The Future of Orthopedics is Being Built in Omaha

Best known for its world-class zoo, prime steaks, and Warren Buffett, Omaha is carving out a new identity as a hub for orthopedic innovation. The catalyst? A state-of-the-art laboratory led by Thay Lee, PhD, where he and his team are redefining the future of orthopedic medicine. 

“Being a scientist is the only job that you can study what you want and you get to do something no one’s ever done,” said Lee, Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at CHI Health and Creighton University School of Medicine.

A world-renowned researcher and educator, Lee has spent 35 years specializing in orthopedic biomechanics—applying mechanical principles to analyze the human body’s anatomy and function. Previously based in California, Lee worked closely with Ranjan Gupta, MD, Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Creighton. When Gupta moved to Omaha to transform CHI Health’s orthopedic department and launch a new residency program, Lee and his core team—including Michelle H. McGarry, MS, and Rogelio Arias—followed, united by a shared vision of academic and clinical transformation. 

Inside Lee’s biomechanics lab at the CHI Health Orthopedic Center at Lakeside, medical students, orthopedic residents, visiting surgeons, orthopedic faculty physicians, and Lee’s team are focused on improving current surgical treatment options, as well as developing new and novel surgical strategies to better restore joint anatomy and function.

“There are a lot of procedures that are far from being perfect,” Lee said. “We want to make it as perfect as possible, especially with all the new  advances in biomaterials and technology.”

With a custom machine-shop, paired with a scientific and surgical lab, there’s few limits on what Lee’s team can build and discover. Their work isn’t just local – it’s global. The techniques refined in the lab are now used by many orthopedic surgeons around the world today.

“Probably any rotator cuff surgery that’s being done across the country, they’re using something that we developed and wrote about,” Lee said. 

Whether working with the U.S. military to solve shoulder dislocations or partnering with Major League Baseball to address arm injuries, Lee’s team crafts specialized research for high-stakes environments. 

“We made a lot of contributions helping baseball players, (research) what kind of problems they have with the pitchers and how to fix them,” Lee said. “Many of those techniques are still being used today for both shoulder and the elbow.”

For Lee, success isn’t measured by accolades or papers published, but by the impact passed onto the students he mentors and the physicians he works with. Together, CHI Health and the Creighton University School of Medicine are leading a new era of orthopedic excellence. 

“We’re maximizing the impact on people and on students because that’s how knowledge gets dispersed,” Lee said. “We’re always looking for the truth, while working hard and playing hard.”