Professor of Orthopaedics, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Orthopaedic Surgery
School of Medicine

Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery

www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=4760

Clinical Interests:
Dr. Gupta’s practice is limited to care of the shoulder, elbow, and hand. He has a particular interest in arthritis and minimally invasive shoulder surgery. Other areas of focus include treatment of fractures, degenerative conditions, compressive neuropathies, distal radius malunions, and brachial plexus injuries.

Research Interests:
Dr. Gupta's research interest includes both clinical and basic science. He has published studies on topics ranging from rotator cuff injuries to distal radius fractures. He is the director of the Peripheral Nerve Research Laboratory at UC Irvine. This lab is focused on understanding nerve regeneration and Schwann cell control of neural injury. He has recently developed an animal model for rotator cuff injury along with Dr. Thay Lee at the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Lab. He remains also actively involved in kinematic research focused on shoulder arthroplasty and DRUJ stability.

Oral Examiner for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery 2021, 2020,
2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011

Chosen as a member of Best Doctors 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

Charles S. Neer Award - America Shoulder & Elbow Surgeons 2019

Faculty Teaching Award 2017, UC Irvine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery 2016

Weiland Medal for Outstanding Research in Hand Surgery ($20,000) 2016
American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Vernon Thompson Award, Role: Mentor 2016, Western Orthopaedic Association

Faculty Teaching Award 2016, UC Irvine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Best Student Paper, Role: Mentor 2016, International Society for Ligament & Tendon Research

Orthopedic Institute for Children Resident Award; Role: Mentor 2016
California Orthopaedic Association

Joseph H. Boyes Award - Best Scientific Presentation at Annual Meeting 2015
American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Best Scientific Exhibit “Cost-effective Arthroscopic Surgery Training and 2015
Assessment Tool for Resident Education”, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery

Orthopaedic Research & Education Foundation Resident Award 2015
California Orthopaedic Association ($2000)

Best Scientific Exhibit “Cost-effective Surgical Simulation” 2014
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery

Accelerated Merit Increase Professor Step II to Professor Step IV 2013

15th International Symposium on Neural Regeneration 2013
Poster Finalist Award in recognition of excellence in research
"Schwann Cell Derived Desert Hedgehog provides a Neuroprotective Effect against the Mechanical Stimuli from Compressive Neuropathies"

American British Canadian (ABC) Traveling Fellowship 2013, American Orthopaedic Association

Best Basic Science Paper 2013, American Society of Peripheral Nerve

Lloyd Taylor Award, Role: Mentor 2012, Western Orthopaedic Association

AAHS Outstanding Paper 2012, American Association for Hand Surgery

ASPN Outstanding Paper 2011, American Society of Peripheral Nerve

Orthopaedic Hospital Resident Award, Role: Mentor 2011
California Orthopaedic Association ($1000)

Lloyd Taylor Award, Role: Primary Mentor 2010
Western Orthopaedic Association ($2000)

1st Place Research Award Resident/Fellow, Role: Primary Mentor 2008
Cervical Spine Research Society ($2000)

Sterling Bunnell Traveling Fellowship in Hand Surgery 2007-2008
American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Accelerated Merit Increase Assoc. Step II to Professor Step I 2007

Kappa Delta Young Investigator Award ($20,000) - AAOS/ORS/OREF 2006

UCI nominee for the Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2006
for the Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research

Finalist Russel Hibbs Award-Scoliosis Research Society 2005

Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research 2005

Marshall Urist Young Investigator Award ($5000) - Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons 2005

Accelerated Merit Increase Asst. Prof. Step V to Assoc. Step II 2005

Selected to be Co-Councilor for Zeta Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha (UCI) 2004

Selected for ASSH Young Leaders Program 2004

AOA Emerging Leaders Program 2004

Neer Award Finalist- American Shoulder & Elbow Surgeons 2004

Best Shoulder/Elbow Poster at the AAOS 2004

University of California, Irvine - Physician/Scientist Award ($5000) 2003

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research 2003

Accelerated Merit Increase Asst. Prof. Step II to IV 2003

Selected as a member of Advisory Board to the Arthritis Foundation 2001

University of California ARISE Award for Academic Achievement 2001

North American Traveling Fellowship – Alternate 2000

NIH Career Development Award 2000

AO/ASIF Orthopaedic Faculty Member – Selected to be a member of the 1999
North American Musculoskeletal Trauma Education Committee

AO International fellowship to study with Drs. Uhli Buehler and Diego Fernandez 1998

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society 1991

Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research Endeavors for the paper:
“A Preliminary Study of Ligamentous Structures in the Occiputo-Atlanto-
Axial Region with an Evaluation of Three Posterior Fusion Devices” 1990

Letter of Commendation for Academic Excellence in Medical School 1989

Summa Cum Laude Graduate – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1990

Elected to Alpha Epsilon Delta Junior Honor Medical Society – Rensselaer Chapter 1989

Gupta, R. Think Again About That Block: Commentary on an article by Surena Namdari, MD, MSc, et al.: "Randomized Controlled Trial of Interscalene Block Compared with Injectable Liposomal Bupivacaine in Shoulder Arthroplasty". Journal of Bone and Joint
Surgery 99A(7): 619, April 5, 2017. PMID: 28375899

Slater RR Jr, Uong J, Gupta, R et al. The Opioid Epidemic : Risk Evaluation and Management Strategies for Prescribing Opioids. Instructional Course Lecture. 69:405-414; 2020. PMID: 32017742.

Shafiq, B, Hacquebord, J, Wright, DJ, Gupta, R. Modern Principles in the Acute Surgical Management of Open Distal Tibia Fractures. J of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery. 2021 Jun 1;29(11):e536-e547. doi: 10:5435/JAAOS-D-20-00502.

Zhu D, Tapadia MD, Palispis W, Luu M, Wang W, Gupta R. Attenuation of Robust Glial Scar Formation Facilitates Functional Recovery in Animal Models of Chronic Nerve Compression Injury. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Am. 99(24): 2119/e132; Dec 20,
2017. PMID: 29257018

Ficke JR, Moroski NM, Ross SD, Gupta R. Integrative Medicine as an Adjunct to Orthopaedic Surgery. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery 26(2): 58-65, January 15, 2018. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-16-00134. PMID: 29239871

Jung J, Haghverdian B, Gupta R. Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Fusion: Indications and Techniques. Hand Clinics 34(2): 177-184, May 2018.

Chan JP, Uong J, Nassiri N, Gupta R. Lessons From Leprosy: Peripheral Neuropathies and Deformities in Chronic Demyelinating Diseases. J Hand Surg Am. 2019 May;44(5):411-415. PMID:30177357

Zamorano DP, Lim PK, Haghverdian BA, Gupta R. Perioperative Management of the Orthopaedic Patient and Alcohol Use, Abuse, and Withdrawal. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery 27(6):e249-e257, March 15, 2019. doi: 10.5435/JAAOSD-17-00708. PMID: 30499892

Modrak, M; Sundem, L; Gupta, R; Zusick, MJ; Elfar, J. Pharmacological Attenuation of Electrical Effects in a Model of Compression Neuropathy. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Am. 101(6): 523-530, March 20, 2019. PMID: 30893233

Bhatia N, Palispis WA, Urakov T, Gruskay J, Haghverdian J, Yang DS, Uong J, Albert T, Vaccaro A, Levi AD, Gupta R. Establishing validity of the fundamentals of spinal surgery (FOSS) simulator as a teaching tool for orthopedic and neurosurgical trainees. Spine Journal. 2020 Apr;20(4):580-589. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2019.11.008. Epub 2019 Nov 18.PMID: 31751611

Chan JP, Clune J, Shah SB, Ward SR, Kocsis JD, Mozaffar T, Steward O, Gupta R. Examination of the human motor endplate after brachial plexus injury with two-photon microscopy. Muscle Nerve. 2019 Dec 10. PMID: 31820462

Gupta, R; Patel, NA; Mazzocca, AD; Romeo, A. Understanding and Treating Iatrogenic Nerve Injuries in Shoulder Surgery. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic. 2020 Mar 1; 28(5):e185-e192. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-18-00608. PMID: 31567728

Diamond, S; Lundy, JB; Weber, EL; Lalezari, S; Rafijah, G; Leis, A; Gray, BL; Lin, IC; Gupta, R. A Call to Arms: Emergency Hand and Upper Extremity Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Hand Surgery Global 2(4): 175-266, July 2020.

Gupta, R; Chan, JP; Uong, J; Palispis, WA; Wright, DJ; Shah, SB; Ward, SR; Lee, TQ; Steward, O. Human Motor Endplate Remodeling after Traumatic Nerve Injury. Journal of Neurosurgery 2020 Sep 18;1-8. doi: 10.3171/2020.8.JNS201461. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32947259

Slater RR Jr, Uong J, Gupta R, Beverley L, Marks MR, Nelson DL. The Opioid Epidemic: Risk Evaluation and Management Strategies for Prescribing Opioids. Instructional Course Lectures 69:405-414; 2020. PMID: 32017742

Gupta, R. Think Again About That Block: Commentary on an article by Surena Namdari, MD, MSc, et al.: "Randomized Controlled Trial of Interscalene Block Compared with Injectable Liposomal Bupivacaine in Shoulder Arthroplasty". Journal of Bone and Joint
Surgery 99A(7): 619, April 5, 2017. PMID: 28375899

ASSH Surgical Simulation Taskforce, Wright DJ, Uong J. Establishing Validity of a Comprehensive Hand Surgical Training and Educational Platform (STEP). J Hand Surg Am. 45(12):1105-1114; Dec 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2020.07.019. Epub 2020 Sep 30.
PMID: 33008694 (Gupta R is the senior & corresponding author as chair of the ASSH Surgical Simulation Taskforce)

Principal Investigator - NIH Award from the National Institute for 1/19/10-12/31/15 Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Schwann Cell Control of Chronic Nerve Injury 2R01NS049203-06A1 ($1,653,862); Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation 7/1/2014-6/30/2015 Clinician Scientist Training Grant –Minal Tapadia Schwann Cell-Derived Hedgehog as a Therapeutic Adjunct for Compressive Neuropathies Role: Primary Mentor ($20,000); OREF Resident Clinician Scientist Training Grant- Tom Chao 7/1/2012- 6/30/2013 A Novel Method to Preserve the Neuromuscular Junction After Traumatic Nerve Injury. Role: Primary Mentor ($20,000); Orthopaedic Trauma Association Resident Grant 1/1/11-1/1/12 Preservation of the Neuromuscular Junction after Nerve Injury Role: Primary Mentor ($8,000); Co-Investigator/Sponsor, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering Research Fellowship for Undergraduate Students-Nima Nassiri 3/30/09- 7/10/09; Co-Investigator/Sponsor, Undergraduate Research Opportunity- Ryan Anderson 12/23/08 –6/30/09; The Role of Durotomy and Duraplasty Following Cervical Spinal Cord Injury in an Animal Model ($600); Co-Investigator/Sponsor, Undergraduate Research Opportunity- Nima Nassiri 12/23/08 – 6/30/09; Schwann Cell Integrin Expression Following Peripheral Nerve Injury ($600); Principal Investigator-American Society for Surgery of the Hand 11/1/06-10/31/07 Altered Myelination with Compression Neuropathies: The Role of Schwann Cell Mechanotransduction ($19,187 annual direct costs); Co-Investigator (5% effort) - NIH Award from the National Institute for 07/15/01-06/30/06 Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Post-doctoral Training Program in Neural Regeneration T32 NS-07486 ($218,860 annual direct costs); Co-Investigator (5% effort) - NIH Award from the National Institute for 07/01/03-06/30/07 Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Summer Research Training in Neuroscience T35 NS-45563 ($38,280 annual direct costs); Co-Investigator/Sponsor, Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation 6/1/05-9/1/05 Medical Student Summer Orthopaedic Research Fellowship-Michael Gray Macrophage mediated effects with chronic nerve compression injury ($2500); Principal Investigator - NIH Award from the National Institute for 7/1/04-4/30/10 Neurologic Disorders and Stroke Schwann cell regulation of chronic nerve injury 5R01 NS049203 ($1,670,679); Co-Investigator/Sponsor, Whitaker Foundation-Tom Chao 6/1/03 – 9/1/03 Mechanical Stimulation of Peripheral Neural Tissue Alters the Process of Myelination ($4500); Co-Investigator/Sponsor, NIH Post-doctoral fellowship-Phong Bui 6/1/03 – 9/1/03 Evaluation of Schwann cell responses to different injury models ($5500); Co-Investigator/Sponsor, Undergraduate Research Opportunity-Michael Gray 6/1/03 – 9/1/03 The role of vascular endothelial growth factor in compressive neuropathy ($3000);

Education Committee ASES (Chair) 2020-2022

Education Committee ASES (Co-Chair) 2017-2020

Surgical Simulation Taskforce ASSH (Chair) 2017-2021

American Medical Association 2014-Present

Program Committee ASES 2014-2019

American Neurological Association (Active member) 2012-present

Association for Bone and Joint Surgery (Member #30368) 2007-Present

American Society for Surgery of the Hand (Active Member) 2003 to Present

American Medical Association 2001 – Present

Orthopaedic Research Society (Member ID# 00179823) 2001 – Present

Society for Neuroscience (Member ID# 100009738) 2001 – Present

Los Angeles Hand Club 1999 – Present

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery 1994 – Present

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society 1991-Present

Link to this profile
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=4760

Last updated
11/09/2021