International Founding Members
Gonzalo Bastías
MD (Chile)
Gonzalo F. Bastías, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle surgery at Clínica Las Condes and Hospital del Trabajador in Santiago, Chile. His clinical and research focus includes foot and ankle trauma, circular external fixation, complex deformity correction, and diabetic foot reconstruction.
Dr. Bastías has authored numerous publications and book chapters and collaborates internationally on advanced reconstructive and minimally invasive techniques. He serves on the board of the Chilean Orthopaedic and Traumatology Society, is a past president of the Chilean Foot and Ankle Surgery Society and the Chilean Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society, and participates in humanitarian surgical programs worldwide.
Patrick Burns
DPM (USA)
Dr. Burns graduated summa cum laude from the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in 2000 and was named Alumni of the Year in 2023. He completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and further trained at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics. He also serves on the faculty of AO North America, training residents and practicing physicians in external fixation techniques.
Dr. Burns practices within the West Virginia University Medicine Health System, where he established the state’s first podiatric residency program. His clinical and educational focus includes fracture management, arthroplasty, patient-specific implants, complex foot and ankle deformity, and neuropathic limb preservation.
Yongsheng Chen
MBBS (Singapore)
Yongsheng Chen, MBBS, is an Adjunct Associate Professor and Head of Division and Consultant in Orthopedic Trauma Surgery at the National University Hospital and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in Singapore. He specializes in limb salvage surgery, using advanced techniques to help patients avoid major amputation.
In 2024, Dr. Chen became the first to introduce Transverse Tibial Transport (TTT) to Singapore, advancing treatment options and improving limb salvage outcomes for patients with severe diabetic foot infections.
Alexander Cherkashin
MD (USA)
Dr. Alexander M. Cherkashin is an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon specializing in limb lengthening, deformity correction, bone transport and complex limb reconstruction. He serves as Co-Director of the Center for Excellence in Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction at Scottish Rite for Children in Dallas and is Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Trained under Professor Gavriil Ilizarov at the Kurgan Scientific Center in Russia, Dr. Cherkashin spent 12 years at the renowned Ilizarov Center before joining Scottish Rite in 1995. A respected educator, researcher, inventor and international lecturer, his work has advanced circular external fixation, orthopedic outcome analysis, complication prevention and modern limb reconstruction techniques worldwide.
Christopher Gross
MD (USA)
Dr. Christopher E. Gross is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the Foot and Ankle Division at the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed his fellowship at Duke University Medical Center and residency at Rush University Medical Center, after graduating from Harvard Medical School. His clinical focus is on complex ankle reconstruction and cartilage injuries, including end-stage ankle arthritis.
Dr. Gross leads a multidisciplinary research division utilizing artificial intelligence, advanced implant design, and long-term patient outcomes. He has authored over 140 journal articles, 40 textbook chapters, and a textbook on Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Surgery, and has delivered more than 350 presentations nationally and internationally.
QiKai Hua
MD (China)
Dr. Qikai Hua is Director and Professor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University and a recognized pioneer in the management of severe diabetic foot disease using Transverse Tibial Transport (TTT). Since 2014, he has played a leading role in advancing and refining this innovative limb salvage technique.
Dr. Hua holds numerous national and international leadership positions in orthopedic surgery, external fixation, and limb reconstruction, and is widely recognized for his contributions to diabetic foot treatment, microcirculation regeneration, and bone transport methodologies.
Alexander Kirienko
MD (Italy)
Professor Alexander Kirienko is Head of the Division of External Fixation and Bone Lengthening at Humanitas Research Hospital and a direct disciple of Professor Gavriil Ilizarov. With more than 30 years of experience, he is internationally recognized for his expertise in the Ilizarov method and the treatment of complex orthopedic and traumatologic conditions.
His clinical focus includes circular external fixation, bone deformity correction, limb lengthening, fracture complications, infections, congenital conditions, and complex foot deformities. Professor Kirienko trained in Russia under Professor Ilizarov himself and is an active member of leading international orthopedic societies, including the AAOS, LLRS, EPOS, and SIOT.
Armin Koller
MD (Germany)
Dr. Armin Koller, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in technical orthopedics, diabetic foot reconstruction, and complex lower limb disorders. He currently serves as Chief of the Division of Technical Orthopaedics and Co-Chief of the Interdisciplinary Diabetic Foot Centre at Mathias-Hospital Rheine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Dr. Koller completed his medical education at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster and has been a board-certified orthopedic surgeon since 1998. His clinical expertise includes congenital lower leg deformities, neuromuscular disorders, amputation medicine, and diabetic foot syndrome. A founding member and past President (2014–2017) of the International Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons, Dr. Koller is widely recognized for his leadership in diabetic foot care and his contributions to international education and guideline development.
Gang Li
MD PhD (China)
Gang Li, MD, PhD, is a Professor and Principal Investigator at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he also directs the Center for Locomotor System Regenerative Medicine and Technology. He has held academic and research positions at leading institutions including Oxford University, Queen’s University Belfast, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Dr. Li’s research focuses on stem cell biology, musculoskeletal tissue engineering, and innovative applications of distraction osteogenesis. He is активно involved in academic publishing, serving as Executive Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Orthopaedic Translation and on the editorial boards of several leading journals.
Emiliano Malagoli
MD (Italy)
Dr. Emiliano Malagoli is an Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in deformity correction, complex post-traumatic reconstruction, and limb lengthening using the Ilizarov method and advanced external fixation techniques. He has spent over a decade working alongside his mentor, Alexander Kirienko, at the Istituto Clinico Humanitas in Milan, treating complex limb salvage and reconstructive cases.
Dr. Malagoli has trained internationally at leading centers including the Hospital for Special Surgery, the Paley Institute, and Sanford Health, integrating traditional Ilizarov principles with modern surgical approaches. He serves as a Board Member of the Italian Society of External Fixation and is actively involved in research, education, and advancing the field of limb reconstruction.
Vinod Panchbhavi
MD (USA)
Dr. Vinod Panchbhavi is Editor-in-Chief of Techniques in Foot and Ankle Surgery and serves on the editorial boards of leading publications, including Foot and Ankle International and FootEducation.com. He is also a reviewer for major orthopedic journals such as The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.
Dr. Panchbhavi is Chairman of the Postgraduate Training Committee of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society and is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons of England, reflecting his leadership and influence in foot and ankle surgery education and research.
Mikhail Samchukov
MD (USA)
Dr. Samchukov is a global expert in distraction osteogenesis and external fixation, serving as Co-Director of the Center for Excellence in Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He is also an Associate Professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Texas A&M University System Health Science Center. He earned his medical degree at Khabarovsk Medical Institute in Russia and previously served as Deputy General Director of the Ilizarov Orthopedic Research Center.
His research focuses on limb lengthening, deformity correction, bone transport, and external skeletal fixation. Dr. Samchukov is a co-developer of multiple TrueLok external fixation systems, holds 134 patents, and has authored 52 book chapters, 95 peer-reviewed articles, and 328 abstracts. He has edited five books and manuals and is widely recognized internationally for his contributions to the field, frequently presenting at global symposiums.
Filippo Vandenbulcke
MD (Italy)
Dr. Filippo Vandenbulcke is an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Humanitas Research Hospital, specializing in limb lengthening, deformity correction, and complex reconstruction within the Ilizarov Method Unit led by Dr. Alexander Kirienko. He holds a PhD in Molecular and Experimental Medicine from Humanitas University and has international experience as an Honorary Consultant with the Liverpool Limb Reconstruction Service in the UK.
His research focuses on bone infections and the development of antibacterial bone substitutes, with experience in pre-clinical animal models. Dr. Vandenbulcke is actively involved in scientific research and currently serves as Scientific Secretary of the Italian Society of External Fixation (SIFE).
Baufu Wei
MD PhD (China)
Baofu Wei, MD, PhD, is Director of the Foot and Hand Orthopedic Surgery Service at Shandong Linyi People’s Hospital in China. He completed a research fellowship in Orthopedic Foot, Ankle, and Sports Medicine at Duke University.
Dr. Wei is a surgical anatomist and accomplished author, serving as editor of the Surgical Atlas of Foot and Ankle and co-editor of Surgical Atlas: Arthroscopic Techniques and Anatomy of the Foot and Ankle, published by Springer.
Alan Yan
MD (USA)
Alan Y. Yan, MD, is Chief Foot and Ankle Surgeon and Director of the Sanford Limb Preservation Center at USD Sioux Falls. He previously served as Assistant Professor and Director of Research for Foot and Ankle Injury at UPMC and Assistant Professor at Creighton University Medical Center. Dr. Yan completed his residency at Johns Hopkins and fellowships at Duke University and the University of Minnesota.
He holds several leadership roles with the AAOS and AOFAS and contributes to medical literature as co-editor of Surgical Atlas: Arthroscopic Techniques and Anatomy of Foot and Ankle and the second edition of Ilizarov Technique for Complex Foot and Ankle Deformities.
Additional Members Not Pictured:
Adam Nichols, DPM (USA)
Alexander Cherkashin, MD (USA)
Michael Pinzur, MD (USA)