Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has announced a $10 million gift from Lauren and Robert Steers to advance the development of the HSS Digital Twin Platform, a pioneering technology designed to revolutionize orthopedic care. The platform uses 3D imaging to create virtual replicas of a patient’s anatomy, enabling surgeons to conduct real-time, data-driven simulations for surgical planning, intraoperative decisions, and predicting patient outcomes. Andrew D. Pearle, MD, Chief Emeritus of Sports Medicine and lead of the Digital Twin project, described the initiative as a transformative step in personalized orthopedic medicine. “This gift allows HSS to turn a bold vision into reality, fundamentally changing how we diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate musculoskeletal conditions,” he said. HSS President and CEO Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA, praised the Steers for their long-standing support and called the donation a landmark moment for the institution. “Their generosity will drive innovation that improves patient care and sets new standards in orthopedic surgery,” Kelly said. The four-year project brings together a multidisciplinary team of HSS surgeons, radiologists, biomechanical engineers, and AI and data experts. Initial efforts are focused on the knee, where the platform will generate 3D models from MRI scans and simulate joint mechanics under various surgical scenarios. The web-based interface is designed for ease of use by clinicians and clear communication with patients. The technology builds on over a decade of research by HSS experts, now enhanced with artificial intelligence and advanced image processing. One early clinical application involves determining whether patients undergoing ACL revision surgery could benefit from a slope reduction osteotomy—a procedure to reshape the shin bone. The digital twin allows surgeons to model the surgery in detail, testing different angles to predict how forces and joint motion will change, thereby reducing the risk of re-injury. Dr. Pearle, along with colleagues Drs. Danyal H. Nawabi, Mark J. Amirtharaj, and Thomas L. Wickiewicz, recently published a landmark study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine demonstrating the platform’s ability to guide precise surgical decisions. The findings highlight its potential to improve outcomes in complex knee surgeries. The Steers’ gift also established the Lauren and Robert Steers Chair in Orthopedic Research and Innovation, which will be held by Dr. Pearle and provide long-term funding for future breakthroughs. The platform’s success in knee applications will pave the way for digital twins of the hip and shoulder, with the ultimate goal of offering every HSS patient an online digital twin care companion. This system would integrate comprehensive musculoskeletal data and could eventually replace traditional medical records. HSS, consistently ranked No. 1 in orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years, continues to lead in research, innovation, and patient care. With this new investment, the institution is poised to expand access to cutting-edge orthopedic care globally.