Otto Bock HealthCare, Duderstadt, Germany, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), Illinois, have announced their joint establishment of a major new research organization at RIC’s Center for Clinical Research. According to Otto Bock and RIC, the Max Näder Laboratory is intended to “advance the development and performance outcomes of prosthetic and orthotic devices allowing amputees to regain optimum mobility and flourish in life.”
Located in RIC’s Searle Rehabilitation Research Center, the new laboratory will focus on advanced clinical-outcomes research related to assistive devices that restore mobility for people living with limb loss. The laboratory will center on advanced rehabilitation systems to provide outcomes data on assistive products that drive optimal, cost-effective care, particularly in the areas of limb loss, stroke recovery, and muscular and neurological disorders.
“RIC will be conducting unprecedented clinical trials and outcome studies that will establish rational, evidence-based standards of care for amputees worldwide,” said W. Zev Rymer, MD, PhD, vice president of research at RIC. “Through scientific discovery and innovation, we will translate laboratory findings directly into patient care, providing the most advanced clinical care available and advancing human ability for our patients.”
Otto Bock’s five-year commitment of $1.5 million is dedicated to advancing the fields of orthotics and prosthetics. RIC is actively recruiting a director for the Max Näder Laboratory to lead this initiative, which is intended to help the clinical community understand the measurable benefits new technology can bring to people with amputations.
“Partnering with this highly respected organization shows our commitment to bringing highly innovative products to the service of those with limb loss,” stated Professor Hans Georg Näder, president and CEO of Otto Bock HealthCare. “Our vision for this lab is to confirm the incredible benefits technology can offer, from tangibly expanding physical abilities through the emotional benefits of confidently moving through your daily life. With this long-term cooperation, we will strengthen our tight relationship towards the state-of-the-art scientific community in North America as well.”
The lab is named after Dr. Mäx Nader, who led Otto Bock HealthCare until 1990, when his son Professor Hans Georg Näder took leadership responsibility. Max Näder steered the company from 1946 to 1990. Launching Otto Bock USA in 1958, he entered the global arena at a time when the “Made in Germany” export boom had not yet been embraced as a viable reality.
“In today’s healthcare climate,” said Bert Harman, president and CEO of Otto Bock North America, “it is imperative that we deliver proof of positive patient outcomes utilizing the highest scientific standards. With RIC, we are confident that we will deliver what care providers need.”
