AO Spine Knowledge Forums: leading global innovation in spine care

Alfredo Guiroy, the Regional Research Officer for Latin America and an associate member of the AO Spine KF Trauma & Infection, emphasized how the KFs foster collaboration within and between regions: “As the Latin America representative, I view my role as a bridge between the region and the global community—helping to bring regional diversity and perspective to the table, strengthening the connection with the AO Spine LatAm Trauma Study Group, supporting knowledge translation efforts, and identifying and mentoring future leaders from Latin America for active participation in the KFs.” 

“Over the years, the AO Spine KFs have gained the undisputed position as the world leaders in spine research and exchange of ideas. Our recently conducted bibliometric analysis of the published work by members of all five KFs demonstrated that over the years the international and inter-institutional collaboration has flourished, leading to increased impact factor of the published work,” said Laufer. “I’m excited about the ongoing and upcoming prospective studies, the integration of novel technology to improve the quality of research, and the external collaborations with likeminded organizations.” 

AO Spine KFs have secured competitive funding from and partnered with various esteemed organizations, including the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation, the Scoliosis Research Society, the United States Department of Defense, myelopathy.org, Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, James Lind Alliance and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. They have become the premier knowledge brokers within the spine community and have raised awareness of their findings through extensive knowledge exchange and dissemination, as Schnake is keen to emphasize: “The KF's publications are highly regarded in the spine community. Many spine surgeons use them as guides in their daily work. They have the power to continue to set the standard in the treatment of spinal patients.” 

“What motivates me to stand up for the KFs is the opportunity to contribute to a platform that transcends individual interests and strives toward meaningful, global impact in spine care,“ said Guiroy. “Looking ahead, I believe the KFs are well-positioned to further integrate regional data, expand collaborative studies, and develop more agile methods for addressing rapidly evolving clinical questions—especially with the incorporation of artificial intelligence and real-world evidence.”