W. Andrew Hodge, M.D., FACS
Medical Director

In 2001, Dr. Hodge designed and patented the 3D (Data Driven Design) Knee, a revolutionary concept in knee replacement, which he first implanted in Palm Beach County and has now become the fastest growing design in the country. It is manufactured by the Encore Medical Corporation of Austin, Texas.

Dr. W. Andrew Hodge is more than a skilled surgeon, more than an innovative researcher; Dr. Hodge is a visionary specializing in arthritis surgery and bioengineering research. His commitment to sharing innovations in orthopaedic research and applying that knowledge to clinical excellence takes him around the world. In the last year Dr. Hodge has presented in Croatia, Spain, Argentina, Italy and the Middle East. As a featured presenter at AAOS in 2007, Dr. Hodge presented on strategies in total knee replacement surgical technique. To learn more about his AAOS presentation please contact us at 561.659.1715.

Recent humanitarian outreach conducted in Croatia aired on Croatian public television reported by was Danijela Mudric. The case involved putting the new THR(Scyon hip)technology in a 43 year old national basketball hero.

To further demonstrate his desire to share and transfer knowledge, in January 2007 Dr. Hodge conducted a live implant surgery on the World Wide Web which was viewed by millions of people the world over. Please visit Encore Medical to view the video.

Scott Banks, Ph.D.
Technical Director
Dr. Banks received B.S. and M.S. degrees in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. He received the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For his doctoral work, Dr. Banks developed a shape-matching technique to measure three-dimensional motions of knee replacements from their two-dimensional x-ray video sequences. Applications of this technique, and further developments thereon, have been the focus of Dr. Banks' work since 1992. As Technical Director of The BioMotion's Institute for Mobility and Longevity, he also directs investigations in sports biomechanics and injury prevention, orthopaedic implant retrieval analysis, computer assisted surgery, and clinical gait analysis. Dr. Banks enjoys research collaborations throughout the world and he relishes the challenge of improving clinical outcomes in diverse cultures through the application of technology and engineering principles. Florida Tend Magazine recently featured Dr. Banks in its Trendsetters section. Contact Dr. Banks.

Melinda Harman, Ph.D.
Director of Research
Dr. Harman is a biomedical engineer with The BioMotion's Institute for Mobility and Longevity in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she is the program coordinator of the Implant Retrieval Program. Her area of specialization is the assessment of explanted materials and medical devices used to treat arthritis and cardiovascular diseases. She has co-authored 16 original scientific journal manuscripts, including two book chapters. Dr. Harman has worked for The BioMotion's Institute for Mobility and Longevity since 1994. She has 14 years of experience in orthopaedics, including a one year fellowship at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute in Bologna, Italy. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from Ball State University, and a Master of Science degree in bioengineering from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Harman recently completed her Ph.D. in bioengineering from Clemson University in South Carolina. Contact Ms. Harman.

 Akiko Mori, Ph.D.
International Post-Doctorate Research Fellow, working on the explanted implants at Implant Retrieval Lab.
Dr. Mori has a B.S. degree in engineering from the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology as well as a Ph.D. in engineering from the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, both obtained at Okayama University, in Okayama, Japan while working at an orthopaedic device manufacturer. Her doctoral work was about optimization of materials in artificial knee joints, including polymeric and metallic materials.
Akiko participates in a research fellowship program co-sponsored by The BioMotion's Institute for Mobility and Longevity and The University of Florida. She comes to BioMotion with 8 years of research and development experience from the orthopaedic device manufacturer in Japan. She has experience in the material field, including analyzing explanted implants, development of new materials and new manufacturing method for bearing material of artificial joints, development of new bone cement, and development of bioactive treatment on surfaces of metal implants. Coupled with her education, Akiko also has Biomedical Engineer and Research Project Coordinator experience. She has collaborated in studies with many universities and has participated in many acquisitions of grants for research. Contact Dr. Mori.