Current Appointments & Affiliations
James R. Urbaniak, M.D., Distinguished Professor of Orthopedic Surgery
·
2013 - Present
Orthopaedic Surgery,
Clinical Science Departments
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
·
2013 - Present
Orthopaedic Surgery,
Clinical Science Departments
Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery
·
2013 - Present
Orthopaedic Surgery,
Clinical Science Departments
Professor in Cell Biology
·
2014 - Present
Cell Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Professor in Pediatrics
·
2014 - Present
Pediatrics,
Clinical Science Departments
Professor in the Department of Pathology
·
2015 - Present
Pathology,
Clinical Science Departments
Professor in Pharmacology and Cancer Biology
·
2020 - Present
Pharmacology & Cancer Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Professor in Neurosurgery
·
2022 - Present
Neurosurgery,
Neurosurgery
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
·
2013 - Present
Duke Cancer Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Co-Director of the Duke Regeneration Center
·
2021 - Present
Duke Regeneration Center,
Basic Science Departments
Recent Publications
Upper arm administration is associated with higher injection site pain with romosozumab: a randomized controlled trial and a self-controlled study.
Journal Article JBMR Plus · April 2026 These 2 prospective studies investigated whether the injection site influences pain and local reactions with romosozumab treatment for osteoporosis. In Study 1, 169 patients were randomly assigned to receive monthly romosozumab 210 mg (2 vials) injections ... Full text Link to item CiteA macrophage-induced subpopulation of mesenchymal cells expressing Fcer1g contributes to wound-induced fibrosis.
Journal Article Nat Commun · February 12, 2026 Fibrosis commonly occurs during adult skin wound healing, characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM), leading to scarring. Mesenchymal cells, the primary ECM-producing population, are heterogeneous with varying fibrotic propensity during healing ... Full text Link to item CiteComparative Finite Element Analysis of Denosumab and Bazedoxifene on Pedicle Screw Stability in Osteoporotic Spines.
Journal Article JOR Spine · December 2025 INTRODUCTION: Pedicle screw fixation in osteoporotic spines remains challenging. Bazedoxifene (BZA) and denosumab (Dmab) are widely used agents for osteoporosis, but their comparative effects on spinal instrumentation are not well understood. This study ai ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
2/3 CTSA K12 Program at Duke University
ResearchMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2030Boston Children's/UCLA/Duke Next Generation Regeneration for Osteoarthritis (BUD NextGenRegen for OA)
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health · 2024 - 2029Modeling Regression and Progression in Desmoid Tumors via Transcriptional and Cellular Programs
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation, Inc. · 2025 - 2028View All Grants
Education
Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College ·
1986
M.D.