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Indian doctors win ISSLS Award for Spine Research
A significant discovery of the study was that cartilage end plate defects occur much earlier than changes in the bony end plate or visible degeneration on MRI scans.
The research team of Ganga Hospital that won the award for the best spine research instituted by the International Society for the Study of Lumbar Spine, Canada, for 2025. / SPL
A pioneering research study by a team of spine surgeons and radiologists at Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, India, has won the ISSLS Award for Best International Spine Research 2025, one of the most prestigious honors in spine research.
The study, "Integrated Total End Plate Score to Identify Preclinical Discs at Risk for Degeneration," was selected from numerous submissions worldwide. The ISSLS Award, presented by the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS), is highly competitive, with scientists from across the globe vying for recognition. The selection process was overseen by an international committee chaired by Prof. Helena Brisby of Gothenburg University, Sweden.
The award carries a prize of $20,000, and the research will be published as a lead scientific article in the European Spine Journal. Additionally, the findings will be presented in a plenary session at the ISSLS Annual Meeting in Atlanta, USA, from May 12–16, 2025, where more than 2,500 spine surgeons and researchers from leading international societies will gather.
Breakthrough findings
The study was conducted by Dr. Rajasekaran, Dr. PB Thippeswamy, Dr. Gnanaprakash Gurusamy, Dr. Karthik Ramachandran, Dr. TA Yirdaw, Dr. S Basu, Dr. JS Kamodia, Dr. AM Abdelwahed, Dr. SV Anand, Dr. Ajoy Prasad Shetty, and Dr. Rishi Kanna.
Their research employed the FLASH sequence to assess the status and severity of cartilage end plate damage. The team developed an Integrated Total End Plate Score to detect early changes in cartilage and bony end plates.
A significant discovery of the study was that cartilage end plate defects occur much earlier than changes in the bony end plate or visible degeneration on MRI scans. This breakthrough identifies discs undergoing degeneration at a molecular level despite appearing normal on MRI.
"These discs may be the right cohort for regenerative therapy," the researchers noted, highlighting the potential for early intervention in spinal degeneration.
Ganga Hospital’s global impact in spine research
The Spine Unit at Ganga Hospital has firmly established Coimbatore on the global map of spine research, having previously won the ISSLS Award five times—in 2004, 2010, 2013, 2017, and 2022.
The research team has also set a record by securing the North American Spine Society Outstanding Research Award for four consecutive years (2019–2022)—an achievement unparalleled in the field. Additionally, they have received the Asia Pacific Spine Research Award multiple times, along with the European Spine Outstanding Research Award and the British Spine Award.
The team has also earned numerous national accolades, including recognition from the Medical Council of India, cementing their reputation as pioneers in spine research.
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