Two orthopaedic basic research laboratories are dedicated to biomechanical analyses of orthopaedic disorders and their management. Another laboratory is dedicated to diseases of bone and mineral metabolism. Primary among current projects are experiments involving joint kinematics and the mechanical properties of bone and bone implants. These laboratories are used by research engineers, orthopaedic faculty, technicians, visiting international scholars, and work-study students.

In addition, resident and medical student participation is encouraged. Currently, the orthopaedic department is supporting a medical student summer research program. PGY-3 residents spend a three-month rotation in the orthopaedic biomechanics laboratories, which contain extensive histological instruments, a small machine shop, a light/fluorescence microscope with photographic accessories, an ultra-low freezer, a laminar flow hood with over 300 square feet of flow space, and a multiaxial materials testing system.