Research
Department Overview
The FOCOS Research Unit systematically collects, analyzes, and interprets clinical data to contribute to the body of knowledge about clinical practice and inform clinical decisions in orthopaedic and spine surgery.
Scope of Activities
Members of the research team perform a wide range of activities at the core of the clinical research process such as:
Beside these core research roles, the Research Unit performs a variety of functions including:
Clinical Study Types
We conduct both observational and experimental clinical studies. We also employ both retrospective and prospective designs. Our clinical research themes broadly fall in the area of spine deformity, degenerative spine disease, and arthroplasties.
Research design and development
Together with our interdisciplinary research group (comprising surgeons, physicians, anesthetists, nurses, dieticians, radiologist, biomedical scientist and physiotherapists), we identify research study goals, research methods, and variables of interest and other parameters to be investigated. We ensure the entire study protocol falls in line with ethical guidelines.
Research ethics
Our work, involving the recruitment and conduct of studies, is strictly guided by ethical principles. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences, and the University of Ghana thoroughly reviews research protocols. Research consent forms are obtained from all research participants. For participants under the age of 18, child assent and parental consent are also obtained.
International research collaboration
The Unit also collaborates with other international research teams and has ongoing collaboration with international spine research teams such as the Growing Spine Study Group (GSSG) and the FOX Pediatric Deformity Study Group. We also collaborate with other individual investigators to conduct clinical studies.
Mission Trips
In collaboration with our international partners, the unit organizes annual mission trips to designated East and West African countries. This enables our surgeons and the research team to: