Description of Research Expertise
My research focus includes clinical research in various shoulder and elbow topics as well as basic science research investigating tendon and ligament injury, repair, and healing. As Director of the Shoulder Study Group in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania I help coordinate clinically-oriented shoulder and elbow related research projects among a multi-disciplinary team. Projects focus on clinical outcomes as well as protocol development. Through my position at Penn, my appointment at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center (PVAMC), and as a member of the McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at Penn and the Translational Musculoskeletal Research Center at the PVAMC, I participate in studies that aim to answer fundamental questions regarding structure-function relationships and mechanisms of tendon and ligament pathology and repair. These investigations include the use of multiple animal model systems.
Selected Publications
Veerabagu SA, Nugent ST, Geng Z, Yanes AF, Fischer JP, Kovell R, Kuntz AF, Rajasekaran K, VanderBeek BL, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW 2nd, Walker J, Zhang J, Giordano CN.: National opioid prescription decline across outpatient specialty surgeries: a claims database study J Am Acad Dermatol : 2025.
DiStefano MS, Weiss SN, Nuss CA, Betts RL, Han B, Kuntz AF, Soslowsky LJ.: Mature murine supraspinatus tendons demonstrate regional differences in multiscale structure, function and gene expression PLoS One 20 : e0318809,2025.
Fujino K*, Keith S*, Kamalitdinov TB, Madi R, Jiang X, Zgonis MH, Miller LM, Kuntz AF, Dyment NA: Compressive Graft Fit Promotes Tendon-to-Bone Integration After ACL Reconstruction Am J Sports Med : 2025.
Dyment NA, Kamalitdinov TB, Kuntz AF.: The 2024 Kappa Delta Young Investigator Award: Leveraging Insights From Development to Improve Adult Repair: Hedgehog Signaling as a Master Regulator of Enthesis Fibrocartilage Formation J Am Acad Orthop Surg 32 : 1074-1086,2024.
Kuntz AF, McGovern RP, Gitelis M, Horneff JG, Kelly JD, Glaser DL: Patient Demographics and Practice Location Affect Patient Reported Outcomes Measure Collection and Results; A Previously Unrecognized Potential for Bias in Data Interpretation Phoenix Society Meeting 2024, Sea Island, GA : 2024.
Madi R, Marcelin J, Kamalitdinov TB, Jiang X, Assi S, Kim DH, Mauck RL, Kuntz AF, Dyment NA: Localized Delivery of a Hedgehog Agonist from Electrospun Scaffolds Enhances Tendon-to-Bone Integration 7th TERMIS – World Congress, Seattle, WA : 2024.
Marcelin J, Madi R, Kamalitdinov TB, Jiang X, Kim DH, Mauck RL, Kuntz AF, Dyment NA: Tailored Delivery of a Small Molecule Agonist for Hedgehog Signaling Activation in Tendon-To-Bone Integration Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering and Biotransport Conference, Lake Geneva, WI : 2024.
Madi R, Marcelin J, Kamalitdinov TB, Jiang X, Assi S, Kim DH, Mauck RL, Kuntz AF, Dyment NA: Localized Delivery of a Hedgehog Agonist from Electrospun Scaffolds Enhances Tendon-to-Bone Integration Orthopaedic Research Society 2024 Annual Meeting, Long Beach, CA : 2024.
Nuss C, Betts R, Eekhoff JD, Soslowsky LJ, Kuntz AF: Disruption of The Anterosuperior Rotator Cuff Leads to Ambulatory and Grip Strength Deficits in a Rat Model Orthopaedic Research Society 2024 Annual Meeting, Long Beach, CA : 2024.
Kamalitdinov TB, Fujino K, Keith Lang S, Madi R, Jiang X, Kuntz AF, Dyment NA: Graft Press-fit Promotes Tunnel Integration After ACL Reconstruction Orthopaedic Research Society 2024 Annual Meeting, Long Beach, CA : 2024.
Academic Contact Information
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Penn Medicine University City
3737 Market Street
Suite 600
Philadelphia,
PA
19104
Phone: 215-662-3340
Patient appointments: 800-789-7366