revolutionize the way we do lower extremity amputations. Just two years later, Carty performed the first clinical representation of his work. To date, he has received millions of dollars in outside funding and performed what is now known as the “Ewing Amputation” on nearly 20 patients. Carty recently received a Department of Defense grant to apply the procedure to upper limbs. The Stepping Strong Center is proud to have launched this remarkable work.
![Shailesh Agarwal, MD](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ShaiLesh-Agarwal-19-e1574193567467.jpg)
Shailesh Agarwal, MD
Using Biologic Agents to Regenerate Muscles After Traumatic Injury
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Gitajn-Ida-Leah-19-e1574193602469.jpg)
Leah Gitahn, MD
Improving Outcomes for Patients with Fracture-Related Infections
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Khurana-Bharti19-e1619442760403.jpg)
Bharti Khurana, MD
Making the Invisible Visible: Bringing Intimate Partner Violence into Focus
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Feodor-Price-19-e1574193628674.jpg)
Feodor Price, PhD
A Cell Therapy Platform for Treating Skeletal Muscle Trauma
![Marc Wein, MD, PhD](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Marc-Wein-19-e1574193665430.jpg)
Marc Wein, MD, PhD
A Novel Approach to Stimulating Bone Regeneration and Repairing Fractures
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Natalie-Artzi2018.jpg)
Natalie Artzi, PhD (left)
Using Gene Therapy and Antibiotic Delivery to Treat Bone Infections
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Galloway-and-Lehoczky2018.jpg)
Jenna Galloway, PhD, and Jessica Lehoczky, PhD
Identifying Drugs to Expedite the Healing of Orthopaedic Injuries
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Mathias-Kolle2018.jpg)
Mathias Kolle, PhD
Revealing Optimal Pressure in Compression Therapy using Color-changing Fibers
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Zhigang-He-and-Eisensons2018.jpg)
Yi Lu, MD, PhD, and Zhigang He, PhD
Locomotion Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Farokhzad-e1567724013308.png)
Omid Farokhzad, MD
Multifunctional Scaffolds that Promote Bone Healing and Regeneration
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Giatsidis-e1570622738209.jpg)
Giorgio Giatsidis, MD, PhD
Mitigating Damage to Injured Limbs After Tourniquet Application
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Reza-photo-with-Renys.jpg)
Reza Abdi, MD
New Hope for Trauma Patients with Severe Burn Injuries
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2016WinnerM-WeaverMD-01.png)
Michael J. Weaver, MD
21st Century Tools to Measure Bone Healing
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Caterson.jpg)
Edward J. Caterson, MD
Healing Injuries in the Traumatized Extremity: Protection, Decontamination, and Regeneration
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Farokhzad.png)
Omid Farokhzad, MD
Healing Bones with Nanodrones: The Next Frontier in Orthopedic Trauma Surgery
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/BPomahac.jpg)
Bohdan Pomahac, MD
From Battlefield to Bedside: A Portable Device for Rescuing Limbs
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Shin.jpg)
Su-Ryon Shin, PhD
3D Bioprinting: A New Approach to Healing Muscle Trauma
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2014-innovators-Carty.jpg)
Matthew J. Carty, MD
Recovering Limb Function: A New Surgical Approach For the 21st Century
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/14-innovators-dyer.png)
George Dyer, MD
Repairing Large Traumatic Fractures: Using Silk-Based Orthopedic Implants to Promote Healing
![](https://steppingstrong.bwh.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Indranil-Sinha.jpg)
Indranil Sinha, MD
Using Stem Cells to Regenerate Injured Muscle.