Recognition for Pioneering Work on Disc Degeneration and Low Back Pain
Coimbatore / Atlanta (USA): Dr. S. Rajasekaran, Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and Spine Surgery at Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore, has been conferred the ‘Wiltse Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS). The award was presented at the society’s annual meeting held in Atlanta, USA, on May 15.
Award Acknowledges Breakthroughs in Disc Biology and Spinal Research
The prestigious award recognises Dr. Rajasekaran’s significant research contributions in the areas of low back pain, disc degeneration, and disc biology. His work, carried out with his team at Ganga Hospital, has explored nutritional pathways in lumbar discs, the impact of mechanical stress, and the role of subclinical infection as an emerging cause of spinal degeneration.
A recent breakthrough includes their finding that bacteria from the gut and skin can migrate to spinal discs, triggering inflammation and contributing to chronic back pain.
Global Acknowledgement and Prestigious Nominations
The award jury comprised members from Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. Dr. Rajasekaran was nominated by renowned spine experts Dr. Robert Gunzberg, Editor-in-Chief of the European Spine Journal, and Prof. Jill Urban, a distinguished researcher from Oxford University.
The ISSLS is a global organisation that brings together experts in spine surgery, genetics, radiology, bioengineering, and implant technology, making this recognition a major milestone in spinal research.
Ganga Research Centre Sets National Benchmark
The Ganga Research Centre was recently designated as an ‘Advanced Centre for Molecular Research in Spinal Diseases’ by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India — the first such centre in the country.
Dr. Rajasekaran’s academic contributions include 781 research papers, an H-index of 54, and over 13,000 citations, underscoring his profound impact on the global spine research community.
