Joshua Jacobs, MD, FAOA, Director of the Institute for Translational Medicine (ITM) and Grainger Director of the RUSH Arthritis and Orthopaedics Institute, received the 2026 American Orthopaedics Association’s (AOA) Distinguished Contributions to Orthopaedics Award at the organization’s annual meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The award recognizes outstanding personal achievement, a commitment to excellence, meritorious leadership, and significant contributions that have influenced the field of orthopaedics. For more than four decades, Jacobs has helped shape the specialty through pioneering research, innovation, and leadership. Among his many career achievements are advancing the performance of hip and knee replacement implants and helping develop diagnostic testing methods to monitor implant performance.

“This award recognizes a team effort by my collaborators at Rush, the ITM, and beyond,” said Jacobs. “The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Rush in particular has been a very supportive and fertile environment for translational research. I am grateful to have been part of a team of basic scientists, engineers and clinician-scientists that has been so dedicated to discovery and improved patient care.”