Julia Retzky, MD, Named 2025 Champion

Julia Retzky, MD, of The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, received the 2025 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) National Resident Research Symposium Champion Award Monday at the OREF Board of Trustees reception. Judges named Dr. Retzky champion at the fifth annual OREF National Resident Research Symposium in November 2025 for her presentation titled “Early Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Mitigates the Development of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis in a Murine Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture Model.” 

In addition to receiving the award, as symposium champion, Dr. Retzky is attending the AAOS Annual Meeting as OREF’s guest.

During the symposium, Dr. Retzky presented the results of a study that used a closed murine anterior cruciate ligament rupture model to evaluate how the timing of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) impacts the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Dr. Retzky’s research showed higher Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scores in the models whose ACLR was delayed compared to those that had their ACL repaired immediately, indicating that immediate ACLR mitigated PTOA development. 

Dr. Retzky said that future studies exploring the role of ACLR timing will allow orthopaedic surgeons to better address the aftereffects of an ACL injury.

“Between 10-20 years after ACL injury about 50% of patients have arthritis, regardless of whether they had surgery. If we can unlock exactly why this happens and how we can prevent it, patients wouldn’t need very early knee replacements, and we could help save their knees in the long term,” she said.

Dr. Retzky participated in the National Symposium after placing first at the Mid-Atlantic Region Symposium, one of five symposia co-hosted by OREF around the United States last year. The Hark Family (in memory of Fred Hark, MD, and William Hark, MD), Smith+Nephew, DePuy Synthes, and Zimmer Biomet sponsored the events. Judges ranked and scored the presentations, and the three top-scoring participants from each regional symposium were invited to present again at the national event.

OREF’s Resident Research Symposia provide residents with an invaluable opportunity to assemble, socialize, and network with their peers while sharing their research projects. Past participants enthusiastically agree that the symposia are a great experience for all residents, whether competing or watching the presentations.