James Cook, DVM, PhD, OTSC

James Cook, DVM, PhD, OTSC

Orthopaedic Surgery

Director of Operations & Research, Joint and Limb Preservation Center
William C. and Kathryn E. Allen Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery
Division Chief of Orthopaedic Research

573-884-8942

Profile

Dr. James “Jimi” Cook’s orthopaedic research makes a difference in the lives of animals and people.

Watching his grandfather undergo multiple knee replacement surgeries first spurred Cook’s desire to develop better treatments for arthritis. Forty years later, he has authored more than 150 publications, garnered over $20 million in research funding, received numerous awards, developed three FDA-approved biomedical devices and holds 14 U.S. patents.

Since joining the University of Missouri faculty in 1999, Cook has taken the field of orthopaedics by storm. He helped identify a test to detect arthritis before symptoms begin and discovered how to more than double the shelf life of donor cartilage tissue. He also invented a minimally invasive procedure to stabilize knee joints in dogs without cutting through the bone.

Now, Cook is pioneering a biological knee replacement: a living joint formed from cartilage cells. Unlike an artificial knee, which starts to deteriorate immediately, the biologic knee would continue to grow and adapt within the patient’s body. “It’s possible that the new knee will be better in 10 years than it was when we first implanted it,” he says. Cook has performed biologic knee replacement surgery on horses and dogs, and he hopes one day it can be used in people with arthritis, like his grandpa.

Dr. Jimi Cook serves as the William & Kathryn Allen Distinguished Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery (human) for the School of Medicine while also maintaining an appointment in the College of Veterinary Medicine as director of MU’s Comparative Orthopaedic Laboratory.

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Academic Information

Director of Operations & Research, Joint and Limb Preservation Center
William C. and Kathryn E. Allen Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery
Division Chief of Orthopaedic Research

Office

1100 Virginia Avenue
Columbia, MO 65212
United States

P. 573-884-8942

Research Interests

  • In vitro and ex vivo models
  • Tissue engineering
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Meniscal replacement and regeneration
  • Articular cartilage
  • Intervertebral disc disease
  • Biomarkers
  • Biologic joint restoration strategies
  • Sports science

Areas of Expertise

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Tissue Engineering
  • Sports Medicine
  • Biomarkers
  • Biologic Joint Restoration
  • Meniscus

Education & Training

Internship

University of Minnesota, 1995

Residency

University of Missouri, 1998

Post-Graduate School

University of Missouri, 1998

Board Certification

American College of Veterinary Surgeons
American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

Awards & Honors

  • Presidential Engagement Fellow, Inaugural Class, University of Missouri. 2018
  • CoMO 100, Inaugural Class, Recognizing those who shaped Columbia. 2017
  • Jacob Markowitz Award, Academy of Surgical Research. 2016
  • Fellow, Mizzou Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors. 2016.
  • Mayor of Columbia, Brian Treece’s Special Task Force on Medical Tourism. 2016.
  • Barry J. Gainor MD Excellence in Teaching Award, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. 2015.
  • RARE Champion of Hope – Collaborations in Science & Technology Award finalist. 2015.
  • Grad Made Good. Florida State University. 2013
  • World Small Animal Veterinary Association Hill’s Pet Mobility Award. 2013
  • National Association for Biomedical Research Board of Directors Member. 2012
  • Phi Zeta Distinguished Service Award. 2011
  • Keynote Lecturer. Academy of Surgical Research. 2011
  • Telly Award (Best Not-For-Profit Commercial) for Emma’s Story. 2011
  • Guest Editor, Clinical Relevant Strategies for Treating Cartilage and Meniscal Pathology, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2011.
  • One Health Initiative Advisory Board Member. 2010
  • Pfizer Award for Research Excellence. 2010.
  • King Day Lecturer. Atlanta Medical Center. 2010
  • Mentor, Outstanding MS Thesis Award, University of Missouri (Nicole Waters, recipient). 2010.
  • University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Dean’s Impact Award, 2009.
  • Veterinary Arthrology Advancement Association, Facilitator of the Year, 2008.
  • America’s Best Veterinarian, 2007. (National Winner – Morris Animal Foundation-Merial “Thank Your Vet” Award)
  • University of Missouri Faculty-Alumni Award. 2007.
  • Class-selected Faculty Member to hood graduates. 2007.
  • Norden Distinguished Teacher Award. 2006.
  • Mentor, Dodge Foundation Frontiers for Veterinary Medicine Fellowship Award (Kelley Thieman, recipient). 2006.
  • Faculty Mentor-Co-author on American Board of Veterinary Practitioners National Student Case Report Contest First Place Winner (Rebekah Beam, recipient). 2006.
  • Mentor, Alpha Omega Alpha Carolyn L. Kuckein Research Fellowship Award (Brandon Roller, recipient). 2006.
  • Class-selected Faculty Member to hood graduates. 2006.
  • University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Alumnus of the Year. 2005.
  • Mentor, Mid-America Orthopaedic Association Resident Research Award (Dr. David Greenberg, recipient). 2005.
  • Golden Aesculapius Teaching Award, College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2005.
  • William C. Allen Endowed Scholar for Orthopaedic Research. 2004.
  • Pfizer Award for Research Excellence. 2004.
  • Class-selected Faculty Member to hood graduates. 2004.
  • Faculty Mentor-Co-author on American Board of Veterinary Practitioners National Student Case
  • Report Contest First Place Winner (Jill Forinash Luther, recipient). 2004.
  • Mark S. Bloomberg Lecturer, International Canine Sports Medicine Symposium. 2004.
  • ORS New Investigator Recognition Award. 2003.
  • Brinker Lecturer, Michigan Veterinary Conference. 2003.
  • Empire’s Who’s Who of Professionals. 2002.
  • Golden Aesculapius Teaching Award (4th year class). 2002.
  • Class-selected Faculty Member to hood graduates. 2002.
  • Golden Chalk Award. Graduate Professional Council, University of Missouri. 2001.
  • Hohn-Johnson Research Award. Veterinary Orthopedic Society. 2001.
  • Norden Distinguished Teacher Award. 2000.
  • Class-selected Faculty Member to hood graduates. 2000.
  • Golden Aesculapius Teaching Award (3rd year class). 1999.
  • Golden Aesculapius Teaching Award (4th year class). 1999.
  • Redhage Outstanding Resident Award. 1998.
  • Class of 1998 Resident Teaching Award. 1998.
  • Phi Zeta Research Day presentation award (1st). 1998.
  • University of Missouri Superior Graduate Achievement Award. 1997.
  • UMC Research & Creative Activities Forum presentation award. 1997.
  • Phi Zeta National Research Awards, Pi Chapter Candidate. 1997.
  • Phi Zeta Research Day presentation award (1st). 1997.
  • Bojrab Research Award. 1996.
  • Mark S. Bloomberg Memorial Resident Research Award. 1996.
  • Phi Zeta Research Day presentation award. 1994.
  • Edgar F. Ebert Memorial Award. 1994.
  • Lucy B. Davis Scholarship in Small Animal Surgery. 1994.
  • Merck Award. 1994.
  • Who's who among students in American universities and colleges. 1994.
  • Hazel and Edgar Ebert Memorial Scholarship. 1993.
  • A. H. Groth Student Research Award. 1993.
  • Hazel and Edgar Ebert Memorial Scholarship. 1992.

In the News

Knee joint illustration
woman with knee pain
Hip Dysplasia research
James Cook
James Cook
James Cook
James Cook

Publications

 Selections from more than 200 peer-reviewed publications (+ = senior author):

  • Stoker AM, Stannard JP, Kuroki K, Bozynski CC, Pfeiffer FM and Cook JL+. Validation of the Missouri Osteochondral Allograft Preservation System for the maintenance of osteochondral allograft quality during prolonged storage. Am J Sports Med 2018;46:58-65.
  • Stoker AM, Stannard JP, and Cook JL+. Chondrocyte viability at time of transplantation for osteochondral allografts preserved by the Missouri Osteochondral Preservation System versus standard tissue bank protocol. J Knee Surg 2017:DOI 10.1055/s-0037-1608947.
  • Cook JL+, Smith PA, Stannard JP, Pfeiffer FM, Kuroki K, Bozynski CC, Cook CR. A canine arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction model for study of synthetic augmentation of tendon allografts. J Knee Surg 2017;30:704-711.
  • Oladeji LO, Stannard JP, Cook CR, Kfuri M, Crist BD, Smith MJ and Cook JL+. Effects of autogenous bone marrow aspirate concentrate on radiographic integration of femoral condyle osteochondral allografts. Am J Sports Med 2017;45:2797-2803.
  • Capito NM, Cook JL, Yahuaca B, Capito MD, Sherman SL and Smith MJ. Safety and efficacy of hyperosmolar irrigation solution in shoulder arthroscopy. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2017;26:745-751.
  • Cook JL+, Stannard JP, Stoker AM, Bozynski CC, Kuroki K, Cook CR, Pfeiffer FM. Importance of donor chondrocyte viability for osteochondral grafts. Am J Sports Med 2016;44:1260-1268.
  • Cook JL+, Smith PA, Bozynski CC, Kuroki K, Cook CR, Stoker AM, Pfeiffer FM. Multiple injections of leukoreduced platelet rich plasma reduce pain and functional impairment in a canine model of ACL and meniscal deficiency. J Orthop Res 2016;34:607-615.
  • Cook JL+, Stoker AM, Stannard JP, Kuroki K, Cook CR, Pfeiffer FM, Bozynski CC, Hung CT. A novel system improves preservation of osteochondral allografts. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2014;472:3404-3414.
  • Cook JL+, Cook CR, Stannard JP, Vaughn G, Wilson N, Roller BL, Stoker AM, Jayabalan P, Hdeib M, Kuroki K. MRI versus ultrasonography to assess meniscal abnormalities in acute knees. J Knee Surg 2014;27:319-324.
  • Cook JL+, Kuroki K, Visco D, Pelletier J-P, Schulz L, Lafeber F. The OARSI histopathology initiative – Recommendations for histological assessments of osteoarthritis in the dog. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2010;18:S66-79. 

Click here to access a complete list of Dr. Cook's publications.