Simon Donell

Simon Donell is an Honorary Professor at Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, and a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Norwich since 1994. He previously served as a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Orthopaedics, UCL, based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore.

His research focuses on orthopaedic conditions, particularly knee injuries, fractures, and surgical outcomes. Key areas include:

• Accelerated fracture healing and bone morphogenetic proteins
• Matrix metalloproteinases in cartilage and tendon
• Patellar instability and hypermobility syndrome
• Clinical and cost-effectiveness of orthopaedic procedures
• Competency assessment in knee replacement surgery

His recent publications reveal a strong trend in clinical orthopaedics, geriatric trauma care, and interdisciplinary medical humanities. Articles span from hip fracture recovery pathways to historical analyses of disease in art and literature, indicating a broad scholarly impact. He also contributes to surgical education and assessment methodology.

Professional recognitions include:

• Fellow of the British Orthopaedic Association (since 2009)
• Member of the British Association for Surgery of the Knee (since 2009)
• Co-Editor of The Knee journal (since 2015)

He supervises multiple MD and PhD students, with past advisees researching Achilles tendinopathy, lower limb alignment, femoral morphology, and molecular profiles in Dupuytren’s disease. His work is supported by grants from Action Arthritis, BBSRC, and Medtronic Ltd. He is based at the University of East Anglia and collaborates widely across orthopaedic and biomedical research networks.