RMTI Faculty:

Dr. Joseph Ruane, DO

Dr. Ruane is the  Medical Director of the McConnell Spine, Sport and Joint Center in Columbus, OH, a state of the art facility specializing in nonsurgical management of orthopedic conditions.  He served as Chief Resident in Family Medicine at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, and completed a Fellowship in Sports Medicine with Horizon Orthopedic, team physician for the Cleveland Indians. He is  Board Certified in Family Medicine, and serves as Assistant Clinical Professor of Sports Medicine at the Ohio State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. and serves as Head Team Physician for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL. Dr. Ruane’s practice is dedicated to comprehensive, non surgical musculoskeletal care, with a special interest in the aging population.

Dr. Amadeus G Mason, MD

Dr. Christopher Miars, DO

Dr. Peter Whang, MD, F.A.C.S.

Dr. Whang is an Associate Professor in the Yale Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. He received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Harvard University and his medical degree from the Duke University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles and received specialized fellowship training in orthopaedic and neurosurgical spinal surgery at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Whang is a fellowship-trained surgeon who specializes in treating diseases of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine including the following pathologic conditions: neck and arm pain/numbness/weakness, lower back and leg pain/numbness/weakness (sciatica), spondylosis (degenerative arthritis), inflammatory arthritis, degenerative disc disease, disc herniations, spinal stenosis, spinal fractures, cervical whiplash, osteoporosis/compression fractures, spinal deformities, scoliosis (adult and adolescent), spondylolysis (pars defects)/spondylolisthesis, spinal tumors, and spinal infections. Dr. Whang is particularly interested in novel spinal technologies including minimally invasive surgeries and motion-sparing/nonfusion procedures. He regularly performs the following surgeries: spinal fusions, spinal decompressions, microscopic discectomies, artificial disc replacements, X-Stop (for spinal stenosis), minimally invasive spinal procedures, and kyphoplasty (for compression fractures).

Dr. Marc Rothermich

Dr. Rothermich is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with fellowship training in sports medicine. Dr. Rothermich attended college at the University of Notre Dame and he earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia and served as the President of the Orthopaedic Society at the medical school. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery in St. Louis, Missouri at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in affiliation with Washington University in St. Louis. He also completed fellowship training in sports medicine at the American Sports Medicine Institute and Andrews Sports Medicine. Dr. Rothermich has extensive training in both general orthopaedic surgery and complex sports medicine techniques. He has a particular interest in elbow reconstruction in overhead athletes, rotator cuff repairs, complex knee surgery and total joint replacement. Dr. Rothermich believes that all patients, from recreational “weekend warriors” to elite athletes, deserve and should expect a high attention to detail and a shared decision making process to optimize their outcomes. Prior to joining Andrews Sports Medicine, Dr. Rothermich was affiliated with South Florida Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. In that role, he proudly served as a consultant for the New York Mets as well as the team physician for various local organizations and high schools. Dr. Rothermich is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) as well as the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), serving on the committee that writes the annual Self-Assessment Examination for the AOSSM. He also reviews grant applications for the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) and is a peer reviewer for multiple orthopedic journals. Dr. Rothermich has presented nationally and his research is published in several peer-reviewed medical journals and textbooks.

Dr. Oluseun Olufade

Dr. Rowan Paul

Dr. Rowan Paul is a fellowship trained sports medicine physician and a board certified family physician who treats athletes and active people of all ages. He has treated everyone from recreational to professional athletes, and is currently a team physician for the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Ballet. In the past, he has covered high profile events such as World Cup speed skating, alpine, snowboarding championships, numerous marathons, and the U.S. Olympic development Nordic cross country skiing team.  Dr. Paul specializes in minimally invasive regenerative medicine. He specializes in non-operative treatment of the hip, shoulder, knee, ankle, foot and spine. He performs many high resolution ultrasound guided diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to alleviate pain and promote healing. He is an expert in treating chronic refractory tendon problems, and has successfully treated his patients using innovative treatment options such as Platelet Rich Plasma, Dextrose and specific physical and manual therapies. He has an academic interest in the use of Bone Marrow Aspirates and Mesenchymal Stem Cells for regenerative of tendons, ligaments, cartilage and soft tissue.  Dr. Rowan Paul has presented and published at national sports medicine conferences and journals. He has received numerous awards including the “Top Doctor,” on the innovative health site, Health Tap. On Health Tap, he is a leading Sports Medicine contributor and a founding medical expert. He has also been featured on “Health Radio”, “Women’s Health Daily Site” and “Experience Life Magazine.” He was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and migrated to America for his undergraduate degree at Brown University, where he was a division one varsity swimmer. He continues to be an active runner, cyclist, triathlete, marathon runner, martial artist, skier, snowboarder, yoga practitioner and outdoorsman.

Dr. Ricardo Colberg

Ricardo E. Colberg, M.D., RMSK, is a sports medicine physician at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Registered Musculoskeletal Sonographer. Dr. Colberg has a strong commitment to providing evidenced-based medical care. He has a special interest in treating acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries. He performs various treatment modalities in the clinic that assist the patient in their recovery from the injury, among them diagnostic musculoskeletal sonography, ultrasound-guided injections, platelet rich plasma injections, bone marrow derived stem cell procedures, and percutaneous tenotomies. Dr. Colberg is Medical Director for the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks, and Head Team Physician for the Birmingham Blaze semi-pro football team, Birmingham Hammers semi-pro soccer team, and Alabama Soccer Association's Olympic Development Program (ODP), among others. He has extensive clinical research experience, including co-leading a national multi-center study on platelet-rich plasma injection. He has published articles in multiple journals and authored chapters in academic textbooks

Dr. Ghislaine Robert

Dr. Tad DeWald

In Memory of Dr. Gregory E. Lutz

Dr. Gregory E. Lutz matriculated to Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1984, having graduated from Drew University magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1988 and was awarded the Margaret M. Kenrick Achievement Award in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. He pursued his specialty training at the Mayo Clinic, before coming to Hospital for Special Surgery in 1992 where he completed his training in a Sports Medicine Fellowship. He has been in practice at the Hospital for Special Surgery since 1993.
In 1997, Dr. Lutz established the Physiatry Department at HSS and became Physiatrist-in-Chief. With the support of the hospital administration and his colleagues, he grew the Physiatry Department to thirteen physicians who provided care for over 50,000 patient visits in 2012. In addition, Dr. Lutz established the Physiatry Spine & Sports Medicine Fellowship and has mentored over 50 fellows in practice throughout the USA.
In 2004, Dr. Lutz received the PASSOR (Physiatric Association for Spine Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation) Research Award, given to one physiatrist annually who has demonstrated excellence in musculoskeletal research.
Dr. Lutz is currently Associate Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell. He is currently the Physiatrist-in-Chief Emeritus for Hospital for Special Surgery and is a member of the board of trustees. He is also consulting physician to the National Hockey League Players’ Association.   To read Dr. Lutz' paper click Lumbar Intradiskal Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections:  A Prospective, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Study

The entire RMTI team mourns the March 2024 passing of Dr. Gregory E. Lutz, one of RMTI’s esteemed faculty members. Dr. Lutz was one of the world's leading experts in regenerative sports medicine.

Dr. Paul Tortland

Dr. Tortland is the founder and Medical Director of the New England Stem Cell Institute and of Valley Sports Physicians & Orthopedic Medicine, both located in the Hartford, CT region. He specializes in sports medicine, non-surgical orthopedics, and regenerative medicine. Dr. Tortland was literally the first person in the world to become certified in Regenerative Medicine by the American Academy and Board of Regenerative Medicine, also scoring the highest on the certifying exam. He was also the first person in New England to begin performing both PRP and stem cell injections in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Also, he has been doing Prolotherapy for over 23 years.

Dr. Pallavi Cherukupally

My passion is to get people back to their lives, whether they are derailed by injury, their bodies not feeling like themselves, or the natural aging process. I help clients get back to sport, work, health and beauty so that they can feel more like themselves and enjoy their lives again. I started out as an athlete early in life by playing sports in high school and college. Then kept up an active lifestyle throughout my life. And currently still play sand volleyball and exercise regularly. My educational background includes undergraduate studies at Emory, Medical School at LSU in New Orleans, Residency at UOC and Fellowship in Sports Medicine and Interventional Spine in Hawaii. I started out treating the customary patient for back and body pains with the treatments available at the time. These were often limited to helping with pain for usually just a shortened period of time. This experience drove me to explore other avenues of treatment that would help people for longer periods of time or perhaps help resolve the issue. I started exploring both cosmetic and regenerative medicine a few years ago. The cosmetic to help people feel better and more youthful, the regenerative for more healing of injuries and recovery back to sport and life. This path has led me to be able to treat the whole person and to achieve wellness.

Dr. Joseph Purita

A Board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon, and a pioneer in the use of Stem Cell and PRP therapy for orthopedic conditions. Dr. Purita has lectured internationally on five continents regarding the healing effects of stem cells and has been instrumental in helping some countries design their policies concerning the use of regenerative medicine; effectively bringing this unique and advance practice to more practice throughout the world. Dr. Purita’s passion lies in teaching and advancing regenerative medicine techniques and procedures that improve patients’ lives.

Jeff Chabot Ph.D.

Jeff Chabot, Ph.D., holds advanced degrees in physics and engineering, is a co-founder of Endocellutions, and is the lead inventor of several of Endocellutions’ core technologies. He has significant experience exploring the interface between physical and biological sciences and applying physical and engineering approaches to biomedical needs. He has a strong working knowledge of growth factors, cellular protein synthesis, and related pathways, stem cells, and mechanical and electrical engineering. Dr. Chabot is currently an Associate Research Fellow.

Dr. Carlos Garcia

Dr. Carlos J. Garcia received his undergraduate degree with honors at the University of Puerto Rico in 1978. He completed his M.D. at the Medical College of Wisconsin-Marquette University in 1982. His Anesthesiology training was completed at the University of Illinois Hospital in 1985. Dr. Garcia received the prestigious Bruce M. Cherkala award in Clinical Research in Anesthesiology.  He served as a Major in the United States Air Force, from 1985-1988. During this time, he was Chief of Anesthesia and Pain Management. He joined a private practice in 1988 and moved to the Denton area in 1990, practicing Pain Management and Anesthesiology. In 2002, Dr. Garcia started the only full-time interventional pain medicine practice in the area, Premier Pain Care.  He has trained and is certified in state-of-the-art procedures such as: Regenerative Injection Therapy using Platelet Rich Plasma/ BMAC, Prolotherapy, Vertebroplasty, IDET, Disc Decompression, Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation.  Dr. Garcia belongs to numerous medical organizations such as the International Spinal Injection Society, American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, Texas Pain Society, and the Texas Medical Association. He is actively involved in numerous local and national organizations. He enjoys gliding, competitive shooting sports, and most importantly spending time with his family.

Dr. Robert Biscup

Dr. Robert Biscup, M.S., D.O., F.A.O.A.O., is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, practicing for more than 25 years. His developments in major reconstructive, previously failed, and minimally invasive spine surgeries, including laser microsurgery and micro-decompression laminaplasty, have earned him international recognition as a pioneer in the field of spine care and spinal surgery. Dr. Biscup has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe, lecturing and demonstrating the surgical techniques, instrumentation and implants he helped to develop.

Appointed to the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in 1997, Dr. Biscup was on staff in the neurological surgery and orthopedic surgery departments. He also served as director of the Regional Spine Care Program and chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Florida Spine Institute. He is a fellow of the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics (for which he previously served as president) and has won several awards, including the Patient Advocacy Award from the American Academy of Pain Management, the Outstanding Educator Award from Cleveland Clinic’s Orthopaedic Residency Training Program, and two Medal of Merit Awards from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Biscup currently is the senior examiner for the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery and remains an active member of the American Osteopathic Association, American Medical Association and the North American Spine Society. He formerly served as the orthopedic consultant for the Cleveland Indians and as a clinical professor in orthopedic surgery at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

A cum laude graduate from Hiram College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Departmental Honors in Chemistry, Dr. Biscup also earned a Master’s of Science in Health Sciences Education at Case Western Reserve University and completed his medical degree at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. Rahul Desai

Dr. Rahul Desai is a fellowship trained musculoskeletal radiologist, began his Portland, Oregon-based pain and interventional clinics in 2008. Over the past 5 years the practice has grown, not only in size, but also in scope.  It began as a more traditional musculoskeletal and pain interventional practice, but with the added benefit of having a board certified and fellowship trained interventional radiologist prescribing and interpreting the radiologic imaging for his own patients. This led to diagnosing and treating the proper diagnoses in a much more efficient manner. Dr. Desai has blurred the boundaries between conventional radiology, interventional pain management, and interventional sports medicine.