About Steadman Philippon Research Institute
Since its founding in 1988, SPRI has been dedicated to its mission of unlocking the secrets of healing, finding cures and enhancing lives through global leadership in regenerative medicine, scientific research, innovation and education. SPRI’s research is supported through federal grants and contracts with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Defense (DoD), as well as industry, foundation and philanthropic grants. SPRI is comprised of four distinct departments that adopt a multidisciplinary approach to bench-to-bedside research. These departments include the Linda & Mitch Hart Center for Regenerative and Personalized Medicine, the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Center for Outcomes-Based Orthopaedic Research and the Department of Education. SPRI employs 50 research staff members across its teams and 8 surgeons in its elite ACGME-accredited Sports Medicine MD fellowships, 2 additional clinical fellows and 2-6 international scholars each year.
SPRI is one of the most prolific publishers in sports medicine and orthopaedic research, publishing over 1,250 articles in high-impact journals to date. The institute and its scientists have received over 20 prestigious awards in the past decade, including the Arnold I. Caplan Award (2026), OREF Clinical Research Award (2025), Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughan Award (2018, 2025), AOSSM Cabaud Memorial Award (2017, 2018, 2019), ISAKOS Achilles Sports Medicine Research Award (2015, 2017), AOSSM Excellence in Research Award (2016), AOSSM American Journal of Sports Medicine Systematic Review Award (2018), AOSSM William A. Grana Award (2018), AOSSM Fellow Research Award (2018, 2019, 2026) and ON/ORS Research Award (2019).
SPRI’s state-of-the-art facilities in Vail, Colorado were renovated or brand-new as of 2017. The institute houses the regenerative medicine laboratories alongside a one-of-a-kind Biomotion laboratory, surgical skills and robotics laboratories. Co-located with The Steadman Clinic and its physicians, SPRI’s scientists and research staff are accelerating clinical translation in its research pursuits every day. Launched at SPRI’s founding, the Center for Outcomes-Based Orthopaedic Research is now covering over 50,000 surgeries in its database, enabling SPRI to focus on evidence-based treatments and utilize predictive modeling applications for use in the clinic. SPRI thrives on collaborative research, and many of the cutting-edge projects are cross-disciplinary, relying on the unique strengths of each department.
SPRI is one of only two designated organizations in the United States that is a research partner of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). This partnership—the United States Coalition for Prevention of Illness and Injury in Sport—was designated by the International Olympic Center (IOC) as the first United States-based Center for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health. This recognition is not only a tremendous honor for SPRI but is also a historic designation for the United States.
To learn more, please contact info@sprivail.org.