Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Dharmesh Vyas, MD, PhD

  • Associate Professor
  • Medical Director and Head Team Physician, NHL Pittsburgh Penguins club
  • Medical Director, UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex

Education & Training

  • MD, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
  • Residency: University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
  • Residency: University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
  • PhD, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, IL

Representative Publications

1. Weidenman JL, Tsika GL, Gao L, McCarthy JJ, Rivera-Rivera ID, Vyas DR, Sheriff-Carter K, andTsika RW.  Muscle-specific and inducible expression of 293-base pair β-myosin heavy chainpromoter in transgenic mice. Am. J. Physiol.  271 (Reg. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 40):R688-R695,1996.

2. Weidenman JL, Rivera-Rivera ID, Vyas DR, Tsika GL, Gao L, Sheriff-Carter K, Wang X, KwanLY, and Tsika RW.  β-MHC and SMLC1 transgene induction in overloaded skeletal muscle oftransgenic mice. Am. J. Physiol. 270 (Cell Physiol. 39):C1111-C1121, 1996

3. Vyas DR, McCarthy JJ, and Tsika RW.  Nuclear protein binding at the β-Myosin heavy chainA/T-rich element is enriched following increased skeletal muscle activity.  J. Biol. Chem.274:30832, 1999.

4. McCarthy JJ, Vyas DR, Tsika GL, and Tsika RW.  Segregated regulatory elements direct β-Myosin heavy chain expression in response to altered muscle activity.  J. Biol. Chem.
274:14270-14279, 1999

5. Vyas DR, McCarthy JJ., Tsika GL, and Tsika RW.  Dissimilar nuclear protein binding at thehuman β- myosin heavy chain proximal and distal MCAT elements in response to increasedskeletal muscle activity. Basic and Applied Myology 10:5-16, 2000.

6. Vyas DR, McCarthy JJ, Tsika GL, and Tsika RW.   Multiprotein complex formation at the β-Myosin heavy chain distal Muscle CAT element correlates with slow muscle expression but notmechanical overload responsiveness.  J. Biol. Chem. 276:1173, 2001.

7. Vyas DR, Spangenburg EE, Abraha TW, Childs TE, and Booth FW. GSK-3beta negativelyregulates skeletal myotube hypertrophy Am J Physiol Cell Physiol.  283(2):C545-51, 2002.

8. Childs TE, Spangenburg EE, Vyas DR, Booth FW.  Temporal alterations in protein signalingcascades during recovery from muscle atrophy.  Am J Physiol Cell Physiol.  285(2):C391-8.2003.

9. Cohen, S, Rangavajjula A, Vyas D, and Bradley J.  Clinical Outcomes after Proximal HamstringRepair.Amer. J. Sports Med.  40(9): 2092-8; 2012

10. Vyas D, Rabuck S, and Harner CD.  Allograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction:Indications, techniques and outcomes. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 42(3): 196-207, 2012.

11. Vyas D and Harner, CD.  Management of the multi-ligament injured knee.  Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine. 19(1):2-11, 2011

12. Vyas D and Harner CD.  Meniscus Root Repair. Sports Med Arthrosc. 20(2):86-94, 2012.

13. Vyas D, Rabuck SJ, Harner CD.  Allograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: indications, techniques, and outcomes. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.42(3):196-207, 2012

14. Tanaka M, Vyas D, Bedi A, Pearle A, and Musahl V.  What does it take to have a high-gradepivot shift? Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc.20(4):737-42, 2012

15. Miller RM, Popchak A, Vyas D, Tashman S, Irrgang JJ, Musahl V, Debski RE.  Effects of exercise therapy for the treatment of symptomatic full-thickness supraspinatus tears on in vivo glenohumeral kinematics.  J Shoulder Elbow Surg. Nov 24. 2015

Research Interests

Dr. Vyas’ research interests are in the area of knee (ACL reconstruction and meniscus healing) and shoulder surgery (shoulder instability and rotator cuff healing). He is actively involved in teaching medical students, orthopaedic surgery residents, and also sports medicine fellows. Clinically he has a busy sports medicine practice taking care of adult and pediatric patients with shoulder, knee, and hip injuries. Furthermore, he is also the Head Team Physician of the Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Team.   

Research Grants

1.  Title: Prospective Analysis of Outcomes for Treatment of Meniscus Tears 
Time Commitment: 1% (0.12 calendar months)
Role: Principal Investigator
Supporting Agency:  The Pittsburgh Foundation
Name and Address of the Funding Agency’s Procuring Contracting/Grants Officer: 
Dr. Jeanne Pearlman Five PPG Place Suite 250 Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Performance Period: 07/01/2012-06/30/2015
Level of Funding: $5,000

2.  Title: Timing of Surgery and Rehabilitation to Optimize Outcome for Patients with Multiple Ligament Knee Injuries: A Multi-Center Trial.
Time:  5%
Role:  supporting investigator to Dr. Ermias Abebe
Supporting Agency:  AOSSM

3..  Title:  Timing of Surgery and Rehabilitation to Optimize Outcome for Patients with Multiple Ligament Knee Injuries:  A Multi-Center Trial.
Time:  5%
Role:  supporting investigator
Status:  accepted for application for funding to Dept of Defense

4.  Title:  Stem cell response to rotator cuff tear related fatty atrophy
Time:  10%
Role:  Co-PI
Status:  IRB in process—to be submitted for NIH RO1 in February in collaboration with University of Kentucky

5.  Title:  Clinical Outcomes and Return to Play after anterior shoulder stabilization
Time:  10%
Role:  Co-PI
Status:  IRB done. Patients contacted and data collection in progress