Louis E. DeFrate

Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery
Appointments and Affiliations
- Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery
- Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
- Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
- Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center
Contact Information
- Office Location: Room 379, Medical Sciences Research Building, Box 3093 Med. Ctr., Durham, NC 27710
- Office Phone: (919) 681-9959
- Email Address: lou.defrate@duke.edu
- Websites:
Education
- Sc.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
- Kappa Delta Young Investigator Award. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Orthopaedic Research Society. 2016
Courses Taught
- BME 493: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)
- BME 494: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)
- BME 791: Graduate Independent Study
In the News
- Study Shows Men and Women Tear ACL the Same Way In Non-Contact Injury (Apr 18, 2018 | Duke Health News)
- His and Her Knee Injuries Occur the Same Way (Apr 18, 2018 | US News and World Report)
- How to prevent knee injuries (Dec 1, 2017 | KSAT News)
- Knee arthritis in Americans has doubled since 1940 (Aug 17, 2017 | Science Magazine)
- Athletes: Try this to prevent ACL tears and knee injuries (Aug 10, 2017 | WRAL News)
- Clinical Sciences Day: Collaboration, Mentorship Lead to Science Successes (Oct 22, 2013 | Duke Research Blog)
Representative Publications
- Martin, JT; Oldweiler, AB; Kosinski, AS; Spritzer, CE; Soher, BJ; Erickson, MM; Goode, AP; DeFrate, LE, Lumbar intervertebral disc diurnal deformations and T2 and T1rho relaxation times vary by spinal level and disc region., European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, vol 31 no. 3 (2022), pp. 746-754 [10.1007/s00586-021-07097-4] [abs].
- Tamayo, KS; Heckelman, LN; Spritzer, CE; DeFrate, LE; Collins, AT, Obesity impacts the mechanical response and biochemical composition of patellofemoral cartilage: An in vivo, MRI-based investigation., J Biomech, vol 134 (2022) [10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.110991] [abs].
- Martin, JT; Wesorick, B; Oldweiler, AB; Kosinski, AS; Goode, AP; DeFrate, LE, In vivo fluid transport in human intervertebral discs varies by spinal level and disc region, Jor Spine (2022) [10.1002/jsp2.1199] [abs].
- Cutcliffe, HC; Kottamasu, PK; McNulty, AL; Goode, AP; Spritzer, CE; DeFrate, LE, Mechanical metrics may show improved ability to predict osteoarthritis compared to T1rho mapping., J Biomech, vol 129 (2021) [10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110771] [abs].
- Heckelman, LN; Wesorick, BR; DeFrate, LE; Lee, RH, Diabetes is associated with a lower minimum moment of inertia among older women: An analysis of 3D reconstructions of clinical CT scans., J Biomech, vol 128 (2021) [10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110707] [abs].